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Dad and I decided on the Corbett Ben Vuirich for Sunday since the weather looked to be best in the East. It meant not such an early start for us being Easterners. We looked at the map and a route from the South made more sense for us as the WH route meant a slightly further journey in the car and our route had a tarmac track for a lot of the way and given the rain the East has had lately this would avoid a bog fest. The route we took would make perfect sense for those whom like to cycle as the road is tarmac and would reduce the time the route will take. We walked it though.
We parked in the small layby on the southern side of road between the School at Straloch and the bridge. However there is room for parking at the start of the private road beside a recycling point but we never realised this till we got to the road.
The tarmac road passes the recycling point and heads up hill slightly and you walk towards a grand sort of entrance with pillars either side of the road, further on there are some cottages and the farm. The farms array of working dogs will scream blue murder as you pass through; our dogs were all on leads for this as lots of sheep and cattle around. Once through the farm the road turns left and borders some woodland on your right and the river is now below you to the left. It is a bit further on you come to the first of the gates with cattle grids, too big for the dogs to jump these but they can balance along the side. The road passes a small wooden building with a sheep pen etc where they must mark and treat the sheep. There is another cattle grid and gate and then the views open up ahead. Follow the road through another gate and cattle grid passing a hydro building on your right.
- First view of Ben Vuirich in the mist behind Carn Dubh
You see ahead to the woodland plantation where you cross the river and this is where the dogs finally got off leads as no more sheep or cattle.
- Roy pleased to be off the lead eventually
Further on there is another house on your right and the road curves to the left passing the end of the woodland leading to some sort of plantation of crops, fodder possibly? This has an electric fence round it to deter the deer I presume.
- Looking up the road just past Druim Cul to the left
- Beinn a'Ghlo in distance top left
The hill was littered with deer limbs and the dogs found a full deer head, I presume the stalkers cut the deer up and left the remnants for wildlife to eat. My dogs think they constitute wildlife and had a go at a few deer legs. CONFISCATED SWIFTLY! It was just after this plantation which you pass on your left that we made our way uphill towards Creag Uisage, skirting its left flank.
- Looking back down to where we left the road middle right of picture beside field of crops with electric fence
- Lochy doing his Lion King impression
- Skirting side of Creag Uisage looking to Carn Dubh (Pointy top)
There was a big stone sitting in the glen on the way up which we made our way towards; we stopped and had a brew.
- Stone with a hat on in middle of Glen
- Dogs resting while we brewed up
- Dogs resting while we brewed up
- Looking back down the glen to side of Creag Uisage
The next target is a fence which is just before the crags on Carn Dubh.
- Looking back after hopping fence
It is easily hopped over which leads to some peat hags and then the steepest part of the day, up Carn Dubh.
- Looking up to Carn Dubh
- Thick heather on slopes of Carn Dubh
- Roy posing
It was here we caught a glimpse of a hare in full winter coat, not a jot of snow on the hill too. We cut over the top but on the eastern side and then descend to a beallach before the easy stroll onto the summit dome, trig point and shelter.
- Summit dome Ben Vuirich from Bealach
- Dad reaching summit cairn
- Me summit cairn
The mist was down so no real views like we were hoping for towards the magnificent Beinn a’Ghlo. We had a snack in the shelter of the summit to see if the mist would clear but had to head off back down the hill disappointed. We made the beallach and then descended round to the left of Creg Dubh this time and the mist parted and we got views of the aptly named Loch Loch and onwards to the Gorms with the Lairig Ghru. We cut back over the fence and made our way back out the same way we came in.
- Distant Cairngorms and Lairig Ghru
- Loch Loch zoomed
- Humpback of a distant Carn a'Gheoidh in the Cairnwell round
- Looking back into Gleann Fearnach
- Trying the black and white on the iphone
By the time we reached the road the light was fading but as we knew it was a tarmac road all the way out we were not too bothered.
- Heading back to tarmac track in fading light
Retraced our steps all the way, passing through the farm with the dogs barking furiously again. A great wee day, pity no summit views but stayed dry and I now feel on my way to getting a few more Corbetts done.