Binnein Mor and na Gruagaichean, and the silvery Sgurr a' Bhuic, from Stob Coire Bhealaich.5pm, 16/07/00~ The Glasgow Fair has a long and proud tradition of foul weather, but it let itself down badly in 2000, and yielded a stunning weekend. Three questions about the topography of the Lochaber hills, unanswered by any book I knew, had been nagging me for some time, and their answering could be combined in a neat circular trek.So, on foot from Coirechoille, with a right turn into the forest, emerging from it at the Coir' an Eòin dam, and striking up on to Tom na Sròine. The long gentle ridge to Stob an Cul Choire felt splendidly remote and untrodden, just my kind of country, and led to the first of my queries - How to access Aonach Mor from the east? The answer was - disappointingly easily, by a vague and undemanding spur.On over Aonach Beag and down to the southeast, where the second question lay - Is there a direct descent from Stob Coire Bhealaich to the col with Sgurr Choinnich Beag? Well, while it is fairly steep, there is a faint path and no particular problems.I'd already camped on the other two main tops on the Grey Corries ridge, but not on Choinnich Mor, so this was my choice of overnight stop. The Akto is vastly more spacious than the Phoxhole but has a much bigger footprint, which posed a slight difficulty on this narrow grassy ridge. There was no option but to balance the tent right on the crest, the lateral guys reaching down either side - couldn't be much more exposed, but any doubts I might have had about the weather were dispelled by the presence of sheep grazing idly round about.Halfway along to Claurigh the next morning I met a fellow eccentric who had camped on that summit, and we exchanged impressions, which were favourable, not to say rhapsodic.I took in the perky little Stob Ban before dropping down to the Lairig Leacach, where an afternoon break in the bothy was interrupted by huge party of inquisitive schoolkids, bound for Staoineag, as I was relieved to establish. Not that it mattered much, as I was on my way before long, to investigate the third matter - How to get up Sgurr Innse from the Lairig side?There is a high ramp which leads upwards round to the easier east side, but I hoped to find something more direct, and took to a pretty repulsive, loose gully (there may be better alternatives) which I would not recommend and would certainly not attempt to climb down.Then an evening amble over to the other Innse, and a camp just south of the summit, from which I caught a truly spectacular sunset. Sadly there was no view, no expanse of water or compelling silhouette, to make a photo into something special.Still, a very satisfactory weekend.
Mamores, Binnein Mor to Sgurr a' Mhaim, from Sgurr Choinnich Mor. 7.30pm, 16/07/00
The Akto on Sgurr Choinnich Mor. 9pm, 16/07/00
