High Above Kinlochleven- Sgurr Eilde Mor

This walk started off as simply a hike into a stunning area which to my shame, I’d always wanted to visit but never had.I love remote lochs so there were two on offer which I was keen to visit – Loch Eilde Mor and the lochans which sit at over 700m, below the peaks of Sgurr Eilde Mor and Sgurr Eilde Beag.Photographs of the area looked superb.

We’d had a tiring 36 hrs with a dash from Glasgow up to Skye on the Monday to see my mother in law after she’d had a minor fall in her Care Home.Thankfully, it was just a grazed knee and given that she has Alzheimer’s, she didn’t even remember it had happened and was in fine spirits.

Over breakfast next morning at our B&B just outside Banavie (Torbeag, stunning house and view along the Gairlochy road), the forecast was good so the plan was to do something nice and relaxing as we were quite tired from the travelling. Hence my idea of seeing a bit of that area above Kinlochleven.Years ago, Chris had camped up there after a cross country trek from Corrour, so he loved it of old.

I always think that the drive along the north shore of Loch Leven, heading for Kinlochleven,  is a belter. Gorgeous scenery with a really impressive array of shapely peaks all around.We had spent 10 days in Alaska earlier in the summer , sailing past the world’s highest coastal mountains.We had been wowed by the truly astounding scenery, gazing at peaks of 19,000 feet (Mount St Elias, at Yakutat Bay) coming straight out of the ocean. But I came home thinking that Scotland’s own coast is right up there, albeit very different.

Our mountains are relatively small but they are so ancient, honed like fine antiques. The landscape overall is more colourful and varied and there’s that interplay of layer upon layer of mountains bathed in ever changing light.(I’m an anorak about Scotland, to use an appropriate clothing metaphor.)

Parked at the start of the walk in Kinlochleven, signposted to the Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall and by 10.20am, we were heading up the path.

It was a stiff but steady pull up through the woodland.The photo below paints the path in a reasonable light but it wasn’t the most pleasant ascent, rubbly and eroded.

It’s also wildly braided with deep gullies having formed all over the place so , after 30 mins or so, it was nice to reach the open moorland and enjoy the views and, soon, a much better track. Almost immediately, we were aware of the roaring of stags.It’s such an evocative sound, that guttural bellowing as they seek to gain power over the hinds.Sgurr Eilde Mor is Gaelic for Big Peak of the Hinds,  so this area has long been a favourite stomping ground of female red deer – no wonder so many males were on the hunt!

The classic view back down Loch Leven above the woodland…

The path improved and we were soon striding along more easily.

Ahead I could see the normal route to Sgurr Eilde Mor beginning its gradual climb below Sgurr Eilde Beag’s steep slopes but I was keen to drop down to see Loch Eilde Mor first. Measuring the routes on the OS App, there was very little between the two options in terms of the time it would take to get to Coire an Lochain.Our way meant very slightly less ascent but about half a km more, distance wise.

At a large cairn we came to the crossroads with a big land rover track coming up from Mamore Lodge and heading for the lower loch so we followed it instead of turning left.In 5 mins we had descended slightly to Loch Eilde Mor.

It was a beautiful spot, quite large too, the brisk wind creating streamers across its surface.The tops of the Glencoe giants were now rearing their heads to the west.

It had taken us 90 mins to get here and I reckoned we had another hour ahead to reach Coire an Lochain.

Stopped for some water and fruit and just sat admiring the place, perfect if you crave solitude.There wasn’t a soul around.The colours were gorgeous….tawny and gold, against the deep dark blue of the water with the occasional red of Rowan berries.Autumn in all its glory!

A short distance along the lochside, a tiny cairn confirmed the start of the stalker’s path up the open moorland.I could see th higher path below Sgurr Eilde Beag and it seemed a long way away!Now the bristly Aonach Eagach was clearly visible and

Views opened up to the Pap of Glencoe and Beinn a Bheithir…

Zoomed to Buachaille Etive Mor…

We lost the route at one point below a shallow rise, but it was easy enough to pick the best way up.At the top, thankfully, we got re-acquainted with the path.The route eventually zig zagged up the side of the Allt Riabach waterfall, pencil thin today, but wide, bare slabs at its base suggested that it must be quite a sight in wetter conditions.

Then the easy slope flattened and we found ourselves directly below Sgurr Eilde Mor.

What a stunning spot!

The wind was strong up here and coming straight from the Arctic so we hunkered down behind a rock to eat our sandwiches. In fact the sunshine of earlier had disappeared as thick cloud came in and a few spots of rain began to fall.

Demolishing lunch, I looked up at the slopes of Sgurr Eilde Mor, it’s summit around 1,000 feet above us.The angle didn’t look too bad on this side of the mountain with a good path initially winding up its southern shoulder.I’d always been put off this hill (being a bit of a mountain feartie by nature) given the description of ‘intimidating’ steepness and loose steep scree.Chris had been up before via the more common northern approach – the ‘steep scree’ side and didn’t think I’d enjoy it.But this side looked ok.

‘I’m for it if you are,’ Chris said, as if reading my mind.It seemed a shame to spend all this time getting here without going to the top so off we set.

The path was excellent initially, taking us further east across wide, easy slopes.Great views opened up too…across to Sgùrr Eilde Beag and down the other side to Loch Eilde Mor…

Then it zig zagged uphill, always on wide if steep slopes….

…before we hit the first of about 5 bands of boulders.They were narrow bands but boulders are always a test for my stiff hips! Chris seemed to skip over them (annoyingly) as I picked my way carefully, then we would pick up the path again until the next band.

Looking up the steepening slopes, I could see what looked like crags near the top but trusted there was a way through.It wasn’t a tiring climb at all somehow, just a bit awkward underfoot at times. Each boulder field took us onto another level bit of mountainside before the next clamber up. All this time, we were ascending with a crag close to our right but there was no exposure and it all felt steepish but benign.

The crags I’d seen looming overhead also had loads of grassy areas offering easy ways past too.

Beyond the little volcano that is Binnein Beag, Ben Nevis’s summit was wrapped in a tiny cap of cloud one minute, clear the next.

Ben Nevis zoomed below…

Across the corrie, Binnein Mor looked enormous, a giant of a mountain.

There was some lovely light over Glencoe, Ben Starav clear too…in fact, clarity was improving all the time…

Towards Bridge of Orchy beyond the Blackwater Reservoir…

To the right were the Grey Corries, their pale screes very clear.

Ben Mor on Mull was very clear beyond to the right of Beinn a Bheithir and the Pap of Glencoe…

The Aonach Eagach’s sharp ridge mid distance right…

Myself, very chuffed to be up here…

I walked out along the narrow spur that gives a superb view down to the lochans with Sgurr Eilde Beag rearing above.Quite a spot! That combination of mountains and water – whether loch or sea- is always the thing for me.

We both peered down the alternative  route off the mountain to the north.There was a very eroded and steep initial section though it didn’t seem to last too long and wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.I reckoned I could probably shuffle down it on my ‘hin’end’ but finally, we decided we’d return the way we’d come up as it was pretty straightforward.

That view of the Lochan below really was stunning and I couldn’t stop taking photos of it…

On the descent, the boulderfields were fine if I just scuffled down them half standing, half sitting.Didn’t do the seat of my walking trousers much good, as they’ve now got a sizeable hole in them! They’re ancient however so it was about time I got myself a new pair.

Great views towards Corrour and Schiehallion, the latter, hazy in this photo…

Back to the nice path…

Had a stop again at the loch, so lovely.We also decided to head back via Loch Eilde Mor again…the sun on Glencoe once more.A last close up of Sgurr Eilde Mor…

An hour later, we were down at the Big Loch of the Hinds again and the land rover track.

Once more, it took us about 90 mins from Loch Eilde Mor down to Kinlochleven but a further treat was in store as the late afternoon light was casting beautiful shadows across the glorious views we’d seen earlier and the dramatic peak of Mam na Gualainn.

Pap of Glencoe appearing on the left…Ardgour in far distance…

Once more, the woodland section need a bit of care whether avoiding eroded gullies or tree roots.Not a pleasant descent, giving quite awkward walking.However, there were some lovely views as the sun emerged from the cloud and lit up the mountains which line Loch Leven.

Back at the car at 6pm after a quick look at the Grey Mare’s tail.An unplanned Munro(a new one for me) in a superb area, one to return to but certainly October is a very appropriate time to visit with the moorland echoing to the sound of the rut.