The first serious trip

1980 The First Serious Trip.

The Black Mount   (Malcolm).
May 9th to May 12th. 6 Munroes + 7 Tops.  43 miles and 13800 ft.

I cannot recollect exactly why we chose The Black Mount as our first target.  Perhaps because of its easy access from the South, perhaps because it was near Glencoe with which we were slightly familiar, and perhaps because we had seen this stunning group of hills on our travels over Rannoch Moor.  There was also the possibility of picking up a good number of Munros and Tops.
Anyway, the die was cast.  We would use the Inveroran Hotel, two miles along from Bridge of Orchy, as a base, and pitch a tent in Glen Etive so that we could do a circular route and make maximum use of our time.

We headed North and along Loch Lomond with a feeling of anticipation and a real sense of adventure.  (We were to discover the alternative, quicker route via Stathyre, at a later date.)
In actual fact we really lost a day on the hills because the day we travelled up all we had time to do was head round into Glen Etive, pitch the tent, hide a couple of cans of beer in a steam, and return to the Inveroran for Supper.  Two dentists were staying and Malcolm was a little doubtful of their sexual persuasion, so they were given a wide birth.  The proprietress was very much the Joyce Grenfell type, Jolly Hockey Sticks and all that.

May 10th 1980
Malcolm.
Three Munros and 6 tops.
Stob Ghabhar.  Clach Leathad.  Meall a Bhuiridh.  (The Black Mount)
Today saw our first serious assault on the hills.  We had the book and could see that apart from the actual Munroes there were a large number of tops.  Our early enthusiasm dictated that if it were "in the book" we would climb it.  This enthusiasm lasted a whole day !!
From Victoria Bridge we headed up the Allt Toaig and took the Eastern Ridge of Aonach Eagach (not to be confused with its more dramatic namesake in Glencoe).  THIS WAS OUR FIRST TOP.  From here a mere stroll round the lip of a corrie with snow still sitting, corniced, on the rim and Stob Ghabhar was ours. 

WE WERE MUNROING.
Two tops Sron a Ghearrain and Stob a'Bhruaich Leith were out of our way, but, undaunted,  we trekked off to collect them.  We then skirted Stob Ghabhar again and took in the top of Sron nan Giubhas, then along the ridge of Aonach Mor and down and up onto Clach Leathad the days second Munroe.  Fortunately our quest for tops took us along to the top of Creise which subsequently ousted Clach Leathad as the Munroe.  Doubling back slightly we dropped down to the link with Meall a Bhuiridh, Munroe 3, then along to Creag Dubh and along the nose descending to the Glen Etive road.  A short way along the road we found our two cans of ale, safely cached in a side stream.  Half an hours walking brought us to the tent we had pitched, overlooking a gorge in the river.  It had been a long day but we had enjoyed fine weather with extensive views, and patches of snow here and there.  Several brews replaced lost liquid.  A Pine Martin was spotted swimming across the river, my first and only sighting of the millenium !
17½ miles. 6350ft. 

May 11th 1980.
Malcolm.
Two Munros and 1 top.
Ben Starav.  Glas Bheinn Mhor(Etive)

In the morning we left the tent pitched.  We would return for it tomorrow but today we had a long walk down Etive (about 10 miles) before we crossed to the small Croft of Coileitir where we bought a drink and some chocolate.  Enterprise at these out of the way spots is usually at a premium, not like the Austrian hills where refreshment can sometimes be obtained in the most unlikely places.  A long, steady, nose gained us the summit of Ben Starav where the trig point proved a welcome brew stop. 
We fairly flew down the eastern ridge of Starav, but lost momentum on the ascent of Glas Bheinn Mhor.  This was our last Munroe of the day but we were still over 10 miles back to our accommodation.  We contoured over the nose of Sron na h-Iolaire, passed Lochan na h-Iuraiche and picked up the path past Loch Dochard back to Victoria Bridge.  The distance travelled and height gained was beginning to tell and Malcolm often recollects this section as having been very tiring although of no technical difficulty.
The Inveroran Hotel was a very welcome sight.
23 miles.  4700ft.  Around 11½ hours.
In the two days we had covered around 41 miles and ascended over 11000ft.  We might well feel that we deserved a rest.
After supper we were witness to a most spectacular forest fire.  So spectacular in fact that it made headline news in English Newspapers and TV crews were sent to cover it !!.  The whole forest around the shores of Loch Tulla caught fire, covering hundreds of acres.  It raged out of control for the best part of two days leaving a pall of black smoke and burnt stumps.  Large areas of heather also caught fire, and next day we were to see the flames lapping right onto the Rannoch Moor road itself.  The road acted as a barrier.  The lone tree in the rock, which we look for now on every visit, survived by nature of its lofty perch on top of a split boulder.

May 12th 1980.
Malcolm.
One Munro.
Stob Dubh.  (Etive).


All that remained for the last day, a scorcher, was to collect the tent from Etive , a quick steep leg aching burst up 3129 ft and the trip home.