This is the area south of Buachaille Etive Mor as far as the A85 (Tyndrum to Oban road). It includes the peaks around the Glencoe Ski Centre (Creise and Meall a’Bhuiridh) alongside eleven other Munros and many other peaks above 600m. Highlights such as Ben Cruachan (1126m) and Stob Ghabhar (1090) remind all-comers that this is an area of high mountains and low glens.
Hot, hot, hot! By bus to the Glencoe ski area, then Blackrock Cottage & round to NE ridge of Stob a'Ghlais Coire. Lots of little outcrops on the approach to get into a confident movement after doing very little of this for at least 18 months during covid. The initial traverse left was intimidating & reminded me of Pinnacle Wall on Craig yr Ysfa, probably I wasn't trusting my feet on the easy angled slab with few handholds on the wall above (is this really grade 1?). Then easier & chance to get the heart rate down before the Grade 2 section up a steep slab. Holds were sharp but small & I needed to adopt a climbing mentality. It wouldn't be easy to help another person. Perhaps I'm rusty but it seemed like there were proper 'moves' that I wouldn't fancy reversing. Gradually it eased onto the upper part of Stob a'Ghlais Coire & then Creise, hurrying now with the bus to catch, it took me 2h30 to Creise summit, but then only 45min to Meall a'Bhuiridh & quickly down to an ice cream, washing shirt in stream and finally a lunch stop. (20)
