Anything but a grey day on the Grey Corries

The Grey Corries ridge

Hill: Stob Choire Claurigh (1177m) & Stob Coire an Laoigh (1116m)
Category: Munros

Day 3 and another outstanding day on the hills. Today we walked what many consider to be the ‘Best Ridge Walk in the Central Highlands’. Who am I to argue, it was a superb high level walk with views to die for.

Wee Minister

We parked up at the normal place at Coirechollie after the pot holed rough track that passes the farm. Glad we did as the out walk was long enough.

A short walk up a good track, through the woodland reaching the Wee Minister.

(About Lochaber: You are soon welcomed by the outstretched hand of The Wee Minister, who is accompanied by a plaque and a donation box. According to the plaque, the wooden replica replaces stone a statue dating from the 1900s, and is that of the Reverend John McIntosh. However, local opinion is that the statue more likely to be that Dr. Thomas Chalmers who was the first Moderator of the local Free Church of Scotland. The statue was a gift and originally erected in 1886 in the manse garden of the Moderator John McIntosh in Achintore Road, Fort William.

The statue was removed by the wife of John McIntosh when he was away during the First World War and relocated to the church grounds above Monzie Square in Fort William. It remained there until 1968 from whence it was removed to Glen Spean, where it quickly became a local attraction. The statue and was thought to bring good luck to climbers and walkers alike on their route to the Grey Corries. Unfortunately, the stone statue began to disintegrate and was eventually removed in the 1970s. The statue was resurrected in May 2010 by the Glen Spean and Great Glen Tourism Marketing Group as a wooden replica with a donation box for the Lochaber Mountain Rescue).

Before reaching a gate then a sharp right hander and the climb begins. Although we are heading for the 15th highest Munro this very long grassy ascent is pretty good going. Still lots of heavy breathing and sweat but good. Damp ground nearly stood on a frog. A Jay leaves the trees but minimal wildlife observed today.

Go right then flank left and up and up...

Strike for the skyline was our war cry but there were lots of false promises today, skyline after skyline. Until one looked like a stone top, the ridge proper, hopefully Stob Coire Gaibhre.

Plateau reached ridge in full view

Indeed it was, great views of our journey ahead but still a long way until even Munro one.

The going was now intermittent patches of grass but mostly boulder terrain, not the easiest walking but the panorama outstanding. Concentration required again to avoid twisted ankles or worse.

Watch your step

Deep gulley’s alongside as we made our way onwards and upwards. We even had our lunch before climbing the first top (Claurigh), lunch ended quickly by a flurry of snow.

Stob Coire Claurigh ahead

A short scramble, yes hands on, to the top and the whole ridge opened up to us. What a sight. 

The ridge, The Aonach's and Ben Nevis

Eyes drawn immediately to the route ahead but a good look around has many peaks in view from distant Schiehallion and the Lawers range to closer by the Mamores and Glencoe as well as Ben Nevis and the Aonach ridge, spectacular.

The two figures give scale to the snap

The ridge is a brilliant walk on a day like this, plenty of tops, never dropping under 1000m, take our time enjoy the day and the views.

Castail crags 

Castail was impressive, the crags look like an ice climbers winter practice area, before climbing our last Munro (Laoigh). 

The ridge back from Stob Coire an Laoigh

A rocky descent then ascent takes us back up to the 1000m mark on Beinn na Socaich, our last top today.

The way down, a long way down

We then started the long descent along the grassy ridge before dropping unto more rough tussocky terrain before we hit a deer fence. Here the fun began. The Walkhighlands route does not mention this fence. There was a gate, beyond which, was a deforested zone, the woodland mentioned had gone!!

We eventually followed the fence down to the dam but water to deep to cross. Went further back upstream where we were able to stone hop and wade across. If this was in spate? (Having reread Storers description this water crossing is included as the route).

Derelict Puggy Line

This side joined up with the mapped route but it was a long walk back to the car. Amused by stumbling across this abandoned rail track, the Puggy line. 
(Patrick Howat: ""The term Puggy Line is used in the Fort William area, although it strictly belonged to the Pier Railway, for it was only on that line that 'pugs' - a Scottish colloquial name for small steam locomotives - were used in the days of the british Aluminium Co Ltd to transport workers and goods re the aliminium smelter. The fact that a narrow guage railway system totalling about 26 miles existed in a highly scenic area of the west of Scotland comes as a great surprise to many. Many sections of the railway track have now been removed).

A fantastic walk across a superb ridge on a great day with great company, its up there with as good as it gets.

Wildlife: Jay, Skylark, Frog
Time: 8.10
Ascent: 1405m
Distance: 19.7km