Stuc a Chroin

Today was the last day of my short trip to Scotland, and it stayed dry! I got packed pronto at the SYHA and drove over to Loch Earn. Taking the South Loch Earn road to Ardvorlich, and getting parked up and left by 8.30. The cloudbase was still low though. I was last here in March 1986! with my old mate Tim. We drove up from the Lakes just for the day and climbed Ben Vorlich but ran out of time and didn't get to Stuc a Chroin....we didn't get a view either and I remember there was a lot of snow about.
Hence the reason for todays visit, filling in another gap. Here's a few pictures of my day....

There's an excellent farm track which leads out onto the hill

While ahead the summit of Ben Vorlich was in the cloud. I decided to contour Coire Buidhe to the col rather than go over Ben Vorlich, if it had been clear I would have included it.

The path over to the col was much better than I had thought and helped me make good time.

As I skirted round to the bottom of Stuc a Chroin...I was being watched!

No view on Stuc a Chroin...so no summit views all trip! I felt chuffed I'd filled in the gap after 30 years though.

I glanced down to my shoes, and realised that the sole was coming off my right trail shoe!
They didn't owe me anything, but I would have preferred them to have failed at a more convenient time!

I returned the same way, the day was improving with the cloud starting to lift...as is so often the way!
I've enjoyed my few days, some more gaps filled in and summits bagged.

Beinn Chabhair

Another wet day, although the wind was barely evident as I parked the car at The Drovers in Glen Falloch...of course no wind in June means.....Midges! Truthfully they weren't that bad. So hood up and in full waterproofs off I went, through Bein Glas Farm....noted for its many signs! Again not many photos, and all taken on the phone.....

Looking down into Glen Falloch from the path to the Ben Glas Falls.

The Falls....and impressive they were as well. A benefit of all that rain!

Approaching Lichen Beinn Chabhair.....and entering the cloud.

Another day..... Another pile of stones in the mist/cloud! This one is the summit of Beinn Chabhair. It seemed like it would never arrive, there were lots of humps and bumps along the way.

This was the state of the ground underfoot for much  a of today...no wonder hydro is so popular in the Highlands...the hills are a sponge/battery for storing energy...and sapping mine! 😀 Back the same way until I picked up the new hydro track which made life alot easier. Just a short way South along the West Highland Way, and back to the car

Stob Binnein

This area has always provided me with a challenge. I climbed Stob Binnein's twin Ben More just over 20 years ago! That was in February 97 and the hills were snow clad with lots of ice higher up. We ran out of time in the short daylight hours so left Stob Binnein's for another day.....Today that day had come.
The forecast wasn't good...infact it was crap! Any sane person would have gone somewhere else. But I got parked near Ben More Farm just about 8.30 and set off into the driving rain and gusty winds. I decided I'd see what it was like up on the bealach and take a view. Not many photos of this walk and only taken on the phone...

The initial climb is up the farm track above the Ben More Burn
There is a recent hydro installation here.
Things weren't to bad down here in the shelter of the valley, the rain didn't seem to want to ease off though.

Eventually the farm track ends and a walkers path continues, the going was best described as soggy both underfoot and from above.

It was a hard toil up to the bealach, but at least the wind was behind me.
Once on the bealach though the wind speed increased dramatically (as it so often does). I made the decision to continue, but kept away from the steep Corrie on the East. The rain never eased, and with the increased wind it was felt on my neck through a windproof and waterproof!
Strangely, or probably not it was slightly calmer on the summit.... although the image above is the best of 3 snatched in lulls in the storm.
It was back the same way, stopping periodically to wring my buff mitts out!
I'm glad it's ticked off, after all these years. Every time I drove past it niggled me.

Carn a Chlamain

I'd fully intended to drive home today just bagging a couple of easy Marilyns on the way. However having woken early at the SYHA in Aviemore I thought I'd make better use of my time. So drove South to Blair Atholl and parked at the Old Bridge of Tilt. It would be a long walk up Glen Tilt to the foot of Carn a Chlamain...Infact I'd planned in my own mind that this hill would be done by mountain bike but.....

I was past Marble Lodge at this point and the Beinn a Ghlo hills where starting to become clear of cloud.

The River Tilt

There's an excellent track up the ridge which according to the map leads almost to the summit 

However the track was full of snow, so I followed a narrower path...although eventually that to was covered with snow. here at about 800m the clag was down...

...and it stayed that way all the way to the summit. No view today.

I dropped back out of the low cloud again at about 800m and unfortunately it the stated raining as well. It didn't rain all the way back thankfully but the showers were heavy. 6hrs out and back and no one seen on the hill.

A Couple of Affric Munros

After my efforts of the previous day on the edge of Knoydart, I'd in effect gained a day on my plans. Plan B was to walk/climb the Creag Meagaidh group....however the forecasts (yes I consulted several!) were speaking of thunder and of course lightening. So another plan was required....
Plan C? saw me driving round to Glen Affric from Invergarry, and parking adjacent to the Chisholm Bridge. It was raining as I left the car but very humid. I knew I'd spend the day cloud watching, keeping an eye and ears open for signs of any thunderstorms. On with the photos/walk

The old track round into the Fiadh glen has been "improved", there's a couple of hydro schemes going in. Although its at an early stage at the moment.

Beyond the new hydro track, the glen takes on a real wildness...and wetness. Its very wet underfoot! On a plus point the rain had stopped.

Once across the Allt Toll Easa, the path heads up through the heather gaining height quickly.

Its a really pleasant ridge along and up Creag na h-Inghinn. The view back along the glen opening up.... 

Whilst to the West the Carn Eighe group dominated the scene.

To the East was the my second Munro, Toll Creagach looked extremely exposed should lightening occur.

The summit of Tom a Choinnich, looking West, again to the Carn Eighe hills

From Tom a Choinnich,East to Toll Creagach. I didn't linger, crammed some more cereal bars in my hipbelt pockets and descended to Bealach Toll Easa.

There is a section of stalkers path as you start the descent, but it was covered by one of the laarge snowfields in the photo above. There was no difficulty in following the crest of the ridge though.

The path from the bealach to the summit of Toll Creagach is intermittent, easy ground does that! The hills North of Loch Mullardoch were impressive, good to see them in clear weather. It was cloudy and a bit wet when I backpacked over them in 2004. I can't believe its that long ago!

Again I didn't stop at the summit for long. A descent was basically a bee-line back to the Gleann nam Fiadh. I was surprised that I didn't come across a path, although the ground was fairly easy going...if rather wet.
A last look back up the glen before returning to the car the same way I walked earlier in the day.
So that was effectively the end of my week, I'd enjoyed it immensely, and hope anyone who's happened by has found something of interest here. Cheers!

A Two Walk, Two Munro Day.....Silly Old Fool!

I've not done 2 separate munros on 2 separate walks before as far as I can remember....athough I am getting on a bit and might well have forgotten! But today the weather was almost perfect and there was a target in mind which pushed me on. Lots of photos....sorry!

Having parked just west of the bridge over the Northern arm of Loch Cuaich, I picked up the stalkers path up the long easy graded ridge of Bac nan Cannaichean. Another one of the superb old tacks in this part of Scotland. 

Over to the East I got a good view of Gleouraich, Clear of cloud today not like the day before. 

There was a stiff breeze blowing the Bog Cotton, The summit of Sgurr a Mhaoraich seemed a fair way off.

Once on the ridge beyond Sgurr Coire nan Eiricheallaich, the top looked a lot closer, I was looking forward to this next section.

Its a hands in pockets stroll of course....except I had poles in mine!
Great views down to Alltbeithe and Easter Glen Cuaich.

Almost at the summit and a chance to glance back to Loch Cuaich and Gairich beyond.

But once on the top of Sgurr a Mhaoraich its the view West which commands attention. Loch Hourn and Ladhar Beinn in the distance.

There was good shelter from the wind behind the cairn, but I had to leave. I changed my plan for the route back, heading down the steep Northern ridge to the col below Am Bathaich rather than an easy Southerly ridge back to the road.

There's a great chance to see this pinnacle towering above a huge jumble of fallen rock. 

The ridge of Am Bataich which would form the basis of my route back.

A short pull up on to the ridge, gave me a great opportunity to look back at the Munro I'd just walked over. 

And a last look back at Loch Hourn.

It was easy going along the ridge, I then picked up a long disused stalkers path down to the valley floor near to Alltbeithe. There is alot of work going on hereabouts with small hydro schemes being installed. Gilkes vans where much in evidence, turbine manufacturers from back home in Kendal.
I personally much prefer hydro to windpower, the tracks will blend in in time and are generally in the glens not high on open ground visable from miles away.
From here it was back to the car along the recently improved track, it made for easy fast walking. I arrived back at the car just after 2pm. 

Back along the road a few miles to park at the Cuaich Dam. Gairich looked a long way off at this point!

The path from the dam to the stalkers path was wet beyond belief, but things improved from then on and soon I was high on the moor able to look back at Glen Garry and a distant Ben Tee.

In front was Gairich, still a lot of climbing still to do.

But as always the top arrives eventually. A shower passed just to the East producing a rainbow over Loch Cuaich

The summit, and a great view to the peaks of Knoydart. This image doesn't do it justice I'm afraid.
Gairich completes a large section of Munros for me. It might be a while before I'm in this area again I savoured the moment.

I took the chance to look at the Corbetts South of Glen Kingie, Gulvain was there with its twin tops as well.

Back the way I'd come, it was really warm, the wind had dropped....we all know what that means...Yes the midges and clegs had come out to play!
Little time was spent not moving, thank goodness for Avon Skin-so Soft. I arrived back at the car at 6.30 feeling rather pleased with myself, there's life in the old dog yet!