Ramsay Reccies Part 2

Stob Ban to Youth Hostel

Using the excuse to see some friends compete in the Ben race, I decided to try and run some more of Ramsay's Round. After a horrendious slow drive down from Inverness due in part to some tourist unable to translate km/h into miles/h, I got dropped off in Achriabhach and headed up via the stalkers path to Stob Ban. The mizzle turned to drizzle and finally to proper rain. Unsurprisingly the wind picked up on the bealach. Fortunately there is a well worn path from the bealach up the summit of Stob Ban with only a few sections of quatzite scrambling. The 3km of flatish ridge to Mullach nan Coirean was all on good path although a few bouldery section on was seemed like granite would be tricky in the dark. Once again I pleasantly surprised but the superb asthetics of the line taken by Ramsay's. The section was reminicient of the Helvellyn section of the Bob Graham. From Mullach I decided to try and pick out the line leading to the West Highland Way. I dropped down the baggers route towards Glen Nevis. At the cairn I turned off the path down a broad rock and grass ridge heading NW. After a mile of following a very indistinct sheep track I was still on route. 10 minutes later I was out of the cloud and lost. I seemed to be marooned in a rough coire and despite the purple splendour of the blooming heather I was beginning to stop enjoying the run. It took me several minutes to work out that it was Glen Nevis I could see at the bottom. Bugger. I was now very wet and decided to drop staright down and pick up the road. Inevitably the forest bashing was a chore and the forestry commission had decided to fell and replant to steep slopes. A wonderful combination of wet logs underfoot hidden by dense undergrowth. Older growth lower down the slope gave quicker running and I then had the pleasure of yet another run down the road to the hostel. All in a decent down the tourist route and then a blast along the road would be quicker than the cross country route, but would it be ethical??

Time: 3.30hs Distance: 16km

Northern Loch Treig Munros

The next day, after a good night at the hostel at Achluarach, I set up from Fersit up the old British Aluminium railway, with one great Indiana Jones style bridge over a gorge, to Coire Laire and then via a decent track to Stob Coire Easain. I was briefly tempted by Sgurr Innse, but not sure how long the rest of the run would take decided against it.

Great views and easy running in superb visibility was a nice change from my recent epics.

The top section of Stob Coire Easain from the north has a well eroded path leading steeply up a lose, gravelly section. From I scoped out the decent line from Stob Ban and the climb from Laraig Leacach, which both looked grassy and fairly clear of heather and rocks. The initial decent from Stob Coire is steep, but soon gives way to faster terrain. The following climb to Stob a Coire Mheadhoin was quick (14mins from top to top) but the summit area is rather indisticnt and time could easily be lost staggering around on the loose tiles of rock. From the top to the dam is a blast and aside from a very steep muddy and eroded section at Meall Cian Dearg is nice running. My choice of route down to the dam road lead through some steep craggy areas and would be better perhaps to stick to the burn marked on the map, just a little north of the crags. All in all another very enjoyable section.

Time: 3hs Distance: 16.5km