free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Another log day for these, which I already knew having planned to do these that day after my late nighter (in summer !!) doing the western 6.
So the route was already planned, maps studied and just needed a day. It would be an early start 0330hrs for the alarm but I had Friday off and the w/e so the motivation is always there to set off and with only myself to motivate, something I’ve never needed to dig deep for, for myself anyway.
It’s a good drive to this area for me so had planned to stay over and do something smaller on the Saturday. I set off in the car thinking hmm not so far after all as the Satnav (not that I needed it, just avoids the need to think as the mind wanders thinking of the day ahead) was saying 2hours, well it would I’d set it for Pitlochry instead of Bridge of Orchy doh !!
I was walking by 0800hrs, one other gent at the car park was doing my first two.
From the car park a view of my long day a couple of weeks back to the Black Mount western bunch.
And a view up the first bealach, my legs were feeling heavy today, this was going to be a long day.
But the bealach was reached on mostly good path and on ascent of Beinn Achaladair my first view of Beinn Mhanach.
By 1030hrs I was on my first summit with views to Rannoch Moor and the weather clearing up as the day progressed.
Views all around this one back to the first summit on the way to Beinn a’ Chreachain
The next bit was along drop and then an equally long climb back up to Mhanach.
This view back to Beinn a’ Chreachain on ascent of Mhanach after the steep first section. My descent of Beinn a’ Chreachain was from the bealach in a diagonal line to the left of this pic.
The summit of Mhanach and views right across to Lawers
Zoomed
I waved across, well there is always someone up there even in the week, daft bugger, good to be daft sometimes.
Now off from Mhanach all I had to do was get down there, Beinn Dorain to the right, the next target.
I had originally planned to shoot off left in a diagonal to ease the slope, but a shifty at the map decided it would be better to head over the top of Beinn a Chuirn and down avoiding its crags, joining the track and down to the start of the route up to the bealach between Dorain and Dhotaidh. It worked !
View of Dorain (right) on descent of Beinn a Chuirn. My route down this track and right.
A rest stop to take on food at the track and a pose too.
My descent of Beinn a Chuirn beyond the visible crags but as steep as the pic shows, cripes !
The ascent up to the bealach between the two ‘D’s was pathless much to my surprise and made for heavy going in places. View back part way up, Lawers showing its presence again in the distance.
The legs were weary by now and on ascent of Dorain I must have taken a bypass path to the right avoiding the crest, and this seemed to go forever. Akin to walking round the side of An Teallach although not as exposed. But cruelly someone had mad the summit of Dorain at the furthest point out Jeez.
Once at the summit I headed back along the crest with still one to do to get back to my start.
The final hurdle, the route up Beinn Dothaidh, the last.
Summit of Beinn Dothaidh, well I’m on the summit this one is not the true one and yes Lawers in the distance, there is no escape, like some Creag Meg visible everywhere, with Schiehallion to the left too.
Now Beinn Dothaidh didn’t want to let me go, as I followed numerous paths that took me to the edges of nothing, I thought I was never going to get off, emotions kicked in, I wanted out now.
Yu wouldnt want to walk of this in the dark cripes !
I made a beeline towards the car park once back on grass but pathless and heavy going but pace quickened now, eventually arriving back after 12 hours in the hills. Now to find a chippy and a campsite.
I headed south then east as I aimed to get back across near the A9 side to make the journey home easier after tomorrows smaller walk, but time was late and although I found a site, something told me just go home, a mistake maybe, but home by midnight after a 3 hour drive home.
Yes these were new hills, new memories but it was old memories that filled my mind on that journey home.