by Grzegorz Sianos

The Lagangarbh Hut was originally a crofting cottage: a stone-built house with traditional slate roofing. Its white-painted walls and striking location at the foot of the iconic Buachaille Etive Mòr have made it both a popular tourist attraction and the most photographed building in Glencoe.

The hut is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is managed by the Scottish Mountaineering Club.

Our trip was booked for the final weekend of December, beginning on Boxing Day, immediately after Christmas. Possibly due to the busy time of year with family commitments, or concerns about a lack of snow, only half of the available places were taken.

Despite this, the weather proved to be outstanding, with uninterrupted blue skies throughout the weekend. A remarkable temperature inversion was observed on Sunday, looking south from Glencoe.

On Friday, prior to assembling for our first evening at the hut, Ryan climbed Meall a’ Bhuiridh and Creise. Magdalena and I enjoyed a walk from Bridge of Orchy to Victoria Bridge, while Craig spent most of the afternoon driving north to join us.

With exceptionally promising weather forecast for the following day, a decision was made to attempt the Ballachulish Horseshoe, taking in two Munros—Sgòrr Dhònuill and Sgòrr Dhearg—via Schoolhouse Ridge.

We packed early to make the most of the short daylight hours and were on the route by 9 a.m. Conditions were excellent: dry rock, frozen marshland, and clear blue skies with outstanding visibility. It could scarcely have been better.

The first summit, Sgòrr Bhan (947 m), provided fine views of the two Munros ahead. The panoramic scenery from both summits was breathtaking. After a short rest for photographs and lunch, we descended via the steep, icy mixed terrain of the northern corrie.

Special thanks are due to Craig, who ran downhill for much of the descent route and then drove his car around to South Ballachulish, saving us an additional three-kilometre walk along the A82.

A celebratory dinner at the Clachaig Inn was the social highlight of the trip.

On Sunday, Ryan and Craig paired up for a demanding day, with two further Munros on the agenda: Stob Coir’an Albannaich and Meall nan Eun. They moved efficiently to cover a substantial amount of ground during daylight hours. Steep, craggy slopes coated with ice added significant difficulty, particularly on the descents.

As a recovery day, Magdalena and I walked the Devil’s Staircase section of the West Highland Way.

All parties returned to the Lagangarbh Hut in the late afternoon, smiling broadly, satisfied with the weekend’s achievements and keen for more.

Over tea before beginning the journey home, we reflected on a trip spent getting to know one another and looked forward to future adventures in Scotland and, hopefully, the Alps—ideally with some snow.