Glencoe routes

The Buckle, Buachaille Etive Mòr:

Drive out of the campsite along the A82 road for a few kilometers. There's a car park at NN 221 563. (Last time it was full but it's OK to park on the old military road as well).

Take the path leading south towards the Buckle. The big imposing thing ahead! The path takes you into a beautiful corrie, its quite steep towards the end and there's some scree. Once you're on the ridgeline, turn east and do Stob Dearg, by far some of the best summit views! It's a full 700, 800 meter drop towards the north-east side.

Once you've ticked Stob Dearg, come back down onto the ridge and down south-west towards Stob-na-Doire. After you've done this you see a path heading north-west initially, and then north-east along the stream. Back to the road!

If the group has more energy - before you descend that path - march up to Stob Coire and Stob na Broige. And then come back the same way via the path along the stream.

Beautiful day!

Ben Nevis:

Two routes up:

1) The tourist path - for slower people (it doesn't have very nice views though and its full of tourists). Park either at Achintee, NN 122 731, preferrably at the youth hostel just south of there to save a couple of ks walking. From there just slog up all the way to Ben Nevis. Soon the path will start to zig zag and it gets quite steep but it's good quality the whole way through. Come back the same way.

2) The interesting way up Ben Nevis! Be aware this walk is 20 km, involves close to 1700 meters of ascent and a grade 1 scramble. It is by far - the best walking way up the Ben though as you can get an unforgettable view up the North side!

Car park at: NN 145 764 - the edge of the forest west of the A82. From there walk through the forest and soon on a good day you'll see the unmistakable north face of Nevis. Once you're out of the forest, it's off path. It's a bit boggy, slog up the steep unpathed way to Carn Beag Dearg, and then up to Carn Dearg Meadhonnach and Carn Mor Dearg. At the latter the scrambling starts - pretty tight ridge. Take care there! There's a path for the most part on your left to avoid alot of the scrambling...the stuff towards the end is unavoidable though.

The final slog up Ben Nevis is about 300 meters of huge boulders. Again though - fantastic views! On your right across the face should be a famous climbing route - Tower ridge.

Once atop of Ben Nevis, go down the tourist path until you reach the lake Lochan Meal an T-suidhe. Then head off-path from there until you hit the path you came from. Follow this back down to the car park.

Aonach Eagach Extremely exposed, only for people we trust can scramble comfortably, and not to be done in shit weather. Also do not descent through the Claigach Gully - it's called Death Gully for a reason.

Right - drive west for a short while on the A82, there's a car park just south of Am Bodach. Take the steep path up Am Bodach. Once at the top the scrambling bits start. On the descent from Am Bodach, there's a beautiful rocky summit on your left called the Chancellor! :) From Am Bodach continuously hit Meal Dearg, Stob Coire Leath and finally Sgorr nam Fiannaidh. Do NOT descend from there, but head up to Sgorr na Ciche (Pap of Glencoe) and descent back from there onto the road and back into campside.

Note: The other driver will need to retrieve the minibus/car still parked at Am Bodach.

And finally - a different but rather amazing walk - Ben Starav.

Better summit view than Ben Nevis in my opinion, extremely uncrowded as well... don't have the time to write up now, but it's just east of Loch Etive and it's an amazing mountain with an obvious ridge line and excellent grade 1 scrambling along the ridge.