In the middle of February I found a free day to get out in the hills during a week of dreadful weather in the wake of Storm Dennis. The forecast was for it to be bright between frequent hail and snow showers and strong winds. I decided to head down Glen Etive with thoughts of climbing the Corbett Beinn Maol Chaluim on the west side of the glen near Invercharnan. I reckoned this hill might be a good viewpoint for the Bidean nam Bian hills above Glencoe and for the Glen Etive hills and Loch Etive.
At the top end of Glencoe there was slushy hail on the A82 road and the famous view of Buachaille Etive Mor was largely obscured by cloud. Turning down Glen Etive I realised the east side of the Buachaille was clear and stopped for a couple of quick shots.
The eastern face of Stob Dearg, Buachaille Etive Mor Looking up Glen Etive north east to Beinn a’ Chrulaiste
I continued down the glen enjoying the views and atmosphere before parking up below the steep hillside of Creag na Caillich a kilometre and a half north of Invercharnan. From a rough pull off a small path winds steeply up the hillside heading for Creag na Caillich and the south ridge of Beinn Maol Chaluim. The view back east to Stob Coir’ an Albannaich across the glen caught my eye and a little higher I could see to Beinn Maol Chaluim ahead; and also down towards Loch Etive over the woods and meandering river of the lower glen.
Buachaille Etive Beag and Buachaille Etive Mor from the slopes of Creag na Caillich Stob Dubh and Stob Coir’ an Albannaich on the east side of Glen Etive from Creag na Caillich Meall a’ Bhuiridh and the Corbett Beinn Maol Chaluim on the west side of Glen Etive Fleeting sunlight and constant spindrift on the rounded west spur of Stob Coir’ an Albannaich, Beinn Chaorach South down Glen Etive from Beinn Maol Chaluim, Ben Starav and Loch Etive are right of central The windswept Munro Stob Coir’ an Albannaich on the east side of beautiful Glen Etive from the slopes of Beinn Maol Chaluim. Purchase prints at Redbubble. Stob Dubh and Stob Coir’ an Albannaich and Glen Etive from the slopes of Beinn Maol Chaluim
When I was at about 500m on the southern flank of Beinn Maol Chaluim all views were obliterated by hail and spindrift as a heavy shower moved through from the south west. After it passed I carried on up towards a thin line of crags on the upper horizon. It brightened nicely but there were frequent curtains of spindrift sweeping over the hill in the strongly gusting wind. At the crags I scrambled through with the help of an axe but it was clear another dense shower was approaching fast. Beinn Sgulaird to the south west was swallowed whole. I decided to drop back down and take stock whilst the shower passed. Above nearly 1.5 km of high ridgeline led to the summit of the hill. In the conditions I didn’t fancy it and decided to leave the summit for a better day.
Wild in the showers from the southern slopes of Beinn Maol Chaluim Wild in the showers from the southern slopes of Beinn Maol Chaluim Ben Starav through spindrift from the southern slopes of Beinn Maol Chaluim
Dropping back down the views opened up again between showers.
Beinn Trilleachan and Beinn Sgulaird looking fine between showers in the land between Loch Etive and Glen Creran, the Etive Slabs of Beinn Trilleachan wet and glistening in the sun Ben Starav from the head of Loch Etive
Whenever I back off from a hill I agonise over whether the decision was correct but on this occasion I was happy enough that I’d made the right call. Later, down at the head of Loch Etive, I set up the camera to capture a time lapse view across the loch to Ben Starav. This only lasted a short while before a violent squally shower appeared from behind Beinn Trilleachan (of Etive Slabs fame) and I had to rescue the camera. I think the result tells the tale.
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