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Glas Maol and Creag Leacach

Glas Maol and Creag Leacach


Postby Westie7 » Thu May 26, 2022 3:40 pm

Route description: Glas Maol Munros circuit, Cairnwell Pass

Munros included on this walk: Creag Leacach, Glas Maol

Date walked: 21/05/2022

Time taken: 4.5 hours

Distance: 12 km

Ascent: 804m

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Wet and wild at times, Visibility variable, Wind 225 at 25

After missing these two out of my last tour up Glas Maol circuit, parked at the Devils Elbow car park 2km south from the ski centre. NO139757


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It started dry and warm as we followed the clear path, as on the map, but very soon is overgrown as you head NE up the south ridge of Leacann Dubh 144755.

Leacann.jpg
Looking west towards the A93


The path comes back again as the ridge levels off NNE up towards the mountain hut at 145768. From there its a good landrover track up to the ski tows for Meall Odhar. Take a right E at 151773 up to the Top of Meall Odhar. 922m

From Meall Odhar its a well marked path SE towards the summit of Glas Maol. 1068m

GMTrig.jpg


This is where I turned round to see.. absolutely nothing behind me as the first front of the day moved in. The first of many and it was a mad dash to the shelter cairn to get out the outer shells and take cover for a bite to eat. Hence not many photos today :lol:

GM.jpg


From Glas Maol take a SW bearing along the path to Bathach Beag.

GM to CL.jpg
Looking back towards Bathach Beag and Glas Maol beyond


And just after the Cairn pickup the wall and the loose shattered rock down to the shelter at 933m. Follow the wall SW where the shattered rock makes going a bit slower in the wet.

Bathachbeag.jpg
The climb up to Creag Leacach


Up to the summit of Creag Leacach. 987m. Blink and you'll miss it.

Visibility was coming and going through the squalls all the way between the two Munros, but from the top of Creag Leacach it was a straightforward down and up to the SW Top. 943m at 149742.

CL SW Top.jpg
SW Top of Creag Leacach looking back on the initial Ridge at Leacann Dubh


The decent from Creag Leacach was right into the face of the wind and rain. Im glad my 20+ year old Berghaus Axis ProShell was still up to the task

The route off and back to the car park was a heading WNW aiming for the elevation marked on the map at 716m 142745 to pick up the overgrown path. Then heading N down the flank of Meall Gorm towards Allt Coire a Bhathaich and finding a spot to cross. The paths marked on the north side of the stream on OSM maps are almost completely eroded away, landslip from recent storms and trees that have slid into the water. It took 20+mins just to do this 1km back to the car park.
Westie7
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 7
Munros:27   Corbetts:2
Fionas:1   
Sub 2000:4   
Joined: Mar 10, 2017
Location: ABERDEEN

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