Meall/s Corranaich & a'Choire Leith

[Bruadair]

I hadn't been out for a for a couple of weeks following my mis-hap on attempt at Ben Lui, so thought I would try an easier double and chose Meall Corranaich & Meall a'Choire Leith.

The clocks were to go forward this weekend so I thought I might attempt a partial night walk and set off at 3.15am (new time) arriving at parking area NN594416 at approx' 5.45am and after manoevering to a safe and suitable position I took stock of my surroundings......it...was....DARK or maybe even DARK, DARK........I couldn't see a thing.

Having read report the previous night, I recalled the walk being noted for being wet with numerous unavoidable peat bogs....so did I want to take the gamble in pitch black.........NAH!....time for a coffee.

View over Lochain na Lairige towards Ben Vorlich & Stuc a'Chroin taken at approx 6.15am (new time)

As soon a day started to break (approx 6.30am) I set off up the track oposite and turned off in an Easterly direction at NN594417 to hop, skip, jump and back track across peat bog until I joined fence line at NN601416 which I followed more or less all the way to summit.

Looking back across peat bog on assent up Meall Corranaich

Sun opening up against Tarmachan

As I continued to assend the cloud started to roll in big time and visibility became very poor which in turn limited quality of photo's

Closing in on cloudy summit

View (or not) towards Ben Lawers etc

Meall Corranaich 1st Cairn

Track to 2nd Cairn

Meall Corranaich 2nd Cairn

After taking the summit proof shots I continued along ridge line track, which due to hard packed iced snow I drifted on and off and eventually OFF where plateau was white with iced snow.
Again I recalled report where it was noted that it appeared route headed in a particular direction, but this was wrong and that correct route required slight desent to follow true ridge line....what ridge line.....I still couldn't see a thing for cloud cover, so checked my SatMap for my location, which turned out to be NN616418 and was a tad too far West and that as if by special request (well it was actually).....there was a momentary break in the cloud, which was just enough to reveal the ridge line.......but to get back on track I had to cross and desend via this iced up plateau....so I stepped on to the ice took a few steps, the switly back off in order to put on my crampons (better safe than sorry) and off I headed to rejoin track at approx' NN617421 and follow ridge line down off Meall Corranaich.....I took a few photo's as I went along, but they consisted of a lot of cloud with little of the hills peeking through so were not worth posting. As I continued to desend the cloud was being left behind me and I could see pretty much a clear Meall a'Choire Leith.

View of Meall a'Choire Leith from ridge line

Meall a'Choire Leith summit cairn

From A'Choire Leith East towards Loch An Daimh

Looking back at Meall Corranaich

After a few summit shots I desended South West towards intake at NN603433, but on way down I could hear voices so looked up towards Meall Corranaich and could just about make out some movement, so I whipped out my camera, zoomed in a far as possible and result there they were.....but who!!

Who did I see at approx 10.00am on 27th March

after that I continued my desent with as little stops as possible....Scotland were playing Brasil and I had to get home for kick off.

Tarmachan again taken enroute back to car

Finally Cairn above parking area (NN593416)

Finally made it back to car...had a coffee and a bite to eat, then off home for the footie....just a pity there was so much cloud about to wreck some good photo opportunities....still a good day though.

Regards......................B

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[ChrisW]

Great effort Bruadair, you deserved better weather for it. Still got some good shots though

[Bruadair]

Great effort Bruadair, you deserved better weather for it. Still got some good shots though

Cheers Chris.............Yes weather could have been better, (or worse) but it was a decent walk and good to get back out.

Regards...............B

[Merry-walker]

Looks a lovely walk

[yokehead]

Well done in this, and in moving on from your previous epic!

Very changeable weather conditions you had but you were able to get some fine photos.

[Bruadair]

Well done in this, and in moving on from your previous epic!

Very changeable weather conditions you had but you were able to get some fine photos.

Thanks Yokehead,

Weather was very changeable...at start it looked like it was going to be a good day, then cloud drifted in and sat around 900m mark......but lifted a tad to more or less clear M.a'CL summit...once out of the cloud weather was good.

Regards....................B

[Bruadair]

Looks a lovely walk

Hi Again MW,

I say again because I replied to your post, but don't know where it's gone......if it shows up later and anyone thinks I've lost it (me not the post)......honest I did post previously. Anyway thanks for reading MW......the walk was good, and I'm with clear skies it would be lovely, but unfortunately for the large, and most interesting part of the walk visibility was minimal.......for the size of Ben Lawers and the proximity.....I couldn't see it. Following the ridge round Coire Liath the side of An Stuc was visible, but top remained under cloud.

Regards.............B