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Forecast WRONG again

Forecast WRONG again


Postby Fife Flyer » Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:00 pm

Route description: Bidein a' Choire Sheasgaich and Lurg Mhòr

Munros included on this walk: Bidein a' Choire Sheasgaich, Lurg Mhòr

Date walked: 15/10/2021

Time taken: 8.9 hours

Distance: 38.5 km

Ascent: 1790m

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Yes I know you are all in agreement with the title and have experienced 'unforecast' wet weather.
Yesterday we set off expecting a lovely dry day with cracking views as the forecast was "less than 5%" chance of precipitation, what did we get - great start and finish and limited views on both summits due to unfriendly showers (snow).
Luckily we are very sceptical with the forecasts and had our rucksacks stuffed with wet weather gear just in case and it was just as well.
It is especially annoying when you get up at 4am, drive 4hours each way in the hope of a dry day and get yet another soaking.
I wouldn't normally post a 2nd report for any hills, however now that the hydro work in the area has finished and rumours about the track, I decided to take plenty of photo's that will hopefully help any future visitors.
One thing George & I discussed was why these two hills have the least number of ascents and why Cheesecake has been climbed 16 times more than Lurg Mhor? They are two cracking hills and so remote which makes ascending them more challenging and fun.
We had to adjust our plan after we met up with one of the stalkers who must have seen us cycle past when he was in the bothy. He jumped into his ATV and asked us if we could avoid the SE end of Loch Calavie, so we opted to tackle Bidein a' Choire Sheasgaich first which was not the original plan.


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Not a bad view from the car park

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Getting ready for the big day ahead

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Nice tarmac road to start

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Nice helpful sign

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Nice autumnal colours

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Looking back as we leave the Attadale Estate

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The way ahead

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Looking back

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Now we are on the rough stuff, though not as bad as some other tracks

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We didn't realise how rough this section was until the return

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The big advantage of having an E bike meant that I could cycle on ahead and get some action shots

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The way ahead in a few minutes, pushing bikes uphill is not going to be fun

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Not looking overly impressed

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Time to dismount and start a bit of pushing

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Looking back, the track in view was used for the hydro building

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The bike pushing has begun

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Looking back after a bit of bike pushing

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A proper trudge

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Kind of shows how steep it is

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My colleagues on a flat bit

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Lovely back drop, didn't realise how steep it was until we descended

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Still more going up and bike pushing to do

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Here comes Parminder

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A quick selfie whilst waiting

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Looking back

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Nearing the top of the bike pushing torture

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Looking back on where we had been pushing our bikes

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George about to mount his bike again

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Our first view of our two targets

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Enjoying a flat bit

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Nice easy bit for a few hundred yards

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Freewheeling for a change

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They are getting a bit nearer, the huge drawback about this downhill section is it will be uphill when we return later

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Heading down to the bridge that crosses the Black Water

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The track on the other side of Black Water

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Part of the Hydro system?

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View from the bridge

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The other side of the bridge looking south

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All smiles now

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Hopefully that was our last stop until we parked/abandoned our bikes

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Bendronaig Lodge, we would dump the bikes just after the lodge

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Highlights how remote these hills are

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George managing to cycle up the incline

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The only buildings around for miles

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Looking down on the new bridge, we opted to dump the bikes here. It was here that we met the stalker

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The shuggly old bridge that I used last time 5 years ago

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The real walking has begun, we were heading up the shoulder of cheesecake which on the lower slopes is pathless

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The way ahead, try and avoid the crags

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A look back at the track in the far distance

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Our first view of Loch Calavie

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Looking downhill

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Looking back from higher up and the high point of the track looks miles away

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The summit can now be seen

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The 2 hills in view

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It was getting cold so it was time to don gloves and soon jackets

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Loch Calavie in full

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Less than 5% chance of precipitation - what is that behind Parminder?

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Oh dear Cheesecake is disappearing before our eyes

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Snowing now, just what the Met Office forecast

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The final push to our first summit

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Cheesecake, one of the smaller summits

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The view, albeit very limited

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Descending, Lurg Mhor here we come

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Loch Monar appearing

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We had all the angles covered photo wise

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Lurg Mhor and the undulating approach

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A few rocks to negotiate

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Looking back to Cheesecake

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Looking back again

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George head down and hood up

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Lurg Mhor summit cairn

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Looking east to Meall Mor, which looked higher - but it is apparently 13m lower, the ridge looks like fun

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George saying hello to the cairn

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We are now on the long cycle back and have reached the dreaded long drag uphill

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The final descent and we were very careful - brakes essential

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A few camera photo's - a lonely stag watching us

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The vehicle that the stalkers were using just west of Loch Calavie

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Skye in the distance

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The small collection of stones that make up the summit of Cheesecake and Parminder's poles

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Kind of shows how small the summit area is

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Descending off Lurg Mhor we went down to the bealach level and then kind of traversed across to the lower slopes on the shoulder of Cheesecake - to keep clear of the stalkers

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Parminder with his usual summit pose on Cheesecake

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On Lurg Mhor, happier because the cairn is bigger

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One of George's, summit of Lurg Mhor

This was a fabulous day, these hills are both very under rated and because they are so remote but that is what makes them so difficult to reach. This may be our last Munro adventure as the rest of Parminder's hills are not suited for days with less daylight.
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Fife Flyer
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Re: Forecast WRONG again

Postby rockhopper » Sun Oct 17, 2021 10:35 am

Pushing the bikes uphill - that's what the granny gear is for :wink: :wink: Only kidding as there are some bits where it just gets too steep.
Fife Flyer wrote:The final descent and we were very careful - brakes essential
Early on in my mountain biking "career", I was out with several seasoned MTBers - when I braked on a downhill corner and my front wheel nearly washed out, I was advised not to use the brakes, rely on the tire tread to bite and just go for it :shock: Works most of the time........[but not every time]

Pity about the weather higher up but looked a good day nonetheless. It's hard to have a bad day up here as the hills in Achnashellach all make for such good walking (and cycling) - cheers :)
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Re: Forecast WRONG again

Postby dibs » Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:57 am

Good report Martin, I had mixed emotions on both tops. I enjoyed the overall day but having first done these a few years ago in very wet conditions to not get clear views once again was a real kick in the nuts. Good to get views of the area though during the ascent and descent.
The track has been almost restored to original condition being very rough in parts for cycling. Morgan Sindall were told to put back as was pre the Hydro works, shame but can understand why I suppose.
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dibs
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Re: Forecast WRONG again

Postby parminder » Mon Oct 18, 2021 6:47 pm

Despite the conditions and graft...a BRAW day oot.. :clap:
parminder
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Re: Forecast WRONG again

Postby BlackPanther » Tue Oct 19, 2021 9:58 am

And Kevin is trying to convince me to to cycle up this road on bikes fully loaded with overnighting gear...
:lol: :lol: :lol:

One of several options for our final Munros, the plan is to bag Ben Dronaig as well. Good to see what I've signed up to!
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