In the other Strathcarron

[BlackPanther]

So far this year, we have been walking up easy Subs the likes of Mount Eagle and Burgie Hill, but deep in our hearts we really wanted to get back what we like most. No, not BHLs (Boring Heathery Lumps) but something a bit more challenging than a stroll up a forest break Breac-Bheinn and Meall Dheirgidh have been on our radar for a while as a good winter target. Well, winter doesn't play along in 2022 so we must be satisfied with what we can squeeze out of every weekend. And a day with high cloud, low winds and a small chance of showers was good enough for some pathless heather bashing.

This duo is so obscure that most walkers are not aware of the existence of the twin Subs in the other Glen Strathcarron (the Ardgay one). We used Malky's report as a guide but skipped a couple of extra tops he added - we hadn't done anything serious for six weeks and we were not sure about our levels of fitness and stamina. In the end, we needn't have worried - our muscles worked as normal.

Track_ARDGAY 2 SUBS 11.6KM.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Parking along the local road is limited, we found space next to a fishing hut, about 100m west of Sgodachail:

Wherever you go
whatever you do
I will be right here
waiting for you!

We followed the left side of Allt Coire Ruchain, initially across a wet pasture:

The best spot to cross the stream is a ford just above the farm, but today the allt was badly in spate so we were forced to stay on the wrong side for longer than we had planed; finding a good spot to cross proved tricky, especially that further up the stream flows in a small ravine and the slopes are overgrown with heather.

Scrambling down to the stream in search for a good crossing place...

Allt Coire Ruchain from the other side of the stream:

First view of Cairn Chuinneag across Strathcarron:

Once on the right side of the stream, we quickly located a boggy ATV track heading up to Loch Meall Dheirgidh. It was a bit squelchy but still easier to walk on than the heather covered slopes, so we stayed on it for the next 150m of ascent. Just before the track reached the loch, we left it to charge straight up Meall Dheirgidh:

The conditions were hardly wintry, a few snow patches just below the summit. The temperature didn't feel very wintry either and soon we were complaining about getting overheated...

I'm cooking! Loch Meall Dheirgidh in the background.

Not enough snow to my taste! I didn't know it back then, but a week later I would be complaining about too much of the white stuff

The final walk up tot he summit follows a deer fence. We noticed that the cairn was on the other side, but the ground around seemed pretty even, so we decided that we were close enough to treat the Sub as bagged. I had seen notes on other mountain blogs that the fence had collapsed and it was possible to cross it somewhere neat the top, but we discovered that it has recently been repaired... Looking very unstable though, I didn't dare trying to climb it.

The wobbly fence...

The summit cairn:

OK, this is as close as it gets! Lucy's 31st Sub and No. 63 for us!

Shame about the murky conditions, no good light for panoramic snaps! We agreed that Meall Dheirgidh on its own would be a superb short jaunt for Christmas time, maybe we will revisit next year in proper snow conditions. On the given day, we still enjoyed views west to Carn Ban and the back of Seana Bhreigh:

If I'm not mistaken, this is the outline of Bein Ghobhlach, the Goat Hill:

Carn Salachaidh, the Ardgay Graham. Such lovely memories I have from this one - scratchy heather all the way up!

Dornoch Firth and Struie Hill:

It was only midday, plenty of time to visit the second Sub. The shortest line of descent to the connecting col follows the deer fence in north-eastern direction. Kevin took time to enjoy the last remnants of snow in 2022 (or so he thought!):

Funny, the snow patches were quite deep in places:

The col is wet and has a few hags to negotiate, but we are used to tuft-jumping...

We reached the edge of another deer fence and walked along it, then just aimed straight for the summit of Breac-Bheinn. Going was much easier on steeper ground, not as overgrown - and with nice views back to Meall Dheirgidh:

Kevin's pano, looking south and south-west from the slopes of Breac-Bheinn:

It was ridiculously warm as for February and Kevin even stripped to his thin top. Weather is so crazy these days...

The true summit of Breac-Bheinn is hard to define. We went to an obvious cairn (marked as 463m point on 25k map) and had a short break there. Lucy posed for her veni vidi vici baaa photo, with Meall Dheirgidh in the background:

We identified three other spots on the wide ridge that could possibly be higher than the cairn. One of them is considered as summit by Hill Bagging database:

But for the time being, we enjoyed the views from the cairn. Not that they were better than from the previous hill. I think that Meall Dheirgidh is the better overall viewpoint, but Breac-Bheinn gives a good perspective to the far north:

Ben Klibreck etc.

Morven, Scaraben and the other tops of Caithness

We had a quick cuppa and sandwich before moving along the ridge to check other possible summit spots (not because we are purists, but we found it amusing ). According to Kevin's GPS, the grid ref considered by Hill Bagging as the true summit was 1m shorter than the ground by the cairn, but it didn't stop me from acting silly

Summit madness!

Looking back to the cairn with the hills of Assynt behind (partially covered by clag):

Loch a'Breac-Bheinnie just north of the summit:

We checked a large stone about 50m east from the Hill Bagging summit, but this one was 3 m lower. So was the trig point, situated a short distance to the south:

Panther trig-gered?...

View east from the trig point:

To get back down one could return to the col and climb Meall nan Eun, then descend straight to Sgodachail, but we opted to drop to Allt nan Eun and then pick an ATV track leading to the ruins of Whale Cottage. If doing this with rivers in spate (like we did) it is important to aim further up the glen as Allt nan Eun would be difficult to cross lower down.
Our descent route:

Down in the glen, we found the stream narrow enough to jump over:

On the other side, we quickly located the ATV track, a bit soggy but obvious enough to follow. The track took us down to Whale Cottage, where I felt an urgent need for some urbexing:

Panthurbex?...

Sadly, my urbexing plans were shattered as the inside of the building is filled with rubble. The first floor and the roof have collapsed and it all looks dangerous. I wouldn't recommend lurking here:

In front of the cottage - a carpet of snowdrops:

The cottage from below:

The track then descends to the tarmac road about 1km from the spot where we left Taylor

We really enjoyed this circuit despite lack of paths and the grey, murky conditions. Our bodies (and minds) were desperately in need of decent mountain exercise and these two Subs do feel like a proper hill outing!

The following weekend we were surprised by the short return of winter conditions. We took full advantage of deep snow and sunny weather. TR to come soon.