The southern side of Glen Coe includes some very well-known mountains and can be split into two groups; the ones you can see from the A82 and the ones you can’t. Included in the former group is Buachaille Etive Mor, Buachaille Etive Beag, the Three Sisters and the Ballachulish Horseshoe, and in the latter, three Munros between Glen Creran and Glen Etive (Sgor na h-Ulaidh, Beinn Fhionnlaidh and Beinn Sgulaird). With huge amounts of climbing and walking in summer and winter, this area is also home to a large cairn built for Queen Victoria, or so the story goes. Includes all major peaks above 600m.
I decided to do this walk because the weather looked glorious, I had the day off, and this was a walk I thought I could fit into short daylight hours. I was very nervous about doing the walk on my own, and none of my friends were available, so I posted it as a Meetup group event, but at very short notice. No one signed up. I hardly slept the night before, worrying about doing my first solo winter walk, and a ridge - I had visions of sliding uncontrollably over the edge! I decided that I would only do the walk if there were other walkers on the mountain. I set off early, and reached the car park just after sunrise. There were only about four people ahead of me as I set off. They were faster than me, but I was surprised at how rapidly I made it up to the ridge. The snow wasn't really deep until just before the ridge. The weather forecast had suggested that it might cloud over in the afternoon, and I really wanted to see the views from Stob Dubh, so I decided to aim for that summit first. However all the other walkers had gone up Stob Coire Raineach, and the slopes of Stob Dubh looked pristine and untouched, so I decided to follow suit and headed up Stob Coire Raineach. It looked really steep, but I was surprised at how easy it was to get up there! I used my ice axe, but didn't need to put on my crampons. On the way down to the bealach, I used my walking poles. I managed Stob Dubh easily too, and got some fabulous photos. This walk was a joy. On the way back down to the bealach I took my time and stopped for lunch. When I was almost at the bottom, just crossing the river at 400m, I passed a man heading up. It was about 2pm and sunset was at 3.40. He asked me how long it would take to get to the top, and I said probably about an hour to an hour and a half, and I asked him if he was going to watch the sunset. He was astonished, and said, "Sunset?" He was from overseas, and had no idea how early the sun sets in Scotland in December. He was staying at the youth hostel, and I suggested that he should turn back and climb the mountain the next day instead. He didn't seem to understand me, said thanks and then carried on up the hill. Luckily there was a couple behind me, and they must have persuaded him to turn back, as they all arrived at the car park about 20 minutes after me.
