Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Scuz Last Munro (Round Two): 7th September 2014

Drill Sergeant Scuz and her long-suffering Goat mascot set out to undertake an assault of four hills on the Black Mount, comprising one Logical Munro Unit (LMU). Following consumption of beer and burgers at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel, the squad manoeuvred past the mighty Clashgour Hut under the cover of darkness and made an inconspicuous camp beneath a stand of trees. An early wake-up and a kit inspection preceded a route march along the track in a Westerly direction to the foot of Stob Coir an Albannaich.
Ascending the lower SE ridge of Sron na h-lolaire, the three-speed Goat reduced pace from a trot to a trundle, and there was no improvement in the pace of the advance despite the Drill Sergeant’s bellows of “Slackers will not be tolerated!” 


 Granite slabs were encountered, and overcome with ease, at mid-height.

On gaining the steep SE summit ridge, a rival party was observed attacking the hill from the West, and the trundle broke back into a trot to claim the summit first. Target accomplished (1044m); a fine vantage point from which to survey the next objectives.
 A lolloping descent to the col at 754m was followed by a trundle up and over Meall Tarsuinn and a fairly unspectacular blitz of Meall nan Eun (928m).
 













A continuation of the route NW revealed unmarked territory: the perilous un-tramped descent to the col at 633m, followed by a similarly abrupt re-ascent to the ridge above. The LMU became marginally less logical at this point, and was achieved at trundle speed. 
This grassy but lengthy ridge was followed Eastwards, still trundling. The panorama of the Etive and Glencoe hills was witnessed on route, and culminated in the combat of Stob Ghabhar (1090m).


Time was pressing on, so the narrow ridge section and steep descent to the col at 668m was embarked upon with due haste.
The squad gallantly tackled the re-ascent to claim Scuzza’s Last Munro of her second round on the peak of Stob a Choire Odhair (945m) at 4:30pm. Mission accomplished and photographically recorded with an empty can of cider and the remains of a chocolate bar.
Thanks go to the long-suffering three-speed Goat who has now lifted the decade-long ban on Corbett bagging, on the proviso that ruminants are not invited.