Buachaille Etive Mor is probably one of the
most instantly recognizable and iconic peaks in Scotland if not the UK and
today's adventure I was heading up to the summit probably up my favorite route
on the mountain and I was going to be spending the night on the top of the
summit called Stob Dearg but in a way I hadn't spent on a mountain top outdoors for over 15
years it was going to be fun I've just arrived and you can probably
see it there I'm heading up that mountain tonight I'm going to spen
d the night on
the mountain and and I want to go up my favorite way and I'm gonna be
spending the night on the mountain in a way or something I've not done in about 14 or 15
years and I'm a bit apprehensive about it , anyway times marching on it's about
five o'clock and he get cracked on get my boots on get my gear ready and hope
this sky stays blue, let's go! things were looking really good as I
left the car and I was soon crossing the River Coupall and approaching
that Lagangarb Hut and this
used to be an old Croft or cottage before it was
purchased by the National Trust in 1946 and it is run and occupied by the
Scottish mountaineering club now and not long after the hut you take the left
branch at the path that takes you around towards the front of the Buachaille and
underneath those great cliffs and at this point that great bulk of Stob Dearg was casting a shadow and it would be the last time I'd see the Sun Shine
for quite a while...... So you can probably hear I'm at the
famous
water slab stone here which is one of the distinguishing features on the route to Curved Ridge and to the other hills and routes. at this point you go round the side of the water slab stone and up behind it and this is where the steep
screes begin but it quite refreshing here that feels I am in
the shower although I'm not quite underneath it and
I'll spin round in a minute you'll see that views I've started to open up over
Rannoch Moor now one of my favorite hills over there Beinn a' Chrulais
te and you can see Scheihallion and the quality is quite good this could be an excellent trip but it's
a it's absolutely lovely so I'm gonna stop getting wet get round here and start the slog up the hill after rounding the water slab stone, the path starts to steepen considerably and this is the real start
of the climb and the walk and the path here is really loose and stony an alot of scree and after a little while it starts to steepen even more and at this
point it was time for me to to get
my helmet on yeah a few few jelly babies
down my throat and get ready for the scrambling ahead so one of the things that makes Glencoe special really different is that it's the remains of an ancient super
volcano and on my way up today I couldn't help but notice the shadow cast
on Rannoch Moor below me and I was again a little bit well yeah a little bit
worried that it may be a bit hot and steamy on top anyway and off enough of
that it was just the shadow of the cloud and I headed up and I was s
oon
approaching the start of curved Ridge Wow
but please well that's me one curved Ridge now you see it heading up and to
the right of it is the Rannoch wall that's it that's the feature that I
always look for when I'm looking for when looking for Curved Ridge because I know what curved ridge
sits immediately to the left of a Rannoch Wall or some amazing climbs up
there I can see Agags gags groove going up and what-have-you
this is just fabulous it the first bit of scrambling I've just done and
I
taking my time I am very aware that this bag that I've gotten is a bit
heavier than what I usually take a scramble so I'm just testing it for the
hand holds and taking my time but what an evening . I can see all the hills to the north and down over Rannoch moor it's just glorious
and the shadow of the hill I'm going up the buachaille i's just casting itself
doing over theMoor their towards the KingsHouse hoel so absolutely fabulous what an
evening so yeah I'm glad I'm in the shade because I w
as waiting down there
I'm still sweating but anyway enough talking let's get scrambled when we go just fabulous scrambling that's
encourage absolutely brilliant and I can just see I'm about eight hundred and
twenty years a little bit two hundred meters to go to the top and this is
discreetly but I email get out viewed it's just one of those places in
Scotland the scrambling is great for its green but the exposure you get or the I
can feeling of the expansive running behind you just makes it very
unique and very special and I'm yet to have a day I've not enjoyed curved
ridge generally the best way without ropes and harnesses to get to the top of The BUACHAILLE, so I'm going to switch tO THE helmet camera in a minute because I think
they're the crux chimney lies ahead so don't want to be using the tripod and
we'll have you saw apologize now for any Wobbley what you're gonna get
headcam but let's get exciting couple of still gets dark so I need to get up there and find somewhere t spend
the night - let's go up I went and it really is a fantastic
experience curved Ridge and if you're an experienced scramble or a climber
there's not many difficulties but if you're not used to or new to scrambling
it's certainly worth while researching it or perhaps getting a gate to take you
up in the first place as always the helmet cam makes it look a little bit
worse than what it is but certainly not a place to take lightly if you fail here
you do yourself some serious damage anyway
oh no wai
t good good handholds good few holds and the ridge is interspersed by
lots of l ledges makes yeah you can have all stops after doing little bits
of scrambling and stop for a BT and enjoy the live using what have you but
it really is just to be enjoyed absolutely fantastic one of you yeah that the shadows are
growing along well that's me approaching the top of curved Roger has been great
absolutely fantastic and the shelter from the windows well things gonna be
quite windy on the top which I'll c
ome to later on and the reason what I'm
doing today is partly due to that wind but it's been fantastic I came up my
gully there I actually missed out the best part of the scrambling the clocks
and the exposed bird but I headed up to the rate of the ridge and just threw
this off the gully I was okay but if you're coming up I'd probably state
today at the crease but I hadn't been through that going before so far we are
we go side done area yeah as I said the eye shadow was I've starting to grow
lo
ng the king's house is just too the way for the top of the Buachaille which is a
shadow over there and I have got Crowberry Tower behind me and I'm gonna be
at the summit in about 15 minutes so I'm gonna crack on I'm
not gonna bother going to Crowberry Tower idea I think I was up there the last
time I'll cut to some footage it out I was going to go to the top and see they
can find a nice spot to spend the night maybe a wee bit of shelter but not too
much Shelter I don't want the MIDGIES feastin
g on me that was a mainn part of the scrambling
finished with and I sort of sauntered my way up towards the key remarks the top
of curved ridge and enjoyed the views back over on I continued to be superb
this point I decided to get my backpack off and put my helmet are we in get my
walking pools and what-have-you as I mentioned I wasn't going to be an
Crowberyy Tower today and I was going to be taking a slightly different way
to the summit of Stob Dearg which didn't involve the usual path the sa
me
and then actually I had a wee bit more easy scrambling to the route and had
once done this before I think the first thing we'd come to do
coverage many many moons ago we ended up going up something called D Gully
buttress and there we continued up the slain and assure the rich i was awaited
what though something I hadn't done since away by it in some more easy
scrambling was required on the shoot but it wasn't long before I was starting to
get higher up in the mountain and I started to feel t
hat but he's pick up
but you know what something else came back as we approached it talk this
sunshade and it was a welcome there's a view again just up solutely brilliant
it's nice over that way as well but this is what you come for his death expiring
sadhana commute over there so Ellen I want to say that was spending the night
in the mountain but doing something I hadn't done for a bit well I've been all
14 or 15 years and tonight I'm going to bivy and there's a number of reasons I'm
going to
billion I'll come I'll go into them and then in a moment but at the
moment what will to do and we get a bag off this looks like this summit and I
need to scope their own before it gets dark the straining fiend every sport to
they get my movie doing and what have you a knack in there I can relax after
that but I shall report bike was have done that but it's kind of hard to take
your eyes off the views I'm gonna have to do that with India rucksack off pull
down and go another week for the Povey se
e wait let's do it the next wee while
was spent looking for a bevy see but it was also spend just enjoying this
magnificent location and it felt so good to be on top of this iconic maintained
on such a lovely evening and enjoying a super position what a place to be that's it it's a vehicle up there and
the Sun is just the route to go behind this Bank occlude which is sent out to
the west and I kind of I kind of expected that I didn't expect a great
sunset today because that's where the Senate an
d I'm hoping it's gonna it's
gonna sink in slowly what I'm kind of hoping for in the morning is that the
cloud cover comes in and the Sun rises over anything more and I get some Lisa
dawn colors but to be honestly the cloud level looks quite little hold on I like
that may not happen but a kooky oh and I've also found a bivy Sport know one of
the concerns that I had because I'm not oh it's been a year since of above it
I'm a bit concerned about putting my mat and the mat wouldn't fit inside the b
ivi
bag oh come on Sarah so my groom Matt's gonna have to go down
and then I'm gonna be on top of the groom in the bivvy which is fine but
it's very low-key I think I could have got a lovely wee sport here with a view
or a nickiemoore but I'm not gonna I'm not gonna risk it
I'm gonna head over there Zoe but I could ask that phone maybe three or four
minutes from the summit here just over Anna we we definitely give me some
sheltered as well and that's what I'm gonna miss out Bob of it and as I sa
id
the Sun is bletchley direct ago you know so I just really enjoyed myself from the
stomach you have taken in the views there's not been another soul the only
people I've seen where people coming off the whole day in the bomb they're a
couple of good climber as one of one once a claim that had been in the North
Face route which we dead linked somewhere either that years ago there
was media and Mark the net worth fantastic nearly had that day and I'm
glad to have got coverage it was good fun I t
ook a not tear to finish as well
think over to crew Billy enough I can I came over to the south side and up the
ridge here which I've done once before as well so just be really about if
you're watching this video think and I'll use that as I don't because of
common taking a few variations of coverage today um just just just in case
you'd wonder I base love like see the band over to the memorial a reservoir
just just fantastic so many way think I'm Eagle don't my we Billy support now
and get some
get some tea and see what happens with us where those see if I
think I didn't sleeps I'll report back once we've got
the visa up and I'm leasing kuzey because it's said it's a bit better you
know it's not warm right I'm off Wharf one makes it here for the book but I'm
gonna enjoy this just fabulous what a please so I'm gonna wait don't get above
yourself beautiful so I headed off the summit and the short journey along to
the one patch of grass I had found this out the Bovie and one of the advan
tages
are phoned which had forgotten the boot was just how quick and easy and
convenient it was to to set up and I was soon sadly at enjoying the views and
also our bait to eat what squeezed oh actually I was kind of worried there was
going to be super windy but this let's see the hole there's a little bit
shelter than the FL shade it's a southerly wind and there's 15 20
mile-an-hour winds tonight so may still pick up it's just at dusk now some say
it's a few minutes away I started to get darker
there's there's a band of clouds
moving and now I've got funny feeling I might wake up in the mist tomorrow
morning but here I am as you can see I have the the bivi say oh and as I said
that I actually haven't buried in a long time and I didn't really enjoy it when I
got the tent I really enjoy having it ain't and Gooden and yeah I just I just
enjoyed this you can you go into your only Haven birthday with a baby you're a
bit more kin exposed and I'm but a few concerns coming up one was the the
heavier pack coming up
over coverage although I didn't bring a stove and obviously didn't have my 10 so
it was a bit later than what I usually is but start to carry over water up so
no coffee for me in the morning but something else which will be hopefully
just as nice and the second concern I've got is this belly bag that I've got is
just yeah I'm not sure how it's going to perform I've used a few times a border
actually when we did for the coolant reverse many many moons ago and I can
remember
using up and Lloyd are really though mom's bar as the I'll remember
that and it's just a cheap one that I got
from the local army surplus store back in pair so we'll see how it feels to me
and yeah but me but can see I'm its kids see I'm I had which I touched on a
little was it the perfect bag wouldn't fit my groomer and I clearly cover my
fake groom I like something I won't compromise on and I know what's clear
rocky sofa you can see but I actually bought I got a bubble bubble wrap and a
under
neath and it's mainly grass yes I think I'll be famed I just thought I
need to give a wee bit more protection and that's all like it's fading they got
off easy single for someone else so I've got bubble wrap
they macGruber in my Bovie and in my sleeping bag and finally the last thing
I bit concerned about is said well is the local wildlife
the Medusa mafi but you know what that's not about Thai food and a woman that was
certainly something in there but I've soaked all my gear and in pair method
and so I can eyes can be killed them or wolf and obviously I'm very concerned
about tech so they the Buffy by Adele or displayed with apparent method and spree
so hopefully I'll be paying I won't be giving myself a good tech check when I
get back tomorrow so let's see how I go tonight and I'm able to pour a but but
at all and once um I'm snuggled up in the movie but I'm just just enjoying
this in a woman and listen this clothes about Wolfram I leaked and I don't think
I'm gonna get sunset in the
morning boo hey ho who cure this is just this is
lovely idyllic fantastic oh well as you can see all snuggled up you know
it was really quite an asus it stole there's not any stars unfortunately I've
kind of been messed number with the cameras or to some pictures of the
summit the buckle should I get some trails of headlights of the car has been
doing the 82 more obvious been lovely and the one doesn't isn't Gilead by this
forecast even up in the summit has been quite relatively still and she's
been
fighting her know my cheese as of yet anyway so why the did I just say - Buffy
well as you know if you watch the videos you me know that I do come to Glencoe
and do a lot of welcomes and usually it's to get a photograph of this old
because I even more but for quite fancy I suspend in the up here I don't think
it's for I like to do photography when I'm well camp and and you wouldn't
really that's not much the photograph what I see that's that's a why there's
lose the photograph up here but
usually the the best thing to photograph is this
and when you're on it you don't see it and hence why benek release is such a
good good mountain through the world campus but it's just a nice such an
iconic moment I thought when I hope you in Spain Danny but I knew I've been up
here so many times I knew that there wasn't really any space up near the
summit for a camp I reckon down towards would be like
they'd be plenty of space for there for a tent so to see so fall try try the
Buffy and I know t
hat the guys YouTube channel called on the adventure trio
Scotland very good channel check out or put a link in the description and all
where those guys buried up here I think just another shade of the ridge and
there isn't a see so yeah I just like to come up and enjoy him I see some
moisture didn't yeah well that's not mean I think I may just be the mescaline
do but yeah I really don't know how I'm gonna go on it's been a good few years
since of in the open under this dollar I will report back
in the warning and we
can see if you see her phone the pervy yeah just going to enjoy a bit more
since there is a we'll be deadly team from Lisa that's
5:30 and you know what it's clearly you can see I think it may be said lastly I
thought I'd wake up in the clouds and that's unfortunately what's happened
sunrise is it six half an hour I still think about half an hour I'll be rushing
because Emily always see much unless something spectacular happens like this
cloud drops and they get above the
cloud but that doesn't feel like it's doing
that it's gonna happen it's actually pleasantly surprised that a bubble a bit
I'm a sleeping enough I had and I fired an a-10 for a one thing as know whether
that's because there's less less noise I know it was pretty still worse they
didn't read there was no migizi anyway we're gonna get up and packed in
the the gear maybe head up to the summit which is two minutes that we three some
of the harms at sunrise yeah very nice girl I eventually managed to
pull myself away
from the warm sleeping bag and I got up I still had a bit of time before sunrise
I started to pack away the baby once again another advantage over camping was
the quickness of this process and added an obscene time to head over to the
summit of stop Gerard to see if I'd get lucky with any sort of sunrise well Tina
dawn the rock to the summit it's only two minutes away you can see something's
happening none of you can make a behind me the clothes can a shift in a vote and
I'm get
ting glimpses over to going to mount another the ski resort Christian
will have here and then down every now and again like the woman I'm getting
views over Ronnie you're just lovely and hey you further east is still quite
clear so yeah I don't think I'm gonna get the sunrise I expect it over I am
getting more than I then I was thinking I was gonna get when I woke up about
half an hour ago so I didn't as I said to reduce fast a little bring this to
over anything with me so instead of having my n
ice nice hot coffee which you
usually have hey I'm having a cold coffee
double short thanks for this or in every 10 so we'll see what I say again I've
got a normal bar mestiços bar for breakfast so yeah I'm just gonna sit
here enjoy it it's not too windy again obviously the the Windsor was in room
dear but actually my stomach there's hardly any wind at all and I just just
took the Sun comes up and things start to
brai you know okay I'm not gonna rush it's beautiful lovely whilst having my
breakf
ast the Sun made a fleeting appearance and yeah as it was rising
over to the east there was a wee break in the clouds and it peaked through for
maybe five or ten minutes before disappearing back above the clouds but
it was still nice and I got a couple of photographs let's briefest tired
I think it's team from your head head down square aspheric skies me agree it's
been a great we adventure actually and eye cream joined the Buffy and these
views are are okay little bear last thing that's kind of
hoping that the
sunrise is going to be more spectacular wherever this clewd live was about
higher and my son critical area it's not happened I've hung a room for half a new
on the tortilla and I'm done I've had enough some with her go back to
the camp see event spiked top and hit by David the car actually feels like the
way that I mislead enemy so I think I'll hate and hopefully get bite doing before
any of the incomes so all that was left to do now was head back the short
distance to identify
he'd get the pack on get my pools ready and I was heading
back down the path that each into the quarry and back to the car and the
weather was in the slate and start to get more cloudy and the rain started but
you know what perfect timing and it had a grand adventure a curve
bridge a lot better on the buckle
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