Departing Kinlochleven along the West Highland Way, the ascending begins straight way onto Coire na h’Eirghe
The first Munro is Sgurr an lubhair at 1001m tall and the path up is chock full of mud and rock
Cresting to the top of Sgurr an lubhair
Onwards from Sgurr an lubhair, towards the 'Devil's Ridge'
A steep drop from Stob Choire a’ Mhail
Looking back along the Devil's Ridge
The top of Sgurr a’ Mhaim (1099m), the highest point of the route! To here from Sgurr an lubhair via Stob Choire a’ Mhail is called the Devil's Ridge. Beyond is Glen Nevis below and Ben Nevis above. It took me just shy over two hours to reach this point which is only 8km along the ground.
The descent to Glen Nevis is pretty significant and steep- over 1000m in less than 3km (1.8 miles). After the one and only aid station of the race you head up Glen Nevis and even run on a tarmac road! At the end of the road is a classic trail that squeezes through a short gorge, and spits you out in an idyllic glen with the An Steall Waterfall looming ahead.
A wade through a river and then starts the biggest climb of the race route, to the Munro An Gearanach (982m). Ben Nevis looms in the background.
A great view of the Nevis Gorge from halfway up the ascent
The steepness of the slope means the path starts to zig-zag
Just a bit more effort to An Gearanach. Ben Nevis again in the background.
It's not over yet! More quad crunching tough drops and leg burning ascents to An Garbhanach (975m) and Stob Coire a’ Chairn (981m)
The second big ridge of the day narrows to the dramatic, rocky arete of An Garbhanach and this continues as the ridge heads down to the next bealach and then up to Stob Coire a’ Chairn. "The traverse of this 'Top' is an airy but fairly straightforward but exposed scramble."
Nearly at Am Bodach
The last bit of climbing is actually climbing!
The stunning final Munro - Am Bodach (1032m)
From Am Bodach, it is nearly downhill all the way, at first back down to the col at the foot of The Mamores ridge, then turning steeply down into Coire na h’Eirghe reversing the ascent route from earlier in the day. This was extremely boggy and muddy - bad enough that Holly Page fell over and suffered hospital visit worthy injuries! A final dash back along the West Highland Way into Kinlochleven to bring six hours and forty-five minutes of torture to an end!
