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Hill of the Horse Studs

Hill of the Horse Studs


Postby HalfManHalfTitanium » Wed Nov 10, 2021 11:47 pm

Route description: Meall Greigh, Meall Garbh and An Stùc

Munros included on this walk: Meall Greigh

Date walked: 16/10/2021

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This hill provides a very easy ascent for some rather lovely views... this is the eastern end of Loch Tay

ImageIMG_1727 (1) by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

According to my SMC book, Meall Greigh means "hill of the horse studs". Um... was it a breeding place for horses? A quick look at Google revealed that horse studs actually look like this.

Horse studs.jpg


Not much wiser, I turned back to the map. The ascent from the Ben Lawers Hotel looked a straightforward route to tackle immediately after my long early morning drive up from England. It was the stalking season, so NTS ownership of the land was a strong selling point for climbing this hill. The weather forecast - starting clear in Perthshire, but cloud and rain moving in from the south-west - clinched the sale.

It turned out to be a really pleasant route. If someone was nervous about climbing hills, then this would be one to take them on. There is nothing remotely like a crag on this route, but the scenery is wonderful. And despite descriptions of the hill as "sprawling", it does have a proper, well-defined summit that gives depth to the views all around.

My advice on this route is: get there early. After a long drive in the dark, I arrived around 9.30am and got the last parking space at the hotel (NB there is also more parking, also £5, through the next gate). There is an honesty box next to the hotel's pre-Covid entrance.

My other advice is: drivers going through Lawers village regard the speed limit as mere guidance.

ImageIMG_1625 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A tributary of the Lawers Burn from the road.

ImageIMG_1628 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

It's impossible to lose the route. Signs are painted on every available surface.

ImageIMG_1639 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The day started dull, but with the promise of sunshine, and the woods along the Lawers Burn were beautiful.

ImageIMG_1654 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Waterfalls on the Lawers Burn.

ImageIMG_1836 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

ImageIMG_1845 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Once I was out on the open hillside, I came across the many ruined shielings that cluster around the burn.

ImageIMG_1666 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The light was increasing.

ImageIMG_1669 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Blue skies over the Lawers peaks. A dusting of frost can be seen in the corrie below Ben Lawers' summit.

ImageIMG_1679 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking across to the southern Loch Tay hills, with Creagan na Beinne on the left, and a glimpse of Ben Chonzie.

ImageIMG_1695 (1) by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Creag an Fhithich and An Stuc

ImageIMG_1701 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The path steepened, but the ascent was very simple, and every step was rewarded with wider views.

ImageIMG_1733 (1) by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Creagan na Beinne, Ben Chonzie and the middle section of Loch Tay

ImageIMG_1729 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The path sidles round the 805m top of Sron Mhor to a small col. From here Meall Garbh and An Stuc looked like giants.

ImageIMG_1736 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A mossy rock just below the summit

ImageIMG_1754 (1) by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

What a view!

ImageIMG_1758 (1) by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Buachaille Etive Mor to Ben Nevis

ImageIMG_1762 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The north Glen Lyon hills, and Schiehallion on the far right

ImageIMG_1785 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

North-east towards the Cairngorms

ImageIMG_1791 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Loch Tay from just below the summit

ImageIMG_1751 (1) by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

As per the weather forecast, it clouded over on the way down. I felt very lucky to have had those views!

Still don't know what a horse stud is though.
User avatar
HalfManHalfTitanium
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 2992
Munros:119   Corbetts:28
Fionas:6   Donalds:6
Hewitts:152
Wainwrights:103   
Joined: Mar 11, 2015

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