The Stob

30 April 2013

Participants - Just me
Where - The Stob, 753m/2,470', Graham, Map 51, NN 491231

This Graham doesn't seem to be very high in the popularity stakes, which is a shame as it turned out to be a great viewpoint.

There are forests on both sides of the hill and it looks as though it is eeksy peeksy in terms of distance. I decided to go in by the glen on the east side, where there seemed to be fewer trees. There was lots of space to park at the start of the track, just west of Tulloch farm. It was a glorious morning, not a cloud in the sky. I took this picture not far from the start, looking west along Loch Voil with the Corbetts of Beinn Stacath across the loch and Stob a'Choin in the distance .....

and this one looking back down the track towards the loch with Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin in the background.....

It was a steady pull up the good track. After a couple of miles, I reached the end of the trees and found myself in a bit of an amphitheatre with craggy slopes all around. They turned out to be steeper than they looked. I followed the fence to the end of the forest on the left and took to the grassy slopes.....

As I expected, this was a hill with many lumps and bumps. It was not one to do on a foggy day.  From one of these bumps, I got a good view back down towards Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin.....

 Eventually, what was clearly the summit came into view.....

Not much in the way of a cairn, but a stunning view towards Stobinian and Ben More.....

I was surprised to find another walker at the top. He had come up by the other glen and it was no surprise when he said that he was bagging the Grahams. We had a good chat and I took the opportunity to get my picture taken with the Munro twins in the background.....

I also took this picture of them without me cluttering up the foreground.....

This view is east to the Ben Lawers hills.....

and on the way back down I took this shot of Benvane and Ben Ledi.....

It had taken me 4 hours 15 minutes which seems to be an average time for this hill. I was really pleased with myself though- only 5 months after major cancer surgery and I had managed to reach the top of The Stob without any more huffing and puffing than would have been the case had I climbed it before my illness. At last I feel that I am getting back to where I was before, thanks to the staff at Gartnavel Hospital.