This was the day for Graeme. The Buachille is his favourite mountain so he was hoping for good views, as was Neil (my son-in-law). The way up from the parking area at Altnafeadh is absolutely unmistakable. You can see right up the Coire na Tulaich from the car to the ridge crest. Quite a few cars parked and off we went on the clear path, this getting slowly steeper and looking pretty fierce at the top. The route was pleasant with the weather getting better all the time. We found ourselves climbing over boulders along the river bank until some folk shouted down from about 30 feet up on the right that there was a path. They had just come off the summit where they had spent an hour and described it as a marvellous mountain.
Once on the path the going was good and excellent views started to appear of the Mamores. We also again had the invasion of the jets as they whizzed down the glens. Shortly before the ridge you come up on scree and the way up starts to narrow into a gully. We saw some people going up on the right of the gully but we took the left side as recommended by the guide books. This involved some easy scrambling and with no problems we reached the crest. The top of Stob Dearg was then reached surprisingly easily and quickly. I had expected it to be a bit difficult but it was nothing.
The top was fantastic. You can actually stand right at the edge at the point everybody sees on photos of the mountain as the apex. And the weather was now brilliantly sunny with clear blue skies. Graeme's day was made as he had got his mountain, so was Neil's as he had got his views and so
was mine as this was such a pleasant mountain. The views were great. All the Mamores stood out as did Ben Nevis, Aonach Eagach, the Glencoe hills and Ben Starav. Schiehallion was very prominent across Rannoch Moor. We stayed there for ages and Graeme and Neil went down to have a look at the Crowberry Tower which looks pretty horrendous. From here on the route was pleasant but unspectacular, a walk along the ridge to the next top which gave lovely views of Stob Dearg. From here (Stob na Doire) we walked down to the col and then down on the right to the path by the river down in the glen. This path is the way between Glencoe and Glen Etive. The path was long and easy but dull, one of those where you can see your destination but don't seem able to get there.
