free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Van camping for a couple of days, we spent last night in the Creag Meagaidh reserve car park where we bumped in to the Harpers, bit of company over a drink or two. Discussing our Munro plans for the next day, Keith and Sue had suggested a wee off shoot of the second car park as an overnight option for after the hills.
Our intention had been to do the trio of Munros but after a bit of a lie in, we headed off a bit later than planned from the car park shortly before 10am.
- XReady for the off...a bit late.
Not long after you cross the river Spean, approaching the building, you instinctively want to go straight ahead, Don't
we did that before when checking out the area. Instead head left and follow the raised track (ancient shoreline???) around under Binnean Shuas.
- XStriding out on the good track
- XThe grasses here are seriously tall
This is a long, open track, several bikes on the go as you head on up to a junction and a small reservoir. We took a left here as we had decided by now that we would only do Creag Pitridh and Geal chàrn, missing out the long haul out to Beinn a Chlachair. Carried on round the track towards Lochan na Earba. There is a new bridge here and there appears to have been a 'pedestrian' bypass while it was being constructed so you can see some other worn paths on the ground before you reach the lochan (more like a loch)
- XLooking over the lochans under the Shuas
The path beyond can be seen on the ground and is now a lot smaller and rougher as it climbs up beside the Allt Coire Pitridh. I had been doing some nav practice today, using the 1:50 map and i wanted to check something but couldnt find my wee reading specs that I had in my pocket. Had a wee search but not to be found. ho hum.
- XA wee lunch stop when I realised I'd lost my glasses
Reaching the junction of several paths in the Coire Pitridh we took a left then fairly soon, started our diagonal ascent up towards Geal Charn.
- XAscending Geal Charn, looking over to Pitridh
Its a fairly even plod up and you reach the summit pretty quickly. Crossing a couple of snow patches which could have been avoided but hey..why not?
- XWee patches of the white stuff to walk over.
- XGeal Charn summit selfie
- XMore lunch before heading off to Pitridh
The wind up here was gusting as we hunkered down for some munchies. We had some company here, turned out to be 2 girls, Magda and Bea that I had met on the SML course just before lockdown number 2
Headed back off the summit, initially retracing our steps before turning North and dropping down above the crags and into Cuil Mhaigh and the main track. We had seen some others ahead on the rocky ascent to Pitridh as we made our way over the uneven ground. Short scramble up and over to the summit. Lovely.
- XSecond summit
We had seen a bit of a path on the way up that we reckoned may come from the hill itself so we decided to head off East then South East towards Sgurr an t-Saighdeir. This was a good plan, cut out a lot of the ascent path (We both actually decided had we used this as our original ascent, we may actually have then gone on to include the 3rd hill
)
On the way down now, kept our eyes peeled for my wee grey tube with the specs in as we followed the long track home. A very pleasant walk out was a bit hampered by the usual burning neuroma issue but made up by then finding my specs thanks to someone else who had found them and placed them where they could not be missed. Thank you to whoever lol
- Thanks to a very thoughtful person.
Back to the van for a quiet night, after going to Spean Bridge for drink and opting for a wee forestry track for our next overnighter lol.
- XVan camp for the night.
- XSpooky moon.
- XKeeping cosy
