Buachaille Etive Mor, 1022m
This superb mountain would have to find a place in my "top 10". In fact, I have climbed it 6 times, by a variety of different routes (see below).
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Date: 17/7/1976 |
Tops and Munros |
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Companions: big group from SU camp at Glen Etive |
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Distance: 6km | |
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Climbing: 750m | |
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Weather: | |
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Munro Tally: M4, T5 | |
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This was a very early climb. I was a leader at a Scripture Union camp based at the last cottage before the end of the Glen Etive road. Each day, different groups set out to climb a nearby mountain. This day I was in a large group. We climbed the direct route up Coire na Tulaich, following the well-worn steepening path up form Laggangarbh. A final scramble up rough scree at the top of the coire led onto the bouldery ridge to the summit. There are few summits which occupy a more dramatic setting. Sitting on the summit cairn, you look out over the wide expanse of Rannoch Moor, which begins almost below your feet at the foot of Stob Dearg's cliffs. We returned by the same route. | |
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Date: 20/5/1978 |
Tops and Munros |
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Companions: group of students from Mayfield Church Youth Group |
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Distance: 10km | |
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Climbing: 1250m | |
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Time: 8 hours | |
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Weather: warm, sunny, with some heavy showers | |
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Munro Tally: M(4),8, T(5),9,10,11 | |
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Two years later, a group of us from Mayfield Church in Edinburgh climbed "the Buachaille" from Glen Etive, up Coire Cloich Finne. This route has little to recommend it. It is a steep slog up the coire, with much less of interest than Coire na Tulaich to the north. However, the painful ascent was soon forgotten when we reached the summit, with its splendid views and airy position. Half of the group returned by the same route, while some of us amde our way along the fine ridge of the mountain, southwest over the other 3 summits: Stob na Doire, Stob Coire Altruim, and finally Stob na Broige (subsequently upgraded to a Munro in its own right). This made a fine outing, with views across the Lairig Gartain to Buachaille Etive Beag, and down Glen Etive to Ben Starav. Finally, we negotiated the tricky descent to Dalness, down steep grass slopes avoiding the numerous crags (not a route to be recommended in poor visibility or when wet underfoot) | |
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Date: 13/7/1978 |
Tops and Munros |
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Companions: group of campers from SU camp in Glen Etive |
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Distance: 9km | |
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Climbing: 1150m | |
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Time: | |
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Weather: hot and sunny | |
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Munro Tally: (M4,8, T5,9,10,11) | |
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A couple of months later, I was back on the Buachaille, with a small group of campers form the Scripture Union camp in Glen Etive. Combining the 2 routes described above, we ascended form Laggangarbh up Coire na Tulaich, competed the tranvers fo all the tops, and repeated the tricky descent to Dalness (much to the apparent consternation of the Dalness sheepdog, which began barking as soon as it heard us, and continued for an hour until we had reached the road at the bottom. This complete traverse is to be recommended, but it requires transport as the start and finish are about 10 miles apart by road. | |
In 1981, (24th July - our 1st wedding anniversary), Anne and I were en route to Skye with a young German friend, Barbara Schedler. It was a beautiful afternoon, and we had time in hand, so decided to make the ascent (my 4th time, but the 1st time for both Anne and Barbara). We followed the usual route up Coire na Tulaich from Laggangarbh, turned left at the top, and were once again rewarded with the fine view over Rannoch Moor. We decided to descend from the col down the ridge running north from the 903m top to the west of Coire na Tulaich, but I wouldn't recommned this route - endless steep grassy slopes were extremely tedious!
I was back on the Buachaille again in May 1984 on a Mountain Leadership Certificate Training Course, and made 2 further ascents, by more sporting routes than previously, under the care of staff from Benmore Outdoor Centre.
On the 5th May, we made our ascent up the broken ground on the east side of Coire na Tulaich. No path, but fairly straightforward as an ascent route, leading almost directly to the summit of Stob Dearg. From here, we donned climbing helmets, and descended, climbing in places, and abseiling in others, down "curved ridge". In standard, this is no more than moderate, but it was pretty exhilarating for me!
The next day, I was selected for the more "advanced" group to make a direct ascent up the North Buttress. This was grwat fun, stretching my experience to the limit. For the ascent, we roped up in pairs to practice our belaying techniques. The first few pitches were fairly straighforward. The only tricky section was up the final chimney, which required a bit of commitment. I enjoyed the climbing, but didn't enjoy sitting at the top of the chimney facing outwards over Rannoch Moor belaying my partner who was coming up from below. However, all passed without mishap, and we were soon on the summit, enjoying the views. Descent was by the tourist route.
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"tourist route" July 1976 ^
ridge traverses - May and July 1978 >>
climbing routes - May 1984 v |
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starting the descent of Curved Ridge ...
To see an OS 1:50000 map of this mountain, click here To see a road map of the area around this mountain, click here | |||
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Buchaille Etive Mor View of Stob Dearg behind Laggangarbh. The "tourist" route up Coire na Tulaich is on the extreme right of the photo. The North Buttress and Curved Ridge (1984 ascents) are on the left. | ||||
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ascent of North Buttress (left) getting ropes and hemets sorted out before the start of the climb. (right) belay at the top of the chimney - its a long way down to Rannoch Moor! |
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Comments or questions? david@dbethune.com |
