free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Leaving Glasgow early, it was raining but it didn’t last long.
Both the MWIS and BBC forecasts were looking promising and they turned out to be more or less correct. No problems getting through the twelve miles of 40mph roadworks but did get held up a little at the traffic lights controlled contra flow close to Pitlochry – little traffic so not too serious.
Parked just beside Loch Moraig – first car there but there were quite a few when I returned in the afternoon. Followed the standard WH route for the three munros.
Set off up the track and turned off at the wee hut.....which is now just a heap of corrugated iron. Other earlier reports show it in all its glory then half blown over...and now it’s gone.
There then followed a relatively boggy section until the start of the rubbly path which leads up Carn Liath. It looks just like a scar from the distance but makes the going easy although the stones are loose in places.
The views back to the south start to open up on getting higher up the hill and it wasn’t long before I reached the top of Carn Liath.
From the summit there’s a good view of the twisting, turning ridge towards Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain (BCCb) and then on to Carn nan Gabhar (Gabhar).
Heading NW down from Carn Liath I stopped to put on a jacket and microspikes due to ice/snow; the wind was also making it a lot colder. Just at this point, another walker appeared from nowhere and went straight past me going at a fair old rate; I didn’t meet him again until I was just below the third summit and he had started his return !
The track to BCCb is like a slow roller coaster as it twists and turns up and down on the way to the second summit of the day.
From the top of BCCb, I had to go W then N towards the 1004m top then turn sharply E to head down the slope towards Gabhar in order to avoid the steep sides below the summit. At this point, some grey clouds rolled over and there was a flurry of snow which soon ended. The clouds blew over and the sun came out again.
Once down on the bealach there are great views N up Glas Leathad.
It’s then a straightforward walk up to the summit where again you come to the trig point before walking further along to the summit cairn. Again, nice views all round. It was cold and windy on the top so I got some shelter below the first cairn for an early lunch.
Then the return journey – retraced my steps back down to the top of Bealach an Fhiodha and met two more walkers heading up Gabhar. I then followed the Allt going down SSW towards the base of Beinn Bheag then SW back towards the main track.
The return journey seemed to take almost as long as the outward journey probably due to the mix of snow, bog and peat hags coming down the Allt Bealach an Fhiodha and round Beinn Bheag.
I hadn’t been out for a walk for over a month and was happy with my time; by cutting out all the stops for photos, views, refreshments, catching breath, put on microspikes, take off microspikes etc, I’m sure I could cut the time down (and completely knacker myself no doubt) but then what’s the point of going in the first place ? If I just wanted exercise and fresh air, I could walk round the house for a few hours.
Despite the long walk out at the end, this was a very enjoyable day out made all the better by the nice weather.
