Buachaille Etive Beag
- robsthomson
- Aug 25, 2019
- 4 min read
Comprising of 2 Munro Summits, this ridge in the heart of Glencoe plays second fiddle in reputation and glamour of it's larger sibling Buachaille Etive Mor. However, it retains minor Royalty status and rightly so as a fantastic walk with stunning views of The Aonach Eagach and Loch Etive
It had been a weather rollercoaster of a Summer with the early May sunshine a dim memory for the most part. Even as we set off to Glencoe on Friday night the forcecast ranged from very hot to very wet and everything in between
Stob Coire Raineach and Stob Dubh make up 'the wee Buachaille' with the former only gaining Munro status in 1997 as a 'top' in it's own right.
A serpentine-like ribbon of tarmac forms the A82 snaking it's way though the awe-inspiring landscape of Glencoe. This truly is one of my favourite stretches of road and, despite the thronging tourists packing out every lay-by and verge, the spine still tingles as you are enveloped in the shadows cast by Mountains cast, sheared and moulded over 380 million years ago, making them some of the oldest Volcanic Strata in the World.
Midge Conditions Optimum
Thankfully we found a space to park just off the A82 and it was clear the forecasted rain had just been ahead of us. It was now warm, humid, damp and approaching sunset...... perfect midge conditions. We hastened to our riverside pitch and immediately set about getting a small fire going to keep them at bay. This strategy works very well but only if you are in the immediate vicinity of the smoke. Never have 3 tents been thrown up so quickly.
I rarely sleep well wild camping. Not through any overall concern or discomfort but it's a restless sleep as my mind is usually fully on the walk ahead. Despite the distant hum of traffic on the A82, the low chatter of other campers nearby and the stifling humidity I ended up sleeping as good as I can remember in my wee one man tent.
It's too darn hot....
The ground below and landscape around us was unmistakably Scotland, as the wildlife stirred with the sunrise and daylight bathed the purple and greens of the hillside in early morning light. The sky on the other hand was lightly washed with a copper and blue haze, giving it a tropical sunrise quality that indicated today would be hot. We set off early hoping to get as much distance in before the full strength of the sun caught up with us.
By now, the efficiency with which we could strike camp was paying off and by 6.30am we were following a brief stretch of the main road before picking up the start of the Lairig Gartain. This well made path runs around 3.5 miles to Dalness/Glen Etive and within minutes I had made a mental note to return and walk it's full length such was the scenery before us.
Around half way along it's full length, following the River Coupall a small marker highlights the point at which a direct attack on the south eastern side of Buachaille Etive Beag is possible. It wasn't long before the shadow provided by Buachaille Etive Mor opposite gave way to the rising morning sun and we stepped into the direct sunlight at 9am at around 550ft. It was 21 degrees already.
The heat took effect almost immediately and the hillside seemed steeper all of a sudden. Every now and again I have the feeling of being on a treadmill when climbing - lot's of effort and no progress. This was one of those days. A single solitary rock providing some respite as I waited on Liam and Michael then provided the same single person shelter for a few minutes for each of us. Another small mercy was to be had in the form of the Allt a' Mhain Bhuidhe which was still flowing heavily with cool, clear spring waters.
This was one of 2 routes to both summits. Both take you to the Bealach midway between the peaks at 902ft. We opted to tackle Stob Coire Raineach followed by Stob Dubh but in reality there is little to differentiate the 2 options.
Upon reaching the Bealach we quickly decided to tackle Stob Coire Raineach first. I don't recall any particular reason
Summit fever kicked in a bit as we raced up to our 1st summit so we were all fairly out of breath on arrival. A whisper of wind teased us with the promise of cooler air at elevation but it was no more than a faint breath of respite and the heat remained relentless.
Stob Dubh could be clearly seen and looked pretty close so we set off quite quickly, aware of the heat and lack of shade, the pace was probably quicker than it should have been as we knew the first respite would only come in descending back into the Bealach and down into Lairaig Gartain. The summit ahead started to look ominous to me with my growing and unexplainable fear of exposure kicking in as my eyes took in the path which wound it's way to the summit with a steep drop to the right. This rising anxiety continued to dumbfound and frustrate me, especially on walks like this when every other variable was almost perfect. It was a beautiful, bright, clear day in stunning surroundings but I had that feeling I imagine people get who fear flying as they board a plane. It was head down, follow the steps in front of me and try and drive it down and away from my consciousness.
By the time we reached the Bealach the consensus was clear and Buachaille Etive Mor would have to wait for another day. We had come well prepared with hats, suncream and water but nothing could prevent the sheer intensity of the heat and exposure to the sun this afternoon. To have attempted 2 more summits (including a full descent and renascent) would have been foolish, especially as we assessed the sun would be on us for the full ascent and traverse.
Generally I am fully behind the decisions to call it when conditions deem it unsafe, goodness knows I have made the call first or due to my state on more than one occasion, but privately I was very disappointed with this one. I suspect Liam and Mike were too but we kept those thoughts to ourselves to maintain the integrity of the group dynamic and decision making process.
Conditions were perfect that day. Too perfect. It was the right call.
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