free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Corbetts: Meallan nan Uan, Sgurr a' Mhuilinn.
Date: 20/04/2014.
Distance: 9.5km.
Ascent: 975m.
Time taken: 2 hours, 30 minutes.
Weather: Classic Easter high pressure.
Since I'd used all of my nectar points crashing around the west coast in/with a canoe last weekend, I wasn't really supposed to be on the hills over Easter. Spent the whole of Good Friday driving down to Loch Lomond with Gill to check out somewhere she had booked for a hen party, then returned via Killin, Tummel Bridge and the A9. It was quite painful to drive past just about all of the central highlands in such perfect weather without setting foot on a hill at all
.
Still, it allowed me to negotiate a few hours on Easter Sunday to go somewhere. I spent the morning painting the shed, and didn't leave the house until 2pm, so it would have to be a quickie. I hadn't been up this Strathconon duo in a few years (and never in decent weather), so they seemed like a good bet. Unfortunately my camera had taken a swim last week, and despite its usual resilience to water, finally given up the ghost. So it is phone snaps from now on until I get something better.
It always takes longer to get up Strathconon than I think it will, so it was getting on for 3pm by the time I started walking. First time I've ever struggled for parking space at the foot of these hills. I decided to go lightweight with trainers as I'd be struggling to get round even the shortest version of this walk in time otherwise.
Sgurr a’ Choire Ghlais poking above Strathconon:
It's a pathless ascent into Coire a' Mhuilinn at the beginning with the odd bit of bog, but not too bad. I passed a woman on her way down close to the summit of Creag Ruadh - she had been enjoying a leisurely hour on that summit while the rest of her group headed round the horseshoe. Stopped for a brief chat - she didn't really share my opinion of the ground conditions and found them pretty tough.
East down Strathconon:
Carn na Coinnich:
Sgurr a’ Mhiilinn and Fannaichs:
She mentioned that one of the paragliders had landed halfway up a small crag on Sgurr a' Mhuilinn earlier on and struggled to extract themselves - one of the hidden dangers of paragliding that hadn't even occurred to me before.
Paragliders over Strathconon:
I pushed on and made good time onto the ridge. A nice traverse over a couple of minor summits to the final rocky pull to Meallan nan Uan.
Sgurr na Ruaidhe, Carn nan Gobhar, Sgurr a’ Choire Ghlais. Still a fair bit of snow up there – much more than on the hils to the north:
The route ahead from Creag Ruadh:
Meallan nan Uan and Gleann Meinich, Torridon in background:
Meallan nan Uan:
I've often wondered where these hills are named from - seems odd to have a rounded Sgurr and a rocky, pointed Meall right next to each other - surely the names would make more sense switched?
Slioch and Fionn Bheinn:
Great views from the summit anyway - loads of snow on the Monar and Mullardoch hills contrasting with hardly any in Torridon and on Beinn Dearg to the north. It is probably inferior to Sgurr a’ Glas Leathaid and even Sgurr a' Mhuillin as a viewpoint but it feels more like a proper mountain top.
Meallan nan Uan summit:
Achnasheen and Torridon:
Strathfarrar and Cannich Munros:
An steepish descent over rocks and grass leads to a boggy col with glimpses of Loch Coire a' Mhuilinn on the way, then an easier ascent over uniform grass to Sgurr a' Mhuilinn. Although I had originally planned to finally visit the northwestern tops of Sgurr a’ Glas Leathaid and Sgurr a’ Choire-rainich for the best views, I had to leave them out again as I didn't have enough time. A shame, as this was my first visit to these hills in properly decent weather.
Looking back to Meallan nan Uan:
Sgurr a’ Glas Leathaid, Sgurr a’ Choire-rainich with Torridon and Fisherfield behind – another time (again):
Still, Sgurr a' Mhuilinn is a good viewpoint too, and with lovely short turf to boot. The upper part of the descent follows a rocky rib, and is very pleasant until it descends into peat hags in the corrie below.
Strath Bran and Sgurr nan Clach Geala:
Beinn Dearg and Loch Achanalt:
Meallan nan Uan and Strathfarrar Munros:
Eastern Fannaichs:
Descent route:
I followed a small tributary through the hags, which is the easiest line (even a faint path), before crossing the Allt an t-Srathain Mhoir and rejoining my outward route. Lovely day - glad to have got out somewhere even if not for a 'classic' route. While the ambient temperature was only 15 or 16 degrees, I'd parked in a sun trap.
Warm!
