Ben Nevis to Stob Choire Claurigh and back, starting and finishing in Glen Nevis:

For a few years, we had been thinking this would make a good walk, but since we only spend a week or so in Scotland at the right time of year, the chances of the weather and our fitness coming good together were a bit slim. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, and having just about given up hope, we at last managed to complete the walk more or less by accident!

We were camping in Glen Coe in mid May 1993 when we awoke about 4 am to the sound of a fine dawn chorus. It looked such a beautiful morning that to go back to sleep would have been a terrible waste. The forecast indicated a fine morning, but an active cold front coming south later.

We had no thought of the long walk when we decided to make an early start on the rather easier route we had already planned the previous evening. The aim was to climb the four four-thousanders: the Ben first, Carn Mor Dearg, Aonach Mor (4000ft with his cairn!) returning by Aonach Beag and down over Sgurr a Bhuic. Even Paul, who sometimes has an attitude problem at this time of day, was prepared to emerge more or less willingly from his sleeping bag and get moving. After driving round to the car park at the head of Glen Nevis, we were ready for breakfast before starting out at about 6 am.

Rather than the steep hillside above the car park, we took the gentler start on the Corrour path through the Nevis gorge. Wood warblers serenaded us all the way through the gorge until we emerged onto the open lawn of Steall meadow where a dipper was spotted foraging in the stream. We headed up beside the delightful waterfalls in Choire Giubhsachan before slanting left towards the steep south-east shoulder of Ben Nevis. The going was good with dryish ground and very little wind. On the shoulder, we paused to turn and admire the Mamore range, which looks most impressive at this height before appearing to shrink into relative insignificance as one climbs further. There was still plenty of snow in good condition on the steep slope to the summit plateau which we reached shortly before 9 am.