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No matter
how one looks at this hill, it's a steep one! And steep all the way round,
so that there is really no easy ascent or descent. Add to this the fact
that the summit ridge jinks around, with rocky corrugations, and the scene
is set for a testing Corbett. In winter conditions it is important to
be properly equipped with axe and crampons.
Start from
the road down Glen Etive, at 137 469. There are several small spots for
off-road parking, all close to the top of a private road leading down
to the bridge across the Etive. Pause for a moment here and look down
but I guarantee that you will not see the bottom of the pool beneath the
bridge.
The track
continues past the bridge for a distance before turning northwards. After
about 1km a wooden bridge is crossed and a house at the foot of Glen Ceitlein
seen. The south-west ridge of Stob Dubh rises above this with very little
pause for breath. Over halfway up, some outcrops are easily avoided on
the right, just before the slope thankfully eases before the summit slopes.
There are fine views over to Stob Coir' an Albannaich to the south.
The ridge
leads awkwardly, ESE down over rough ground, to the ridge proper. Be careful
with navigation from the summit, as there are steep crags north and northeast
of the summit. Once on the ridge, which is fairly broad, it leads first
easterly then northeasterly, to a top at 845m. There is a further top
along the ridge to the northeast, at 834m, and while it is possible to
descend from this latter top, it is probably even steeper.
The descent
leads in a few hundred metres to an easy crossing of the burn which issues
from Coire Dubh Mor. Continue south to gain the burn flowing into Glen
Ceitlein and descend that glen to pick up the very muddy path (chewed
up by summer grazing of cattle) leading down Glen Ceitlein and so to the
wooden bridge at the mouth of the glen. There are very fine views of Beinn
Fhionnlaidh, across Glen Etive.
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