Ben Cruachan & Stob Daimh

[@emc8366]

Great footage of the 'bad step' and scrambly section, invaluable for assessing its difficulty.

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Thanks for the comments emc, it’s not too difficult at all.

[@frankalexander6629]

Really enjoyed watching this video and well done for making it. This is a serious walk especially in winter conditions! I did it on 26.3.2022, a glorious sunny day and could see the whole route ahead. Some tricky icy areas though to scramble over. I travelled out on the Glasgow-Oban 975 bus and got off at the Power Station at 1100. Long haul up to Ben Cruachan, stuck to the ridge to Stob Daimh then followed the faint path down by the gorge and was back at the start in 6.5 hours, with over an hour to wait for the return bus. Great day out and achievable by public transport.

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Thanks for watching & commenting Frank. Yeh I loved the hike up and around to the 2nd munro. Just unfortunate we took the wrong ridge down from the 2nd munro. Yeh I can imagine going over the bad step in icy conditions could be tricky, glad you got a good day for it. Public transport is good for that hike if timings are good. ATB Frank.👍🏔

[@triggerfish999]

Did the horseshoe walk in the other direction, maybe 18yrs or so ago. No drone footage or vloggers…just had to read the OS Guide book and take a map. It was a brilliant day out and your vid is a good reminder. The bad step isn’t that bad. I think I did some of on my arse. The bit after that, ascending to Cruachan feels a tad exposed at times…it’s marvellous but relatively safe ridge walk/scramble. My wife was off up the great blocks like a mountain goat…Top tip for hillwalking. Always always take a head torch. We did get benighted on Knoydart but with a head torch it was all ok.

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Thanks for taking the time to watch & comment Roger, appreciate it.👍 I thoroughly enjoyed the ridge walk and like you say the bad step isn’t that bad, my mate was a bit apprehensive tho. Yeh it was just a rookie mistake with the nav with the clag in. Can laugh about it now, but it was a lesson learned. Thanks again, ATB Frank.👍🏔🥾

[@Bramblebush7]

I just did this walk by myself with my dog today. It was very misty and absolutely pouring down with rain. I Did not see much views so nice to see a video of it in clear conditions, but hey, you cant always have the good weather. The stone slabs between the two Munro's were a bit dodgy in the wet weather but I managed to get me and my dog over them with no issues. I made the exact same navigation mistake you made after Stob Daimh and dropped into the Glen Noe Valley. I checked the maps afterwards and realised where I went wrong. From the summit of Stob Daimh I had it in my head to turn right to start heading south again but I must have been facing North when I turned 'right' (like you I didn't consult the map in my hurry to get out of the rain but it was so misty I would have saw nothing to triangulate anyway and I didn't bring my compass). Like you I ended up on the track to Sron An Isean and in a moment when there was a small break in the mist I saw the smaller reservoir north of Stob Daimh and mistook it for the Cruichan Reservoir and beelined for it, only realising when I reached it that it was a small dam. I checked my maps, realised my mistake and had to choose between clinbing over the mountains again or circumvent them. The day was getting on and I didn't want to go back up as I would have been poncing about in the dark and so decided to walk through the Glen Noe Valley that was sodden with water to Invernoe. I then circumvented the mountains on a track that led back to Bridge of Awe. I am loath to check how many more clicks I added to my walk but what was meant to be a 6-7 hour walk became a 10 hour walk so it must have been about 10-12 extra clicks. Of course being soaked through has left me with chafing, another school boy error, failing to bring vaseline...say no more on that. Anyway, thank you for owning your navigation mistake, as an amateur walker it makes me feel better that the navigation error I made in torrential rain and misty conditions was the same error made by professional walkers in clear conditions, I don't feel so foolish now. Great footage from the drone BTW.

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Thanks for that fantastic reply👍 glad you got back safely albeit a little later than expected, exact same as us.🤣 glad you managed the bad step with your dog ok. It was after our hike and a couple more where we made errors in the clag for navigation that I decided to buy a gps. A godsend in those circumstances. Hope you keep hiking and enjoying our beautiful hills, and like you say, ye canny win all the time with the weather. Thanks again ATB Frank.👍🏔🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Bramblebush7]

Thanks for reply, a pal recommended an OS Map on my phone, 25 quid for a year mapping all of the UK. Will look into it. I defo plan to keep bagging the Munro's, been doing the English Wainwrights too but they areca walk in the park compared to the Munro's. Will maybe bump into you in the wilderness someday.

[@hikingwithfrank315]

@@Bramblebush7 hi Andrew, thanks for the sub👍 The os maps are good I have them as well which means I have 2 navigational aids. Bagging the munros is a great way of seeing our beautiful country altho they can be hard to get to at times ( distance and remoteness ). Hopefully bump into each other at some point as it’s always nice to have a chat on the hills👍 ATB Frank

[@chrisd_67]

Great video. Helpful for assessing the difficulty of the ridge walk. Looking to do this walk later in the month. How long would you estimate the walk would have taken you without the detour towards the end?

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Hi Chris, thanks for the watch & comment, it’s a great hike and I reckon around 8hrs maybe 8 hrs 30mins max. Hope you wait for a good clear day as it’s a fab route. ATB Frank.👍🏔🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@chrisd_67]

@@hikingwithfrank315 Nice one thanks for the quick reply 👍

[@itsablack1]

One of my favourite walks , but not the way you came down 😂 talk about going the wrong way 👍😅

[@hikingwithfrank315]

🤣🤣 yeh one of my fav walks as well, total school boy error on navigation. Was a lonnnnng walk back to the car. Thanks for watching & the comments.👍 ATB Frank.👍🏔🥾

[@itsablack1]

@@hikingwithfrank315 yeah its a good vid.. When I descended I seen group of four heading down the wrong way , they missed the right turn down back to the loch , its easy to miss ..

[@ontheadventuretrails-scotl9389]

Shame about the detour, painful more on the pride than the feet I bet. We’ve had a moment like that! Some amazing shots especially the drone shots. Nice to see the ridge from that perspective. Helpful! All the Best D& L :-)

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Thanks for the comments, yeh school boy error. One of the easiest to follow around the horseshoe as well. Yeh the drone always gives a diff perspective. ATB. Frank.

[@bl1374]

That ridge looks terrifying

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Hi B L, it wasn’t too bad, thanks for viewing.👍

[@alistairthow1384]

Excellent video of Cruachan and the not route😅. Just need to remember when to 'hang a right' If there is clag.

[@hikingwithfrank315]

@@alistairthow1384 cheers Alistair, yeh we went off route quite a bit🤣🤣 Long walk back

[@alistairthow1384]

@@hikingwithfrank315 the wind is unbelievable just now and no views

[@joanstewart5244]

Well done navigating your way down in the dark,👏👏

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Wasn’t too bad Joan, we were back on the main road by the time it got dark.

[@lynseymciver2603]

I was thinking about going the same route but stopping at cruachan then come back down same way, is it an okay route to do with the dog?

[@hikingwithfrank315]

Hi Lynsey,yeh it would be no bother with a dog. Hope you have a fantastic day. ATB Frank.👍☀️🏔