Fiona and I arrived at the Hut on Friday morning got settled in, re-packed our bags and set off for Aonach Beag at about midday. The Water of Nevis was remarkably low, so we crossed the river instead of using the wire bridge which was preferable as it was getting
very popular with the tourists! After a short distance we reached the Steall Ruins and found the makings of a path heading in the required direction, easy at first but eventually disappearing and the steepening ground made it quite a slog up to the rocky ridge that leads to Sgurr a Bhuic. Amazing views towards Ben Nevis Glen Coe and the Easains so we stopped for a bite to eat before zig zagging up the side of the Coires to Stob Coire Bhealaich and eventually onto Aonach Beag (Fiona’s 200th Munro).

After Aonach Beag it was pleasant walking down to the Bealach and up onto Aonach Mor by the South Ridge, we didn’t stay long up here are we were getting attacked
by the dreaded Midge and time was getting late. A hasty retreat was made to find the cairn marking the descent path into Coire Giubhsachan, once found care was
needed on the path as it was very steep and very loose in places, eventually we reached the bealach just as the rain started, so it was a long soggy trudge back down the Coire to Steall Ruin and arriving back to the Hut about 22:00 to find Julie sitting waiting to find out who her companions would be for the night.

Saturday The forecast was to deteriorate later in the day, but the plan was to attempt the Ring of Steall, so we set off bright and early, about 10:00(!) to scale the lofty
heights of An Gearanach, the first hill of the round, another long slog but on a path this time and a lot more popular than yesterday’s hills. Then a couple asked me
are we nearly halfway yet, so I said how far are you going? The answer came back “Ben Nevis”, oh! I said that’s Ben Nevis over there, pointing to a great mass of a mountain with its head shrouded in cloud. They were a bit disappointed but decided to carry on anyway and take in Ben Nevis another day.

Eventually An Gearanach was reached where a crowd had gathered to admire the view and have lunch, the ridge after this was a bit gnarly and the wind had picked
up, so care was required until we reached Bealach a Chadha Riabhaich.

Stob Coire a Chairn was reached and as the sun had come out again, we stopped for refreshments and admired the views along the Mamore ridge and further afield. Next hill Am Bodach was climbed by the steep rocky north ridge and by now we could see the weather closing in over Ardgour, on to Sgurr an Iubhair and by this time the mist had come down and the rain was on.

The decision was made to miss out Sgurr a Mhaim as time was getting late and we didn’t fancy negotiating slippery Quartzite on the descent so we headed down
the path to the carpark at Polldubh and even this was quite hazardous in places. We eventually got back to the Hut about 21:00, relieved to be back to find out how Julie
had got on, as she had done the same round but had left about 2 hours before us in the morning!

Words by Bob MacDonald