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A Fair old heat on the Carn Mairg Circuit

A Fair old heat on the Carn Mairg Circuit


Postby fingeez » Tue May 25, 2010 12:12 am

Route description: Càrn Gorm, Meall Garbh, Càrn Mairg & Creag Mhòr

Munros included on this walk: Càrn Gorm, Càrn Mairg, Creag Mhòr (Meall na Aighean), Meall Garbh (Càrn Mairg)

Date walked: 21/05/2010

Time taken: 6 hours

Distance: 18 km

Ascent: 1310m

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Well friday came payday and day off all in one, a good day it was gonna be :)

So quick look over routes and and the Carn Mairg circuit was decided upon. So i was up and off at 8.30am travelling on familiar roads towards Aberfeldy and heading past Weem and seen a sign saying Dull 3/4, hmmm i think i'll avoid that promise lol.

Got into the car park with a fair few cars already there and boots on, suncream on and was ready to go within 5 mins. Left the carpark at 9.40am

Made my way up the track and into the small section of forest and my oh my was it hot a humid in there!!! Think i must have sweated all my sun cream off within 30 mins of the walk as i ended up burnt anyway lol.

Carn Mairg 008.jpg
Small waterfall amongst the forest


Anyway out of the forest and up the track passing 2 single walkers that left as i got to the car park. Really sweating on this initial walk, more than i had in ages lol.

Carn Mairg 011.jpg
View onwards


Came to a small stream crossing and carried on unaware of my impending mistake, even after turning and taking a pic. Hmm im sure i remember something about a lil bridge in the route description and in others reports!!!

Carn Mairg 012.jpg
Note! That bridge there!! CROSS THE DAM THING LOL


So onwards passing the old shielings and following the nice track i noticed the other 2 walkers following me aswell. I carried on a little further and starting really looking at the route ahead and position of the mountains. So out with my map and compass. Ohhh! OHHHH. Dammmmmm i really should have checked my map long before now!!! I noticed i was a fair bit of course and heading the wrong way. Now i remember reading about this in others reports and sore i wouldnt follow suit. So slight adjustment and off the track and down to the stream and across then steeply back up the slopes towards Carn Gorm.

Carn Mairg 015.JPG
White route i took. Black route i should have took.


This part was a killer in the heat and taxed alot of my energy. Finally made it to the track and carried on upwards towards the summit reaching it at 12pm alot later than i planned thanks to my detour. On the way up i noticed one of the walkers following me up the slopes and the other continued along the path.

Carn Mairg 018.jpg
Beetle Dude


Carn Mairg 020.jpg
Carn Gorm summit


Stopped here for a quick bite to eat and soaked in the views :)

Carn Mairg 021.jpg
The Tarmachan Ridge


Anyway no time to linger i had time to make up, so off at a good pace and ate up the ground between the seconf summit getting there at 12.55pm

Carn Mairg 033.jpg
Meall Garbh Summit


Quick stop for pics and onwards. kept up my pace and really enjoyed the boulder section, bringing abit of variety to walk and i had a great time hopping and jumping over the boulders :)
Noticed this cracking bit of random art type work which made me smile :)

Carn Mairg 034.jpg
Someone had too much time on there hands while walking lol


Arrived at the 3rd summit at 2.05pm just behind 2 walkers. Also noticing this familiar looking rock :)
10 points to the person who knows where from :)

Carn Mairg 037.jpg
Hmm ive seen this on a report before haha


Carn Mairg 038.jpg
Carn Mairg Summit with Schiehallion and the Cairngorms in the background


Followed the route as most people advised and headed east off the summit, some care would be advised in the wet as this is fairly steep loose rock. The other 2 walkers opted for heading straight south towards the 4th summit. Once i was down and at the bealach i looked back and noticed them gingerly picking there way slowly down about halfway and from the looks it wouldnt be an advised route at all.

My legs were starting to ache a little by now and my jumping and skipping amongst the boulders earlier seemed like a daft idea haha. Got to the summit and decided the mountain looked rather regal with a crown of rocks atop its balding dome :) stopped here for a bite to eat and some pics.

Carn Mairg 041.jpg
Schiehallion in all its grey glory


Carn Mairg 043.jpg
Meall Na Aighean Summit with the Lawers in the background


Off i went again and headed down the spur back towards the forest and car park being quickly overtaken by 2 runners who id noticed earlier and thought were a young pair going strong, but when they passed looking fresh faced and not phased by the run at all i realised they were a couple that both were older shall i say :) hmmm now i do feel unfit haha

Carn Mairg 049.jpg
Back to the valley i go


well got back to the car eventually at 4.20pm having really enjoyed my walk :) and another 4 in the bag
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Re: A Fair old heat on the Carn Mairg Circuit

Postby Derek T » Tue May 25, 2010 8:18 am

Great report - thanks.

billymck and I done this same route a couple of weeks ago and made exactly the same mistake as you did :lol:

We carried on a bit further before turning left towards the south ridge of Carn Gorm. It was tough on the day we did it so I can only imagine what it would have been like in the heat of this weekend!

I remember seeing that big white rock but can't think what it is reminding you of.

Derek
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Re: A Fair old heat on the Carn Mairg Circuit

Postby monty » Tue May 25, 2010 8:49 am

Well done Fingeez,another 4 bagged. Nice pictures

I, like you and Stretch before us, missed the river crossing and wrote about it in our reports. Here is what stretch says,

I think that those of us who have recently done this circuit should meet up at the edge of the forest and place some flashing signs to indicate where the hell the actual trail is up to Carn Gorm :lol:


Don't you agree :lol:

As for the big rock, are you following me, :shock:
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fantastic Quartz rocks behind Carn Mearg.jpg
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Re: A Fair old heat on the Carn Mairg Circuit

Postby Stretch » Tue May 25, 2010 9:06 am

Did I mention that getting up to the first munro was very frustrating? :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: A Fair old heat on the Carn Mairg Circuit

Postby retrogear » Tue May 25, 2010 9:21 am

Looks like that bit of random art type work is constantly evolving. Lots of artists/art critics on the hills these days :D
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Re: A Fair old heat on the Carn Mairg Circuit

Postby fingeez » Tue May 25, 2010 4:30 pm

Hey thanks for the comments.

Hey derek yeah i read on the reports that most of us made theat mistake hahaha
and yup as Monty showed the rock reminded me of his report so i thought a bit of copycat picture taking was in order :)

Hey Monty
Borrowed my gf's DSLR to take some pics this time, have'nt got round to messing with them yet lol.
Yeah i had read that in your reports and swore id keep my eye out for the branching path lol and a nice flashing sign would be a fab idea haha
As for following you not me no never :shock: now where is it your going next?! :D

haha Stretch was def a little frustrating but spose let me get a little cross country in there instead of track the whole way lol

Yead id say retro, looks like someone puts abit of thought into it, def brought a laugh from myself tho
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