Davie Scott's Blog: 16.6.14 - Lagangarbh Buttress, Buachaille Etive Mor

Yesterday Ali and I headed out to the Buachaille with the plan being to get up either North Buttress or Curved Ridge for Ali to get a chance to try out her new B3 alpine boots before we head to Chamonix next month. When we arrived, we counted over 20 cars and 2 mini buses, which lead to us making the assumption that Curved Ridge was probably as busy as the Hillary Step! We also assumed there would be a fair few people on North Buttress so we decided on Lagangarbh Buttress, a nice grade 3 scramble up the buttress just East of Coire na Tulaich. The approach was shit. A swampy, wet, heather trampling, midgie infested march of misery. Once on the route itself, it was very enjoyable and the rock is immaculate, providing loads of high class, very enjoyable scrambling with the odd airy moment. As we got higher on the route I had spotted Lagangarbh Chimney, a V.Diff rock climb about 3/4 of the way up the route. We were deterred from bagging this as it looked very dank,damp and midgie infested. Once at the top of the buttress we stopped for tea (yes I know, I know. However tea seems to be a good bribe to the girlfriend out the door!). Whilst enjoying our brew, we looked over to the coire rim and seen endless hoards of people going off in all directions, enjoying our solitude on a very busy mountain. Once the tea was finished, we headed directly up by skirting over to the rim of the Great Gully and then over the summit shoulder to the path. We did this because on my previous times on this route, it looks quicker and easier to contour round the coire rim and pop out at the col, trust me its not, its loose and shit and horrible and will most likely ruin your whole day. A quick descent down the Coire and we were back at the car enjoying a bounty and a can of lilt, the little things! great day out!