Bidian nan Bian

Summer 1998 This was the first occasion the boys had toured together. Scotland had long been a favourite of mine and the lads were only too happy to join the fun, little did they know what the week had in store for them. I had been through Glen Coe on the A82 as have most people on the route to Fort William and beyond and this time decided to bag a selection of peaks. Having perused several guide books I had chosen Bidian nan Bian as the obvious choice for our first ascent. Various guide books had described as a fantastic day out and compared to the other peaks in Glen Coe, perhaps one of the easier ones. We started reasonably early at the meeting of the three waters and set off up the hidden valley where, rumour has it, the clan McDonald used to drive their cattle away from the eyes of rustlers and any neighbouring cattle that may have strayed their way as was often the case.

Bidian nan Bian (the hill of the Peaks

Stob Choire nam Lochan (hill of the corrie of the lochan)

There was a light mizzle in the air as we made our way through boulders and into the valley proper where it opens out before you. If hill walking is not your bag this makes a superb few hours out on its own. A group of walkers in front of us turned round as the weather seemed to worsen and the headwall of the valley in front was obscured by clouds. We made our way past streams which turned into waterfalls and up a trail on a scree ridden slope trying to make our way on the ridge. We passed through a notch in the headwall only to be hit by fierce screaming winds, one or two of the lads were flagging at this point and I knew they weren't going to enjoy this. A few helping hands were offered to assist everyone up onto the ridge proper as swift decisions had to be made, I was all for bagging the first munro, newly promoted Stob Coire Screamhach (aptly named in this wind the hill of the screaming Corrie) but a couple of the lads were pretty bushed. I decided to scout ahead and see if the wind worsened and disappeared into the clouds and rain whilst the others waited. It was pretty grim and I knew they wouldn't enjoy this. I was on the verge of turning back when it suddenly went as quiet as a Cathederal. I turned around at the sound of a raised voice as Chopper, one of my companions, joined me. Neither of us could believe the silence after the howling wind only seconds earlier. We both walked the few feet to the summit and swiftly made our way back to the other three still at the notch. Not everybody was having the fun time I was as we opted to bag the summit of Bidian nan Bian then back down to Glen Coe

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