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Stob a' Choire Odhair & Stob Ghabhar

Stob a' Choire Odhair & Stob Ghabhar from Victoria Bridge

Start/Finish

Victoria Bridge car park (just before the actual bridge) which lies at the end of the A8005 minor road to Forest Lodge and Victoria Bridge. This road leaves the A82, Crianlarich to Fort William road at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel.

Distance/Time

20 km      About 7 - 8 hours.

Peaks

Stob a' Choire Odhair, 945 m, NN 257 459.

Stob Ghabhar, 1090 m, NN 230 455.

Sron a' Ghearrain, 990 m, NN 220 457.

Stob a' Bruaich Leith, 941 m, NN 208 459.      OS sheet 50.

Introduction

This is a classic and popular walk which can be very busy in the summer. In winter, however, it can be a very difficult proposition especially the usual ascent from Coirein Lochain to the Aonach Eagach ridge which is very steep and can hold snow and cornices well into Spring. This would need ice axe and crampons plus considerable winter experience. This route avoids that part of the ascent, using the Sron nan Giubhas ridge whose steep section is lower down and more likely to be snow free. Save this route for a clear day as the views are excellent and include the Creise range, Stob Coir'an Albannaich, Meall nan Eun, Bidean nam Bian and many more.

Route

(1) Walk out of the car park and continue up the road, crossing Victoria Bridge. Just before Forest Lodge, a sign indicates a right of way to Loch Etive using a track on the left. Walk along this track, following the river, until the green bothy is reached by the Allt Toaig in the gap between the two forests. Follow the path, boggy in places, on the E side of the Allt Toaig for about 2.5 km to the burn coming down from between Stob a' Choire Odhair and Beinn Toaig. A fine waterfall is passed coming down Coire na Muic on Stob Ghabhar and there is a small cairn on the path about here which will used on the return. Cross the burn coming down from Stob a' Choire Odhair and Beinn Toaig and follow a path up the ridge on its W side. Two small ciarns offer alternative starts to the path up the ridge which zig-zags up into stony ground where it becomes harder to follow. Continue to easier ground and reach the large cairn which marks the summit of Stob a' Choire Odhair, 945 m.

(2) Descend W, gently at first with no obvious path, soon picking up a more obvious path lower down which goes down to the bealach between Stob a' Choire Odhair and Stob Ghabhar. Ascend a little then contour around between Coirein Lochain and the waterfall down stream from it. The burn will need to be crossed which might be a problem during a wet spell. Once across, make a rising traverse, roughly NE, up rough but easy grassy slopes to gain the Sron nan Giubhas ridge. A more direct approach is not possible because of crags. Follow the ridge W, with more than a hint of a path, before curving around S then SE up stony slopes to the medium cairn which marks the summit of Stob Ghabhar, 1090 m.

(3) Descend stony slopes NW, following some old fence posts then make a short gentle ascent to a rounded top where a very small cairn may mark the summit of Sron a' Ghearrain, 990 m although it may not be on the highest point. The fence goes off left before the summit.

(4) Descend SW, down mainly easy grassy slopes to a bealach then ascend, curving around to the NW to reach a medium cairn which marks the summit of Stob a' Bruaich Leith, 941 m.

(5) Retrace back over Sron a' Ghearrain to Stob Ghabhar then descend SE following the line of old fence posts on a fairly distinct path. The fence posts sometimes disappear but always come back, likewise the path but not both together. The path goes down Coire na Muic on the right hand side of the very impressive waterfall. In places, the ground is steep and wet. Not far below this, cross the stream and continue down. The path leads to a “ford” hidden in a gorge on the Allt Toaig and is usually crossed quite easily. The outward track is on the top of the far bank, by the small cairn passed earlier, and can be followed back to Victoria Bridge.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 28th April, 2014. This route, using the more usual direct approach up Stob Ghabhar, was also climbed on 2nd August, 1994, and again on 26th May, 2007, but in the latter case, descending to the track on Mam nan Sac.

(b) In summer conditions, it is possible to go from Sron nan Giubhas to Sron a' Ghearrain by contouring around the NW flank of Stob Ghabhar so that Stob Ghabhar is only ascended the once.

(c) Missing out Sron a' Ghearrain and Stob a' Bruach Leith would save about 90 minutes.

(d) If Stob Ghabhar is visited before Sron a' Ghearrain and Stob a' Bruach Leith then there is an alternative return from Stob a' Bruach Leith without going over Stob Ghabhar. Descend SSE towards Mam nan Sac to pick up the track which leads down to Clashgour where the track going E returns one to Victoria Bridge. Parts of this descent can be rough and boggy but it does save the re-ascent of Stob Ghabhar.

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