Meall Greigh, Meall Garbh, An Stuc and Ben Lawers

[Sspaterson]

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Oh what a day. Up with the larks and teenage daughter is keen as mustard and up along with me. She even drove to the start from Perth as a learner driver. Car park already had a few cars in but we got a space and stuck our fiver in the old tin and set off at 9am.

Shorts the order of the day and Meall Greigh looks away far away but that sky though!

Walked up past the horn carver. Learned from the farmer that the chap had sadly passed away only two weeks previously at the grand old age of 96 but his daughter and son-on-law ran the business now. This part of the route is just delightful with the daffodils out, the birds singing and a gorgeous wee red tin roofed building that by the looks of it was an old mill as the remnants of the wheel could be seen on the other side.

The farm road

The path follows the burn up through the wood crossing a couple of wee bridges and eventually a stile takes you out onto the moor where the first shieling is. It's amazing how different the landscape suddenly becomes.

Just before turning off the main path

There was no obvious cairn marking the turn off the path but if you get to the river crossing, you've gone too far. It's more of a discoloured grass path but the going was good though a little steep up the nose.

Looking back down the path

It winds it's way up before easing off and we get our first glimpse of that scary thing we have to negotiate later

The winding path up Meall Greigh

An Stuc. Yikes!

Not a breath of wind looking back over Loch Tay

Loch Tay

In two hours we're at the top and teenage daughter is still enthusiastic.

Meall Greigh

It's a fabulous airy walk on to the next one of the day and I'm as happy as a pig in keech. This is turning out to be a stupendous day and my new rucksack (second trip out) is ticking all the boxes. One from Decathlon, it's as light as a feather, fits perfectly and my back isn't hurting.

We're at the top in jig time and lunch is duly scoffed as we admire the views and I start feeling slightly more anxious. I'm not good with heights but always liked scrambling however this was my first proper scramble in nearly 20 years and since having kids, well things seem a whole lot different now.

An Stuc with Ben Lawers and puffy wee clouds

Yours truly scoffing her roll

Daughter is looking forward to this with relish. Heights don't bother her and she's quite excited about it. I'm quietly sh*tting myself!

Pondering the best route

I go first, so with the poles reattached to the sack, the first bit is quite easy and obvious, then it's grippy hands time. It's ok at first as it's apparent which way folk have gone before. It then gets steeper and there are a couple of bits that had me wondering which was the best way. A snow patch was inconveniently in my way and every handhold and foothold was thoroughly tested. The hardest bit was heaving my legs up giant steps and there was a bit of knee leverage going on. Eve followed behind like a mountain goat muttering something about how this was great. She actually overtook me. But soon enough we were past the steepest bit and there we were at the top. Feeling elated and knowing the worst bit was behind us, it was only 2.15pm.

We had scoped out Ben Lawers from afar and decided that as we'd plenty time, we'd just do it too and have an easy descent back to the car rather than coming down the steep bit with tired legs to Lochan nan Cat. This turned out to be the best decision of the day. The going was good with some fun snow patches to cross en route. We had no crampons with us and each patch could easily be avoided but ones with no consequences were crossed safely. The snow was sugary. Fun was obviously had by folk going the other way who had glissaded down a bit of it.

Shorts n snow

Some folk have had fun here

It was 'taps off' weather now for some folk who were heading the other way. I didn't envy them one bit having to go down An Stuc. We just admired the views looking back from whenst we came.

Three down and an extra one for fun to go

A bonus fourth of the day (though I'd done it before). It was quite busy up here, unsurprisingly given the weather.

Ben Lawers

We didn't hang about and set off down the shoulder for a bit more peace and quiet to scoff some more snacks. Avoiding the snow we soon found a convenient wee wa' to rest by and ooh and ah at the views.

The easy way down

An Stuc and Meall Garbh

There was no discernible path but not for the first time on the way down I was thankful we chose this descent. It was peaceful as we didn't see anyone else and the going was easy, bouncing over the grass. We could see the dam so just headed in that direction over some peaty bits and eventually reaching the burn which was gurgling away good style. We found a dead buzzard on the way which seemed a bit odd. I took a pic plus 'what three words' co-ordinates and later reported it to the RSPB. Apparently I wasn't the first to report it either and it's being investigated.

Ben Lawers and An Stuc from a peaceful wee spot

A wee path appeared and led us to the dam then we followed the service track until Eve spotted a wee cairn marking the path back.

The wee cairn to home

This last bit of path was an absolute delight. It followed what seemed to be a very ancient cart track which joined up all the old shielings dotted around the place. Imagine dwelling here! I read up on the Canmore website that the people probably left in the late 1700s but there would have been quite a wee community back in the day, living in these turfed huts.

In no time we reached the burn and it looks like there might be a new bridge in the offing. It was easy enough to cross as the river was so low.

A new bridge one day?

We joined the path on the other side, not far beyond where we initially left it for a perfect round trip before wandering back through the shielings to the wood.

Old shielings

As before, it was full of birdsong. It's amazing how quiet it was out on the moor but here was full of life. Once the whole glen would have been wooded like this with all the birds singing away. Hopefully more rewinding will take place. We meandered down, not wanting such a perfect day to end. We weren't even that tired. Once of the best days out on the hills I've ever had.

[aaquater]

A wonderful walk for the wonderful weather! High as it is, even Ben Lawers doesn't seem to pose snowy problems; if anything, the shrinking patches of snow give it more character. How could anyone see that and not feel enthusiastic?

[Sspaterson]

Yes, the snow patches were lovely. A reminder that you’re somewhere wild and different. I always think a dusting of snow makes the mountains even more glorious