I led a group of 5 from our Nottingham University mountaineering club to bag Ben More and Stob Binnean, two of the highest Munros in the Crianlarich region. There had been a recent fresh dump of snow and the day was tough going in often waist-deep powder. I'd originally planned to head straight up following the standard McNeish route, but there had been a significant dump or powder snow as well as an extremely strong wind howling along the A85 glen. So I changed plan and followed the track through the glen following Benmore Burn, and started up the slopes towards the Col between More and Stob Binnean with a plan to bag the latter, then Ben More and then come straight down off the top of Ben More.
Stob Binnean was pretty icy as we ascended the 350m from the Col and was just in the cloud when we reached the summit. Only rough navigation was required - basic orientating the map using features as the ridge was pretty obvious. The wind was ferocious and we headed back to the Col for lunch pretty quickly and hid behind a huge boulder for food.
Ben More was more sheltered but snowier. Often at times we were waist deep in snow and this led for a tiring route up, battling the wind. Again at the top we were shrouded in cloud, but decided to just set a bearing and bosh straight down towards the road.
- Significant mountains (Munros)
- I planned and led the walk
- I used rough navigation skills
- My knowledge was increased and skills practiced in dealing with a large and inexperienced group (not that I was particularly experienced either)
- Attention paid to safety given the ferocious winds - a tough decision about whether to put crampons on.
- Over 5 hours
- UK winter mountain terrain - icy terrain through to very deep soft snow.
- Ice axes and crampons carried. Axes used more for balance in the winds rather than in anger. I decided against crampons as the icy patches were easily circumnavigated and in the winds probably more of a liability
Area :
Loch Lomond to Strathyre (Ben More)
Ben Lomond (974m) and Ben More (1174m) sit on opposite sides of this area which stretches from Loch Lomond to the western end of Loch Earn. There are two distinct sections, to the north and south of Glen Voil, with the remaining peaks sitting to the south of Loch Katrine. Access to the majority of the hills in this area is commonly from Crianlarich, Aberfoyle or Callander.
