M110 | 1021 m. | 3350 ft.
Translation: Big herdsman of Etive, red peak
Pronuncation: booachil etiv moar

For many years Joachim, Markus, Stefan, Thomas and I have been spending a long weekend together once a year for hiking. After having been rather “flat” so far, we chose Scotland for 2008. For quite some time I wanted to introduce the boys to the beauty of the Highlands and above all to my passion for the Munros. But it was also clear to me that, in contrast to the previous hikes, I should and had to explicitly point out seriousness, weather conditions and conditional conditions. Which, of course, should prove to be the case. And since we still had a bed available and in my opinion Cord would also fit well with the boys, we granted him asylum for the 4 days in Scotland.

After we had flown from Cologne to Edinburgh at the lecture, Cord arrived in Cologne coming from Berlin, followed first the trip to Kinlochleven. In Callander we bought food and drinks and then drove through Rannoch Mor with obligatory photo break. The weather was fresh but pleasant. As we approached Glen Coe, majestically guarded by the big shepherd, my hint “we’ll go up there tomorrow” caused a rather disbelieving shake of the head. In the Glen Coe itself we took another photo break. After that we went straight to Kinlochleven to move to the beautifully situated Garbh Bhein Cottage, which offers great views of the Mamores. Beer, fire and dinner were the successful conclusion to the arrival day.

The next morning it showed up that my reference to the Scottish weather conditions and the insistent requests to take rainproof clothes had not been in vain. It was raining heavily, visibility was severely restricted and motivation had dropped considerably. Here it showed up that it is of advantage to have motivation artists and rainignoranten thereby. At 10 o’clock we stood – still a bit insecure, but at least fully dressed and equipped – on the parking lot near Altnafeadh and started, defying the rain!

The steep ascent through the Coire na Tulaich took up all our concentration, as we were very late in dealing with the fact that crossing the brook that was flooded would be more difficult than we had originally thought. Especially as we were met by 2 Scottish mountain comrades who had already broken off the company as they had not found a way to cross it. But Cord and I searched until we found a possibility that seemed feasible. And after a wide set of cord Thomas – not quite dry – overcame the creek and helped the others to overcome this first problematic place by using the walking sticks.

And so it went on, exposed to steepness and rain. After a good 1.5 hours we used a large rock jump for a small break for food and drink and at the same time for further motivation and perseverance exercises. And so we reached the Bealach after about 2 hours. Quickly it was clear why, the first summit is called Stob Dearg (red summit). Ascent and descent happened on the same ridge. The descent from the first Munro today should also be the goodbye from the rain and much more important also the beginning of the cloud dissolution. After 3.5 h it was finally dry and we took the opportunity to enjoy the view of Rannoch Mor and the neighbouring mountains. I was relieved as this is what I wanted to show the guys from Scotland. Wide and empty landscapes and majestic peaks. Now the mood rose and the rest of the hike was awaited with confidence.

On the other hand, it now became apparent that a Munro is not a Munro for nothing – at least mostly – and that the gods have put the sweat before the price. On the way to Stob na Broige, the second Munro of the day, two higher peaks had to be climbed, which are not Munros. So we needed a little more than an hour for the next 3 km. But when we arrived there we had fantastic views of Glen Etive and Bidean nam Bian. Again we took the opportunity to eat and drink a snack, congratulate each other on the Munro and take numerous photos.

Then the way back followed, on which another summit had to be conquered before we started the 2 km long descent, which should put one or the other knee to a hard test. And also the final 5km in the flat but usual Scottish terrain with clay and moor pits as well as sufficient amounts of liquid led to one or the other failure symptom. Thomas then crossed the next streams “like a wild bull”. And to top it all off, the last kilometer also ran directly along the A82. But even that couldn’t stop a magnificent day in the Scottish highlands, which offered everything Munrobagging has to offer!

1998 Very wet day. Moderate and – in the upper parts of the corrie – strenuous ascent of  Coire na Tulaich to the bealach below Stob Dearg. Slight improvement in the weather with beautiful red stone cover of Stob Dearg shining up in occasional brighter light. Very blustery ascent of the Stob. Return by way of ascent. Thrilling experience of solitary walking on wet stone through an impressive corrie and up a beautiful summit peak.


Description The Buachaille Etive Mor is a magnificent mountain of four distinct peaks standing at the head of Glen Etive and overlooking the north-west corner of Rannoch Moor. The best known view of the mountain is from the north and east, from where the great rocky cone of Stob Dearg is the outstanding feature of the mountain. Extending south-west from Stob Dearg, a 7-kilometre long ridge goes over two Tops, Stob na Doire and Stob Coire Altruim, and ends at Stob na Broige, another very steep and rocky peak overlooking lower Glen Etive. The traverse of Stob Dearg and Stob na Broige may be made from the A82 road at Altnafeadh. Follow the path south past Lagangarbh cottage and up into Coire na Tulaich. The ascent goes up a rocky path on the west side of the stream in the corrie to the scree gully at its head, and a bit of scrambling is needed to reach the top of the gully. Turn east and go up the broad boulder-covered ridge to Stob Dearg.Return to the head of Coire na Tulaich and continue south-west along the ridge of the Buachaille over Stob na Doire and Stob Coire Altruim to reach Stob na Broige. The best descent is back along the ridge past Stob Coire Altruim to the col beyond it, and from there down to the Lairig Gartain.