This time a very grey day back in the Grey Corries

Hill: Stob Ban Grey Corries
Category: Munro
Height: 981m

Despite the weather forecast being grim we opted to head back to the Grey Corries for this Munro.

Gloomy start

The slight downside with this hill is the very long walk in (and back), which, as we had some slower walkers, meant almost two hours to the bothy.

Cruach Innes on the left saw a couple heading up its flanks as we passed

To be fair it did not feel like that long as it is a pleasant walk along a hard packed trail. Sadly the low lying clouds took away much of the potential view sbut the Corbetts on our left looked imposing in this light. The glen terrain looked perfect for cuckoo’s but never heard or seen them. Too wet and cold so probably done the business and headed back to Africa! Left the upbringing to the pipits we saw.

Welcome bothy

The rain was getting heavier as we arrived at the bothy, time for a quick snack. The bothy is in excellent condition.

Looks calm but the burn was flowing fast

The outgoing burn crossing was better for some than others with the higher water line but the rocks helped. The ‘bridge’ further up is broken, angled and not worth thinking about.
We turned off at the small cairn and followed the track under the crags and climbed following the burn, there is one particularly bad step where the track is eroded (ie non existent) but for the main part this was a very wet and very boggy ascent/descent.

The only brief glimpse we got of Stob Ban

For a short while the track disappeared and we went back to low visibility navigation but thankfully found it again. A ptarmigan appeared out of the gloom and soon after we sprung a pair of red grouse.

Stob Ban from the ridge the other day

The rain got heavier, the visibility got poorer but we followed the zig zag stony trail to the top. 
Thankfully I had looked down on it a few days ago in good weather so I knew the views and landscape but felt sorry for the others.

Brief glimpse of the top of Sgurr Innse on the descent

Wind and rain stronger so back down the same route for a while. We bypassed where we lost the route earlier and took a different and steeper track on the descent. Lots of angled wet rock and muddy eroded sides so not easy. I reckon this track  leads to the ruined bridge and was the original track. However, near the bottom of the descent we cut over and rejoined the original track.

Burn and path cross at the bothy

The rain had slightly altered the burn crossing. It had widened and was running faster but not too much deeper so we all got across with varying degrees of wet feet.
Thankfully back at the bothy once more for shelter and food.
Then the final four mile walk back to the cars in the rain.
Two field hares decided to join us for a trip down the rutted path. A nice end to a good walk despite the weather.

Wildlife: Meadow Pipit, Ptarmigan, Red Grouse, Field Hares
Time: 7.07
Ascent: 977m
Distance: 21.3km