Stob a' Choire Odhair and Stob Ghabhar

Walking in from Victoria Bridge and nearing Clashgour Hut

On the A82, 10km north of Tyndrum is Bridge of Orchy, with the hotel sitting on the west side of the road.

Immediately past the hotel, there is a narrow, single-track road heading over the River Orchy and north towards Loch Tulla. Follow this road, past the Inveroran Hotel, to just before its end at Victoria Bridge, where there is a car-park for around 20 vehicles.

Hiking up Stob a'Choire Odhair with Ben Cruachan behind

Leave the car-park via the wet path behind the information board and head to Victoria Bridge. Cross the bridge, then take the left fork at the junction .

Now on a good track, follow it for 1.5km to a green hut - this was an old school house, but is now Glasgow University Mountaineering Club hut.

A stalker's path heads north from here - follow it up for 2km to where a burn descends over the track (and in spate can obstruct progress).

Cross the burn, then turn right onto a path that aims directly uphill through the heather. The path twists and turns climbing and eventually disappears into stones and boulders higher up - by which time you should be able to see Stob a'Choire Odhair's summit. The untidy cairn on the summt is large enough to shelter out of the wind and fine views are to be had over the Black Mount and beyond

Aiming to the bealach below Aonach Eagach

From Stob a'Choire Odhair's summit, turn west-south-west and head over pathless ground for a bit. A path gradually forms, and follow it downhill, with no difficulties, towards the bealach between Stob a'Choire Odhair and Stob Ghabhar (there is an escape route heading directly down from here into Coire Toaig to pick up a track and return back to the burn crossing ).

Staying on a path, cross the bealach, then start gaining height as you turn south-west. The path disintegrates into several fainter routes up the scree. Choose any one, but regardless of which one you choose, guaranteed you'll be clamering up loose rock.

The grass covered east end of the Anoach Eagach is reached, turn west and follow the faint path.

Further on the crest narrows to a notched ridge and some entertaining easy scrambling is to be enjoyed as progress is made.

The ground widens and drops slightly to a bealach, where a thick iron post marks the start of a line of fence posts.

On a path, follow the posts to Stob Ghabhar's summit perched above Coirein Lochain. Superb views in all directions

Waterfall on the way down from Stob Ghabhar

From Stob Ghabhar's summit, retrace your steps downhill to the thick iron post above Coirein Lochain. Instead of continuing back over the Aonach Eagach, look slightly right at the post and a path can bee seen aside a line of fence posts heading south-east.

Follow this faint path initially over bouldery ground on Stob Gabhar's south-east shoulder around Coire na Muic. Gradually the boulders and stones are replaced by wet grass lower down, and the path begins to turn westwards to approach Creag an Steallaire .

Keeping to the path on the southern bank of the Allt Coire na Muic, the ground begins to steepen and some care is needed.As you descend, there are a couple of pools below waterfalls - excellent for skinny-dipping on a hot day !

The path zig-zags down, around the waterfalls, then reaches the Allt Toaig , which is crossed to rejoin the track to follow back to Clashgour Hut and return to Victoria Bridge. If the Allt Toaig is in spate, it may be impossible to cross, in which case keep to the west bank and follow faint trods southwards to Clashgour Hut.

Sron a' Ghearrain from Stob Ghabhar

From Stob Ghabhar's summit, follow the line of fence-posts north-west wards on the crest of the mountain's west shoulder. There is a faint path to trace to drop to a bealach before a slight climb up Sron a' Ghearrain - Stob Ghabhar's western Munro-Top.

Leaving the small cairn on this summit behind, aim south-west following the edge above Coire Ghabhar. The edge curves and at around c900m, leave it and head directly downhill bounding over grass (watch out for hidden boulders).

At around c650m, you should meet up with a stalker's track - follow this down to the Allt Ghabhar and into forestry - it gets a bit mucky from here ! Nearing Clashgour farm, the track crosses the burn via a footbridge , from where follow the farm track close to the farm , then southwards to meet up with more forestry . The track now very mucky in bits, travels down toward to the Abhainn Shira, where a large gate in a deer fence needs negotiated (it was locked when I was there). A worn path then keeps to the northern bank of the Abhainn Shira and meets up with the track around 200m before Clashgour Hut .