We decided we would again try for a hill on the way up from England and picked Stob na Broige on Buachaille Etive Mor, to finish this hill. We had intended to walk up the Etive path and go up the col on the Buachaille but as soon as we saw the mountain we both agreed to go up the Coire na Tulaich route as done before. It looked easy and would be nice to compare the experience with the last time. Immediately we got out of the car the enemy struck - millions of midges. The weather was humid with no wind and they were merciless. Within minutes I had measles spots all over, including my face which was unusual (the spots, not my face!). They were with us the whole way up onto the ridge and were enough to reduce you to tears. It was bad enough to be tired and unfit and sweaty without being constantly eaten alive every time you halted. I was literally
sweeping 100s of them off my arms only to have the dead instantly replaced. Midges apart the climb was easier than I remembered though Graeme stayed far ahead of me (he has stopped going to the gym but is still much fitter than I am). The scree at the top is a nuisance but whereas on the last trip I was concerned about sliding high up on the hill this time I had no thought whatsoever for height. I was also expecting a red stony gully to climb but after scrambling up the rocks on the left of the dark gully found myself on the ridge. I think I must be confusing this hill with Bidean nam Bian. We decided not to bother going up to the top of Stob Dearg and now with a breeze and no midges we happily wandered down and up the ridge. Stob na Broige was interesting but no problem and we were soon at the cairn. No beers as we had thought it would be too early but in fact it was lunchtime when we arrived. Surprisingly quiet up here. We had seen a couple of climbers but met no-one.
Coming off the hill at the col seemed more awkward than the last time. In particular there were some slabby rocks that needed to be carefully manoeuvred that neither of us could recall. Perhaps it's my age and last time maybe I ran down them as if they were nothing - not so this time - I was most careful. On my last trip I wrote that the path at the bottom was dull and easy, though long. I seem to have forgotten (unless it was then extremely dry) that it is diabolically muddy - really bad. You kept thinking that once over the mud the path would get better but it was awful all the way to the road. Graeme went way ahead and when I reached him at the car park he was talking to two Finnish people and had agreed to give them a lift.
