free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
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.
Not a bad view from the car park
Getting ready for the big day ahead
Nice tarmac road to start
Nice helpful sign
Nice autumnal colours
Looking back as we leave the Attadale Estate
The way ahead
Looking back
Now we are on the rough stuff, though not as bad as some other tracks
We didn't realise how rough this section was until the return
The big advantage of having an E bike meant that I could cycle on ahead and get some action shots
The way ahead in a few minutes, pushing bikes uphill is not going to be fun
Not looking overly impressed
Time to dismount and start a bit of pushing
Looking back, the track in view was used for the hydro building
The bike pushing has begun
Looking back after a bit of bike pushing
A proper trudge
Kind of shows how steep it is
My colleagues on a flat bit
Lovely back drop, didn't realise how steep it was until we descended
Still more going up and bike pushing to do
Here comes Parminder
A quick selfie whilst waiting
Looking back
Nearing the top of the bike pushing torture
Looking back on where we had been pushing our bikes
George about to mount his bike again
Our first view of our two targets
Enjoying a flat bit
Nice easy bit for a few hundred yards
Freewheeling for a change
They are getting a bit nearer, the huge drawback about this downhill section is it will be uphill when we return later
Heading down to the bridge that crosses the Black Water
The track on the other side of Black Water
Part of the Hydro system?
View from the bridge
The other side of the bridge looking south
All smiles now
Hopefully that was our last stop until we parked/abandoned our bikes
Bendronaig Lodge, we would dump the bikes just after the lodge
Highlights how remote these hills are
George managing to cycle up the incline
The only buildings around for miles
Looking down on the new bridge, we opted to dump the bikes here. It was here that we met the stalker
The shuggly old bridge that I used last time 5 years ago
The real walking has begun, we were heading up the shoulder of cheesecake which on the lower slopes is pathless
The way ahead, try and avoid the crags
A look back at the track in the far distance
Our first view of Loch Calavie
Looking downhill
Looking back from higher up and the high point of the track looks miles away
The summit can now be seen
The 2 hills in view
It was getting cold so it was time to don gloves and soon jackets
Loch Calavie in full
Less than 5% chance of precipitation - what is that behind Parminder?
Oh dear Cheesecake is disappearing before our eyes
Snowing now, just what the Met Office forecast
The final push to our first summit
Cheesecake, one of the smaller summits
The view, albeit very limited
Descending, Lurg Mhor here we come
Loch Monar appearing
We had all the angles covered photo wise
Lurg Mhor and the undulating approach
A few rocks to negotiate
Looking back to Cheesecake
Looking back again
George head down and hood up
Lurg Mhor summit cairn
Looking east to Meall Mor, which looked higher - but it is apparently 13m lower, the ridge looks like fun
George saying hello to the cairn
We are now on the long cycle back and have reached the dreaded long drag uphill
The final descent and we were very careful - brakes essential
A few camera photo's - a lonely stag watching us
The vehicle that the stalkers were using just west of Loch Calavie
Skye in the distance
The small collection of stones that make up the summit of Cheesecake and Parminder's poles
Kind of shows how small the summit area is
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
Parminder with his usual summit pose on Cheesecake
On Lurg Mhor, happier because the cairn is bigger
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.
