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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.
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.
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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
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Meall Mor
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Beinn nan Eun
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Al, on Flickr
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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
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Amhaichean - Carn Chuinneag in the backdrop
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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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.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Meall Mor
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Al, on Flickr
Wyvis
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Al, on Flickr
Wyvis from Queen\s Cairn
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Al, on Flickr
Tom a'Choinnich
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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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.
E45A9188-EDD0-4E2F-B451-C1C3CDC1496F_1_201_a by
Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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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.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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