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Windy Wyvis and some Grahams from Glen Glass

Windy Wyvis and some Grahams from Glen Glass


Postby weaselmaster » Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:32 pm

Munros included on this walk: Ben Wyvis

Fionas included on this walk: Beinn nan Eun, Càrn Loch nan Amhaichean, Meall Mór (Easter Ross), Meall nan Eagan

Date walked: 26/06/2022

Distance: 60 km

Ascent: 2760m

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I suppose it's the time of year to get the longer journeys in so that we're not travelling by darkness getting to the hills. With the cost of diesel what it is, there's little incentive to drive 500 miles in a weekend, but it is a fact of life at the moment and the hills need done - can't see the price of fuel falling any time soon - everywhere seems to be on the cusp of charging over £2 for a litre of diesel but nowhere wants to be the first to go above £1.99.99 (excluding the obvious profiteers like the Clunie Inn and Dalwhinnie). Anyway, it is what it is and we set off on Thursday evening heading for Glen Glass, a new destination for us. I'd been looking at doing Wyvis from here for a while, and had drawn up a route that added three Grahams into the mix, as well as the two Munro Tops on Wyvis that we needed (and the odd Simm). One drives up the glen for about 5 miles from Evanton- there's a parking area which will take 4 - 5 cars at the end of the public road. Emerging from the car about 10pm into a cloud of midges, we asked a lady walking her collie if it would be ok to leave the car there - no problem said she. Shouldering our big packs we set off into the evening hoping that we'd lose the flying pests as we gained some height. I'd no idea where we would camp, but hoped we'd find somewhere in the cleared forestry or wind farm.


wyvis4s.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



We walked into the trees an up a rather overgrown forestry track. Through a gate and onto the hillside, approaching the wind turbines. We spotted a tiny area of flat ground right beside the track and - given the absence of better alternatives - opted to pitch for the night - thankfully we had the wee tent that can manage such spaces. Midges were still doing their thing, but we managed to get inside without too many joining us. 11.15 before we got settled down - a long evening and still light.

Image9AD99C4B-6EDB-448B-A29B-130FFFF124B7_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

A bit of rain overnight but it had all dried off by the morning - we packed the tent away and set off along the wind farm tracks for Meall Mor, our first Graham. The turbine tracks take you much of the way to the summit, then its a bit of boggy/heathery ground until the summit is reached. Ben Wyvis is just across Loch Glass from here and you get a feel for its sheer size - a great hulking mass of a mountain. The other hill that is constantly in view from here is Carn Chuinneag. Our way lay west - over tussocks interspersed with the frequent peat hag. We could see Beinn nan Eun in the distance, but had this quite slow-going terrain to cross to get there. We saw a group of folk down to our left - not sure if they'd already been up at the summit or were doing something else entirely.

Wyvis
ImageDE570F6B-CCEF-40F4-9C29-C27D5C45718C_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image7A0929D3-53DD-46AC-9BF4-2765F6B0DA04_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Meall Mor
ImageC9885B55-8B63-4F3D-907B-E994D68D8BB6_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image5418ED16-4685-4C83-88BE-1689D1DDEE92_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Beinn nan Eun
Image9DE4CEAC-32B0-40BC-A3F2-87B4419F71ED_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image68064CF5-27D1-410D-94CB-5555BFA219C0_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr


From the top of Beinn nan Eun we could see our next hill, Carn Loch Amhaichean sitting pretty, with its eponymous loch to the north, nestling in the mountain's curve. The sun was beating down, as it had been all day. There's not much in the way of streams or good fresh water sources traversing across these hills and we ended up making a coffee from some very peaty water we found before we closed in on Amhaichean. Make sure you have enough with you is the moral here. Anyway, we got to the top of Amhaichean, enjoyed great views over to Torrid, the Fisherfields and the Assynt hills. My plan had been to continue over the two Simmsto the south/south-east of Amhaichean and find somewhere to camp down by the Abhainn Beinn nan Eun, but both of us were feeling the effects of the sun and yesterday's late night, so we ended up pitching in the lee of Carn nan Con Ruadha, as the wind was pretty fresh by that time. At least no midges! Sat outside the tent for a bit having our meal and enjoying the sunshine (with a warm jacket on) then turned in for the night. More showers overnight, but another dry morning.

Amhaichean
ImageA19598B3-D2F5-4168-8F54-DCB70AFF6D56_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image9961E538-3D31-4157-B17F-028E7B88A95A_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Amhaichean - Carn Chuinneag in the backdrop
ImageFA0B44EB-B644-44FB-9365-76D92CFCB63B_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image914282B2-AE6C-4C8F-BE79-B2EC22C2D930_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image78A8BB02-FBCE-4F3F-8643-937BCF97A7E0_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr



We continued to our second Simm of Gob a'Chairn then made for the Allt Coire Bhreachain which we followed down to the track. Slaked our this with nice fresh water then continued along the main track, passing a peculiar square shed-type building with a door in each side (presumably deer stalking). We left the main track and followed a footpath running south through the trees and aiming for Ben Wyvis. Allison remarked that the terrain was so reminiscent of the Cairngorms - and it is - the same stony paths, same sort of vegetation. We nipped out and back to the Simm of Queen's Cairn, the wind now very strong. We did wonder how much fiercer it would be at the top of Wyvis. The path continues through a boulder field on Carn Gorm, before zigzagging up the grassier slopes of Tom a'Choinnich. We left our packs and headed out to summit Wyvis, well Glas Leathad Mor ("the big grey slope"). It was windy, but not much more than we'd experienced lower down. Our first time up Wyvis with a view - fantastic selection of hills including Ben Hope, Klibreck, the Griams, Foinaven, Liathach, you name it. Spent a bit of time just drooling then noticed a line of about 8-10 folk coming our way from the south and decided to beat it.

Image323F4F08-6ACA-4D9A-9979-A9444F0FFE04_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

ImageF8ECE1A0-91F8-440C-87B2-9EDFD5EF4F73_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Meall Mor
Image9F3466AE-0D05-4432-A078-F954A3FC072F_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Wyvis
Image0ADBBF62-FA0E-4629-A66A-0DADECA6A2F9_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Wyvis from Queen\s Cairn
Image3E653C12-0233-4BB1-A1ED-5A8027A060ED_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Tom a'Choinnich
Image4497F556-342B-4B3F-8E91-E9B5683807FD_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

ImageCB877705-5966-41EA-8C28-86B655495C3C_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

ImageFA6951D3-04E1-447D-A335-7B2AE60F8832_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

We returned to our packs and continued over the mossy grassy slopes to the second Munro Top of Glas Leathad Beag. I'd wanted to cap high on these grassy plains since we were up here first time years ago, but sadly it was much too windy to consider that. So we headed down, making for the final Simm of Meall na Drochaide. We disturbed quite a few deer on our way - they clearly like it here. Coming to a stream just before Drochaide, I reckoned that would be a nice spot to camp - plenty of fresh water, out of the way, so that's what we did. Again a fairly small spot to camp in - I had to tether one of the guys to a rock in the stream, but it was out of the wind enough to be midge free and a peaceful night was had. Again more rain overnight and wet, dewy grass in the morning. We climbed up Drochaide then picked up an ATV track leading down towards Loch Glass. Walked along the loch side, past a pink turreted boarded up building and some boars, who seemed interested in our presence, interested enough to momentarily stop snuffling about in the ground for whatever they were after. Very intelligent eyes. Back to
the car about 10am.

ImageE45A9188-EDD0-4E2F-B451-C1C3CDC1496F_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image3FAAF239-4F73-4DBC-86DD-367FD78D4985_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image59B6D14A-55DD-4B65-9D27-066195000B17_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

ImageAEE1969C-B48B-4FB4-A22C-51C98DA9E355_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image4DE4A93A-F82F-4DA7-B158-44AEA4D80DB2_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image9A356681-77EA-489B-B7DC-F730B9D35B4F_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image2C63B2C1-159D-48F8-B7BF-103CF46E312E_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Sadly there wasn't enough time to do any of the other hills we have in the area - they'll need to wait for another day. I had pencilled in Meall nan Eagan, down by Dalwhinnie, for climbing on the way down the road. We left Glen Glass in glorious sunshine, but the weather steadily darkened and by the time we stopped outside the quarry it was raining and very windy. My recollection was that you used to be able to park inside the quarry gates (when it was shut) but you can't do that now, you have to park across the gates (which I guess is ok if its outside the marked working hours of 07-1800 weekdays and 07-1400 on Saturday - shut on Sundays. There are not many options for doing this hill - just a straight out and back unless you want an awkward Simm (Creag nan Adhaicean) which looks pretty craggy, or indeed yo want to join it onto The Fara. It wasn't really a day for that sort of adventure though, as the wind shrieked and the rain pelted. We just walked along the Allt an t-Sluic, then over tussocks before climbing the remaining way to the summit, a mighty effort of less than 300m ascent required. Back much the same way, finding some pretty little flowers to admire, then back down the road. A good hill for a quick up and back if you are going up or down the A9.


2022-06-26_1212 Raw.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



Image0EF2C31A-C04B-4C71-9B19-B20C14AD3F23_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

ImageD62BC5FE-AC08-4709-BE47-F6CF376A3413_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image00DC2269-D4E0-47AA-AEEC-D298A71899E7_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

ImageE35048EA-F028-45A2-A799-90FFED1E0202_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

Image797E4D7E-A4DD-4C49-AB82-62C1F7CFC187 by Al, on Flickr



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weaselmaster
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 2429
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Joined: Aug 22, 2012
Location: Greenock

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