Munro Bashing in the Mamores: The Journey Up.

My brother and myself have chosen this week to return to the Highlands for some mountain walking and Munro bashing.  Last year we had visited the Cairngorms and backpacked for three days around the big 4000 foot summits but were blighted with horrendous weather.  The original plan had been to return to the Cairngorms for some more backpacking but ran into some logistical problems regarding car parking and distances involved; hence the decision to visit Glen Nevis and walk in the Mamores.  The Mamores are a group of mountains aligned on an East-West ridge between Glen Nevis and Loch Leven that I had wanted to explore for some time.
 I was up early and away at 6.00 to pick Peter up at Rivington services on the M61.  I arrived a little late owing to the horrendous traffic on the M62.  I hate that road!  Other than this, the journey sped by and we were soon making our way up past Loch Lomond and over Rannoch Moor to Glencoe.  Looming above the moor is Buachaille Etive Mor or the Big Shepherd (AKA The Buckle).  As we passed the location for classic photographs of this majestic mountain, we promised to call on our return for some pics ourselves.  We should have done it then!!!  Once through Glen Coe and over Ballachulish Bridge we drove along the shores of Loch Linnhe before arriving at Fort William.  A quick stop for shopping at Morrisons, behind the station, rewarded us with excellent views of the Lancashire Fusilier, the black five steam loco that hauls the 'Jacobite' through magnificent Scottish scenery along the shores of Loch Eil and through Glen Finnan to Mallaig on its twice daily excursion.  We were also fortunate to see it pull out of the station, a hissing, snorting and panting behemoth - magic!
Excitement over, it was time to drive up Glen Nevis and get settled into the Youth Hostel where we were staying for the week.  Once we had our gear unpacked we decided to explore further up the glen.  What a stunning situation, with Ben Nevis towering above us on the east side and the Mamores  filling the horizon at the head of the valley.  In the evening sun, the fresh greens of the trees, bracken and ferns was verdant.  In the short time available to us, we found fragrant and heath spotted orchids, butterwort and a red deer stag.  Soon it was beer o'clock and dinner time but a post prandial walk along the river gave us good sightings of common sandpiper loudly displaying and also grey wagtail.

Sgurr A'Mhaim at the head of Glen Nevis.

The quartzite capped summit of Sgurr A'Mhaim dominated the view from the youth hostel.