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A couple of weeks holiday in Coylumbridge – beginning the day after the spell of good weather broke. My wife couldn’t manage go up until the middle of the first week so I headed up for some hills during those first few days.
26.7.2021 Creag Ruadh (Dalwhinnie)Parked in a small south bound layby at NN675893. Walked a short way back up the side of the road, through a gate then followed a track to its end at about NN677883. Only approx 100m of ascent remaining - headed to the summit through the heather.
A9 south
A9 north
Network Rail helicopter
26.7.2021 Meall nan EaganParked off the road to side of the quarry entrance to as not to interfere with access. Followed the track westwards, detour round the lodge and up to around NN612869 when the track disappeared. Summit in sight so just headed WNW up the hillside.
Summit in sight
Towards Loch Caoldair
Return leg
27.7.2021 Carn a'Ghille Chearr, Creagan a'ChaiseParked off the road opposite the entrance to Wester Rynballoch so as not to interfere with access to a field gate. Walked a little way back down the road then up a track. Crossed open boggy ground to get to the zig zag track up the hillside. Had been hoping to make a more direct approach to Ghille Chearr but with the lack of visibility ended up heading more southerly to gain the plateau. The resultant walk northwards to the summit was, therefore, longer than planned. No view at the summit. Retraced steps southwards and found a faint path from time to time which helped. Cloud cover cleared en route. Large cairn on the site of the Edward VII coronation bonfire before reaching the trig and large cairn at the summit. Didn’t hang around long – thunder and bad weather in the distance but the rain passed by in the distance. No rain until it came down in torrents when back in Aviemore.
Carn a'Ghille Chearr
Cloud cleared en route to Creagan a'Chaise
Coronation cairn
Summit
28.7.2021 Creag Dhubh (Newtonmore)Didn’t fancy wading through wet, high ferns on the usual route for this hill so parked in a layby opposite Auchmore Farm House, walked a little way along the road westwards then took a track northwards. This became fainter at about NN669960 but then headed NE to join the main track on the ridge. Then just followed the track to the summit. Bad weather to the north and south – this time the rain started half way back down to the car.
On the way up
Sounded like a red kite but not sure
Some descent before the last rise to the summit
Lochan Uvie
Summit – bad weather to the south
28.7.2021 Creag Ruadh (Kinloch Laggan)Parked in a layby off a little up the hill to the west of Sherrabeg. Rain coming and going so full waterproofs the whole way. Back down to Sherrabeg then through a gate to find a track which headed southwards. Boggy with high ferns in places. Followed to the west of the trees. Deer fence at NN559919 – no gate or style so no option but to climb over it. Then open hillside up to the summit.
Reservoir
018 - Coylumbridge jul&aug2021 by
Neil M, on Flickr
Loch Laggan
Trig
2.8.2021 Carn na h-Easgainn)Mrs RH joined for this walk. Parked in a parking area at to the left at NH768339 just after coming off the A9. Followed the track through Lynebeg and Lynemore then up the open hillside. Good track goes right to the top – may have considered cycling it if on my own.
Ben Wyvis in the distance
Distant hills to the NW
Double selfie