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Stob Coir'an Albannaich & Meall nan Eun; Maps 377W, 384
20th March 2005 & 21st Sept 2010

Route: 1660m=5445' ascent; 12.0 miles; about 9 hrs.


Stob Coir an Albannaich from Meall nan Eun. The East ridge of Stob Coir an Albannaich. Looking NW from the summit of Stob Coir an Albannaich. The path up the East ridge of Glas Bheinn Mhor. Ben Starav from Meall nan Tri Tighearnan. The N face of Meall nan Tri Tighearnan.

Access: Park 10.3 miles down Glen Etive from the A82.
Route: A good, pleasant length for a full day’s walking. Rocky outcrops only on N and E faces of these mountains, but W faces are all scree/grass/heather. So best to go E to W for views and for ease of walking, especially as east faces retain snow longer – but one may then be walking into the prevailing wind.
Poor paths at eastern end, but improving as one goes west. Also, no fence or wall on ridge boundary.
This is one useful way of including Meall nan Eun in a ridge walk. Otherwise it makes for a rather long walk in and out for just a single hill. There are several straightfoward routes up it from Glenceitlein in Glen Etive, e.g. via either of the two bealachs at the head of Glen Ceitlein on either side of Meall nan Eun, or directly SW on the vague path given by OpenStreetMap. The climb from the northern bealach is over very nice granite slabs, whereas the climb up to the western bealach is steeper but allows one to leave any unnecessary kit for collection on return from the summit.
On the descent after Glas Bheinn Mhor one can continue W to the bealach between Meall nan Tri Tighearnan and Beinn Starav and take the path down the Allt nam Meirleach or take the north ridge of Meall nan Tri Tighearnan which has better views and evening sun. However, for this choice the descent onto the ridge is initially tricky if there is no visibility. Alternatively, return east to the bealach and descend on the east side of the Allt Mheuran.
Those going in the opposite direction should have no difficulty ascending SSE from the path by the Allt nam Meirleach directly to the summit of Glas Bheinn Mhor. It is steep and one keeps to the west side of the ridge to avoid the rocky outcrops.
The historic right of way through Coileitir has been fenced off and re-routed behind the farm through very nasty, wet, peaty terrain. It is now best to follow the new hydro power track beside the river to a bridge over the Allt nam Meirleach.
The 1:50000 map would avoid the need for two 1:25000 maps.
Weather 20/3/05: Walking into sun & breeze in Glen Ceitlein. Hazy with cloud in passes. 21/9/10: Overcast, showers, warm, 14°C at car.

20/3/0521/9/10 Description Ht.Asc.Dist.Grid Ref
08350740 From A82 drive 10.3 miles down Glen Etive.
Park opposite track down to bridge over R. Etive
  40   00.0 milesNN13714686
08400745 Track E to bridge over R. Etive   20  NN14044683
08550805 Left track NE to bridge over Allt Ceitlein   30  101.15 milesNN14824775
09000810 Track E to sheep pens   57  40 NN15174768
09300840 Take poor, unreliable path ESE by Allt Ceitlein
to crossing of tributary burn from east.
1301102.35 milesNN16504708
 0940-45 Path SE into Coirean Riabhach 4604403.4 milesNN17794599
10401015 Either (more interesting)
E to northern bealach of Lairig Dhochard
Or (not done) SSE to bealach with Meall Tarsuinn
Or OpenStreetMap path directly up NW ridge
6326204.0 milesNN18704590
 1045 From northern bealach: ascend southwards up
NE face of Meall nan Eun along boundary line
to ridge end. (No path found, but easy enough
to pick one's way between the granite slabs.)
8308204.2 milesNN18654552
11301105
-1110
SE along pleasant grassy plateau (little by way
of path) to M Meall nan Eun (Orange)
9289104.85 milesNN19234489
 1125 Return along ridge NW for 440m 870  NN18824509
11501125 Veer W down to col 785 5.35 milesNN18364504
12051140 Pick up bits of path along boundary W to
Meall Tarsuinn
87710005.65 milesNN17954490
   Follow boundary WSW to just above col 780  NN17594480
12201155 Continue boundary S down to bealach 754 6.05 milesNN17464460
 1200 S on boundary to bottom of gully 760  NN17404455
 1215
-1220
Follow path on E side of gully S to cairn on ridge 89011456.25 milesNN17454425
13001245
-1255
W up ridge to
M Stob Coir'an Albannaich (No Orange)
104412906.6 milesNN16934427
 1310 (Continue 250m NW on summit ridge if desired.)
Descend over easy grassy terrain heading
straight for col and ridge bluff. Follow minor
ridge of Sron nan Cabar SSW until vertically
above bealach. (Don't cut corner; there is a path
further NW for those descending to the valley.)
870  NN16474362
13351325 Descend easy scree/grass/heather SSW to bealach 738 7.3 milesNN16334334
   Path SW steeply up to ridge end 8501400 NN16114312
   SW to bump at ridge bend 89514457.65 milesNN15954292
1410-201410-15 Ridge W to M Glas Bheinn Mhor 99715608.1 milesNN15314294
 1430 SW to col (or risk descending NW edge of N ridge) 822 8.45 milesNN14894257
14451445 W to Meall nan Tri Tighearnan 89216308.65 milesNN14534257
  — EITHER: Descend directly NNW from the summit
cairn to ridge. This is very steep but the only way to
avoid the cliffs to both E and W. (See photo above.)
700  NN14374285
1605 — Outline of path down Glas Bheinn Chaol ridge
N to easy ford of Allt nam Meirleach
195 10.25 milesNN13824500
 —  OR: (Safer) Continue SW to ridge bend 845  NN14204232
 —1500 WNW to path at Bealachan Lochain Ghain 765  NN13914240
 —1525-35 Path N by Allt nam Meirleach to stream confluence 540   
 —1625 Path N to fork at ford (easy) 195  NN13824500
 1635 THEN: Path N to where it joins B.Starav ridge path 165 10.45 milesNN13874531
16251655 Path N to footbridge over Allt nam Meirleach   20 10.95 milesNN13614599
   Path NNW on E bank to "ftbr" at track end   15 11.05 milesNN13524617
   Hydro track NE passed Coileitir to fork   25164011.55 milesNN14074671
   Left fork to bridge over R. Etive   20 11.6 milesNN14044683
16451725 Track W back to car   40166011.9 milesNN13714686


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