KYQ4: Ben More/Stob Binnen

Ben More from Stob Binnein

Friday, 12 August 2022

Ascent: 1306 metres
Distance: 15 kilometres
Time: 4 hours 32 minutes

Ben More 1174m 1hr 51mins
Stob Binnein 1165m 2hrs 59mins

The fourth day of the August heatwave with near cloudless skies and excellent visibility persuaded me to tackle the two highest Munros in this part of the world. Despite, or perhaps because of their proximity, I had not climbed them for over 13 years. They dominate views from so many locations like a pair of salt and pepper pots often poking into the clouds when lesser hills are flaunting their peaks. I was away by 7am, this would hopefully avoid any traffic hold-ups and allow me to climb the steep northern slopes of Ben More whilst they were still in shadow. It was a good call and I was the second car to park by Ben More farm and begin the initial climb up the flip-flap track until it reaches the stairway that climbs relentlessly for the next 850 metres to the trig point of Ben More. Much of the path is man-made with large stones and provides a good footing at a gradient that never knowingly gives you a break.

I was right about being in the shadow but even in shorts and a T-shirt, the exercise was keeping the sweat glands active. I kept a surprisingly steady rhythm to the summit, stopping only once for some water and a few photos. Only in the last 50 metres of ascent did I emerge from the shadows and draw some energy from the sun to reach the summit cairn. The nearby trig point that looks like its foundations are being eroded. I had made better time than expected and decided to continue almost immediately after another drink and some photos. Stob Binnein was calling and, in the amazing clarity of the morning sun,it looked a mere shuffle away.

As I began the descent, I passed a couple who had camped at the summit and we chatted for a few minutes as they eulogised about the experience. There are a couple of scrambles over some crags at the start of the descent and it was slower than I had expected. I remembered from eight previous walks on these hills that the climb to Stob Binnein was a lot longer than it looked. Once again I was surprised to find that I could keep a reasonable pace without the need for any rest. It was 303 metres of climbing and took just over 30 minutes. Another young couple was sitting by the summit, they had bivvied there and were in a state of excitement about the large red moon that had been bright enough to read a book at midnight. It was only 11:00am so we chatted for 45 minutes or so, they were already hooked on the great outdoors and I could discern from our conversation that they would have many years of adventures ahead in the hills.

They had ascended from Balquidder and had decided to give Ben More a miss and return by the south ridge. I wished them lots of days in the hills and set off in the opposite direction on the descent to the bealach below Ben More. It was a lot easier than the descent from Ben More. From the bealach, I took a traversing descent down to Benmore Glen. It was a narrow and at times boggy path, even in the heatwave conditions but quite hard on the feet with boulders and uneven drops. I reached the track within an hour from the summit and then it was just an easy tramp down the track to Ben More farm where the path to Ben More begins. There were still very few cars parked despite the perfect conditions. It was good to be down by lunchtime and I was home by 2pm after a jaunt on these tough hills that had been just about as pleasant as it is possible to get.