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The aim of the day was to do what looked like a good circular walk taking in these 2 sub-2k marilyns, and also to check out the start of routes up from the same area to do 1 or 2 of the Mullardoch munros from this side later in the year. Unfortunately the weather forecast had been a bit optimistic and it never cleared up, so it was all I could do to make it to both subs and back to the car without getting lost in the clag! In good, clear visibility, this would probably have been a much faster walk than it was
One of those days when the need for map and compass really hit home; I can't remember the last time I had to use them so much, usually nowadays I aim to do walks below the cloud so I can see where I'm going / what I'm aiming for, and get good views. I had my 'emergency' GPS watch in my bag but rarely use it and had forgotten to charge it... so after a couple of useful grid references to check against the map early on, the battery died and it was map and compass the rest of the way. Good practice which I actually quite enjoyed given I had the safety net of knowing I was never too far away from the car!
Anyway, first time back down Glen Strathfarrar this year, discovered there were new restrictions in place in addition to the usual gate. Both women on the gates were very helpful and had a quick chat with me, apparently it's daytrippers and potential overnighters who had caused problems, not hillwalkers who arrive in the morning, do their walk and leave by the closing time - so arriving at 9.15am at the first gate I had no issues (in fact I think I was the only one to go past the second gate this day; other walkers must have seen a more accurate weather forecast!!). The furthest I've driven previously is Monar Dam, so it was new territory today, heading all the way to Misgeach power station, the furthest you can take a car, driving over 2 dams in the process.
With the cloud down low and light rain when I started the walk, I donned full waterproofs, hopeful that they wouldn't be required past the first hour (wrong, I wore them for the full walk). I also changed my mind about doing it clockwise, deciding to head straight up the steep slope in front of me to do Beinn Dubh an Iaruinn first. Despite the poor visibility and getting soaking wet feet, it wasn't a bad walk - one I'd happily do again on a clear day to get the views I missed this time!
- Parked by Misgeach power station and decided to go straight up into the cloud on Beinn Dubh an Iaruinn first ...
- ...looking over to Meallan Odhar Doire nan Gillean, I thought the morning cloud would lift from the top by the time I got over to there (it didn't. If anything it got worse!)
- Quite a steep, direct route up Beinn Dubh an Iaruinn, but low vegetation so it wasn't too challenging. Couldn't see when I was getting to the top area, but guessed I was close when I passed some snow patches, given there was little snow anywhere in the area below about 600m
- Headed over some very slightly lower rocky outcrops first before finding Beinn Dubh an Iaruinn's summit. Had a study of the map and got my compass out from this point on!
- I was so focused on the ground and the direction I was heading into disorientating grey that it was a bit startling to suddenly see this for a few seconds! Ah yes, come to think of it, I had been wanting to look at Sgurr na Lapaich when I was here
- Passed a lochan at one point, but not shown on my 1:50,000 OS map so took a GPS reading to check I hadn't gone wrong! Fortunately I was roughly where I was wanting to be, nearing Beinn Dubh, and the lochan does show on the route map here on a more detailed scale. The Garmin flashed 'low battery' and died at this point, it was probably the shock of being taken out of my bag and used.
- I came out of the clag heading down Beinn Dubh, and saw that Meallan Odhar Doire nan Gillean / Meallan Odhar were ahead of me (phew, hoped they would be). Decided roughly where to aim for via a combination of looking at the map and looking at the bottom half of the hill and hoping there were no surprises hidden in the cloud.
- Loch Monar was in the right place, so I knew I was looking at the correct hill 😁
- Shortly before disappearing behind the grey curtain again, I looked back over to Beinn Dubh an Iaruinn and .... got a view?! Okay, so the summit and higher ground was still hidden, but maybe I should have done the walk clockwise after all.
- Got to the top area and headed along until there was no more "up" I could find. Fortunately this coincided with finding the summit boulder of Meallan Odhar Doire nan Gillean
- Headed down along the gently dropping E direction first, before heading more NE to try and hit the stalkers path. Didn't find it (though turned out I was very close) but I didn't search too hard as I'd seen the terrain wasn't too taxing and a pathless route down was okay, just wet with the constant light rain. Got lower and started to be able to see down the glen.
- Even further down, things were nice and clear and I could see the track on the other side of the Allt Coire na Feithe I was aiming for.
- Being watched
- Took my time crossing the Allt Coire na Feithe as the wet rocks were pretty slippy (if it had been worse, there was a bridge downstream I could have gone to)
- No point investigating routes up Sgurr na Lapaich today, couldn't see more than its ankles peeking out from under its grey dress
- Getting back to the power station and car and looking back to Meallan Odhar Doire nan Gillean, it was under more cloud than when I'd started
- Stationary and not a public road, so hopefully it was okay to stop and take a photo at the wheel! Must be a tight squeeze for SSE to get trucks to Misgeach power station over this dam.
- Monar dam (Britain's largest arch dam apparently?) is only slightly wider
- Quite a few wild goats in the glen. Never mess with someone who eats gorse 😬
Beinn Dubh an Iaruinn, Meallan Odhar Doire nan Gillean.