UKC

Has anyone done Stob Ghabhar from Alltchaorunn in Glen Etive via the NW Aonach Mor ridge? What's it like? I've been up Stob Ghabhar via the usual route from Victoria Bridge, but I'm wondering if the Glen Etive route might be a nice alternative.

In reply to tony:

Somebody always has - looks nice!
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The famous gate at Alltchaorunn is locked again these days, due to the landowner being a continued tit. Because one of the buildings at Alltchaorunn has burnt down, he is claiming it prevents access to a dangerously unstable structure...

I'm sure you would be able to either ford the river or do some gymnastics to get over the gate (photo below if you are not familiar):
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=56223

In reply to tony:

Gabhar is great from Etive, highly recommended as an alternative to the more usual side. Here's a UKH Route Card to a big traverse of most of the Black Mount done from Glen Etive - it uses the Sron a' Ghearainn ridge instead of aonach Mor, which is a superb way off/up. I've only walked the top half of Aonach Mor (on various Clachlet traverses, mostly) and that's nice too. The lower ridge looks totally feasible. You could easily shorten and adapt this big route to do just Gabhar: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=726

In reply to tony:
Did it many years ago, remember it as a classic high-level ridge with superb, wide, characteristic Blackmount views. Apart from the notorious Alltchaorunn access challenge already mentioned, it is in prime deer forest so if you're planning an early visit you'd be well advised to consult via the Hillphones system, http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/sites/default/files//docs/hftsh_table... and/or be discreet about when and how you approach. And in summer at least I've found the lower glen to be Tick Central. So it's well defended ... but well worth it.

In reply to Bob Aitken:

It was Unlocked just over a month ago I walked across to read the signs and follow the river looking for trout.

In reply to tony:
Did it in July after many years of wanting to. Great route , long and largely trackless on the ridge. The bridge was locked but not quite so fortified as in days of yore without its full width of overhanging wire.

In reply to everyone:

Many thanks all. Looks like the biggest challenge is at the start!

In reply to tony:

A bit leftfield and a bit longer, but gateless, is the approach from Glen Ceitlin via the Coiletir bridge. I did that one fine April day, coming back over Beinn Ceitlin and Stob Dubh (needed the Corbett). It was a long day, but an interesting one.

In reply to malky_c:



Seeing the photo's of the obstructive gate and signage induces in me a desire to angle grind, or hacksaw and bolt cropper, the bloody thing. But when you see the way that Neds have trashed parts of the glen, I have some small sympathy with the owner for attempting to prevent scum from doing the same at his/her building (s).

Because of the laissez faire policing of the glen, I guess the responsibility of the owner to provide access for reasonable hill use is viewed by them as of secondary importance to the protection of their property from real threat. Inevitably, the personality of the owner comes into play when barring access, but the Fb link suggests to that the risk of damage is real. This is not the same as the imaginary, threat conjured over at Invervar in Glen Lyon.

Here's a Fb link to highlight some of the effects of ned camping and partying
https://www.facebook.com/Glenetivethedirtytruth?ref=profile

In reply to llechwedd:

This is true I suppose. How long has mess in Glen Etive been a problem? I have only become aware of it in the last few years, but that's not to say it hasn't long been a ned campsite. Although the gate was open until recently (post access reform in 2003), I believe this particular landowner has been obstructing access here for many years.

In reply to llechwedd:

And here's an article on the Glen Etive ned disgrace, and the FB campaign to highlight the problem: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/news/item.php?id=69035

Words fail me. And I agree, I've huge sympathy for Glen Etive residents. But still, locked gates are galling

In reply to llechwedd:

How much of the mess/damage takes place more than a few yards from the road? Having a locked gate on the bridge to prevent cars getting across makes sense; having barbed wire to prevent any access, less so.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:


See the May 25 entry on facebook for an example of mess away from the road. Inevitably most is in close proximity to roads and paths.
The barbed wire? To you and I, and probably most hillgoers, it is unacceptable.
But if you're a ned and looking for something to do during the daytime, when you're not getting blootered, then, empty property or man made structures become an obvious draw. Like as not, they probably don't understand the landscape around them- there's only so many rocks you can heave into a river before it becomes boring, and they're not out on the hill all day, tiring themselves out. But they've probably enough energy and inquisitiveness to take a short walk up a road to see if there's 'fun' to be had.
They're the sort of people who should be locked in a portable toilet and set on fire.
If it came to having to resort to barbed wire to protect my property, I'd probably sell up and leave the problem to someone else, but that doesn't solve the problem in the glen.

In reply to llechwedd:



I thought that had all died down, although I haven't been down Glen Etive since the beginning of spring. This only goes one way and we will all suffer for the acts of these arseholes.

In reply to tony:

Did it a few years ago in winter. Had left a car at Forest Lodge the night before.

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