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The tribulations of this time of year - at least now that there's climate change - continue to make weekend plans challenging. Friday's forecast was one of those that just seemed to keep getting worse every time you looked at it. I had plans to do the two Dalwhinnie Munros east of the A9 on Friday and an approach to Ben Vurich via Straloch on Sat/Sun. We'd camp just off the A9 at a wee spot on the Old Military Road we've used before...well that was the plan.
Off we head on Thursday afternoon - I'm sitting in the car at the hospital car park waiting for Allison and feeling the car being battered from side to side by the wind. Oh this is going to be fun. At least it was dry...By the time we left Perth, having stopped to eat our tea at the retail park, the rain was starting. Darkness, heavy rain and a tailwind... I reached the lay-by we'd use for the camp spot and, pulling on my skins, headed down to reconnoitre the spot...forget that! The glen was receiving the full fore of the wind being funnelled up from the south and it would have been quite a challenge to even put up the tent, let alone try and sleep in it. The forecast was now promising winds in the mid-60mph with gusts up to 80mph on our chosen hills the morrow. Well, that would just be a bit silly. Plan B called for. I thought we could try camping at Ralia (which I've thought about but never done) or a wee spot we've used up at Sherrabeg. At least it should be sheltered there.
We drove on through the dark and the lashing rain. After Laggan we drove by a field of wet sheep, eyes blazing in the car lights like a pack of woolly demons. By the time we arrived by the reservoir-side the rain had abated and the wind was tamed. A relief indeed. Tent up, off to sleep, no traffic on the road overnight. We awoke to dry weather and even some bits of blue sky. What would we do? The most obvious was Creag Ruadh, just beside us, which would be fairly safe in huge winds as it's only a measly 626m high. And a third round Graham for me - everyone's a winner
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Al, on Flickr
We decided to just leave the tent up, with the car beside it, and walked along the road to the start of the route. We'd been up here in January, so could remember it clearly. When we left the road and started through the forest, we were completely in the wind shadow - it was not only still but super-warm. A path up to Dun-da-Lamh fort, if you wish to see it, or otherwise head west through the trees and undergrowth over Black Craig and take the fence line towards Creag Ruadh. Even on exposed parts the wind wasn't bad - maybe we were getting some shelter from Creag Megaidh. We continued following the fence line down from the summit and to the farm at Sherrabeg before returning to the car. As we walked along the road we heard, loud and clear, the same high pitched scream we'd heard down in Moffat a fortnight ago and which Allison had identified as being an Elk. Yes, we know there are not many of those in Scotland. But that's what it sounded like. Blood chilling. I decided it was a spectral elk come to devour me. Back at the tent it was not even three pm! We decided to stay put for the night, read a bit of Jane Eyre, had our delicious Huel for tea and caught an early night. the forecast was more promising for the Munros on Saturday.
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Al, on Flickr
A bit waterlogged down there
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Third round Graham #13
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
We were up relatively early for us these days (8am) and packed up, heading back towards Dalwhinnie and our two exciting Munros. Allison needed an Eastern Top and I'd put a Simm into the route. As you do. Clag was down from about 600m by the look of it as we started along the track - no pictures today then. The drizzle came and went, the wind was moderate. Up the track, over to Carn na Caim. Spotted footprints which looked fresh - we hadn't seen anyone before us, nor were there any other cars parked...maybe someone had been up yesterday in the hurricane? That would mean a)they had a very low centre of gravity to avoid being blown over - like they were a goblin; b) they were mad; or c)the wind hadn't been that bad after all. Or maybe all three applied.
It was one of those days
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Al, on Flickr
From Carn na Caim we headed south to the Simm of Meall Odhar Mor (Allison was thrilled by the bog/river crossings and general featurelessness). Then on towards the Top of Glas Meall Mor which involved more of the same. We headed back to A'Bhudheanach Beag, where Allison said "we're not going to have time to get out to the top now, are we" - clearly oblivious of the fact that we'd just come from there
We headed back to track and were off the hill by 4.30, which was alright. What now? We could try the camp spot that we'd intended on Thursday night or we could head south - Allison suggested Schiehallion for Sunday, so one of our usual spots along Loch Rannoch would suit. So we drove off into the dark again, intending to use a pitch by the Hanging Tree we've used a number of times. But all the spots along the road on the north shore of Loch Rannoch have had large boulders placed to prevent people parking there. Another victory for Covid Dirty Campers.
Carn na Caim
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Al, on Flickr
A'Bhuideanach Beag
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Now we were in a bit of a pickle. I knew there were spots on the road to Braes of Foss that were parkable and camp-able but I couldn't try and pick them out in the dark. We continued along the north shore road and fortunately found a spot. Out of the wind, away from the road and sheltered by trees - excellent. Pitched, ate, read and slept.
We awoke amongst trees, the pine-y smell fresh in our noses. Listened to the birds in the forest - a party of owls that was joined by the screech of a fox; woodpecker; some screechy thing I didn't recognise; ravens flying over the tent, rowing the air with their black wings; a buzzard's mew. And no spectral elk. We had to defend the tent against an invasion of spiders and had a generally lovely start to the day. It was almost sunny. We looked across the loch, through the trees and saw the hills across teh water were clear - except, that it, for Schiehallion which had a pall of cloud sitting over it.
We headed along the road to Braes of Foss car park, which was busy despite it being around 9.30. It felt pretty warm down at the car park although the wind forecast was not insignificant for higher up the hill. Set off expecting no views - we weren't disappointed
The summit of Schiehallion seems much further away than in strictly necessary - I will make a complaint to the relevant authorities. And busy today. Clag. It's funny how memory plays tricks - this was my 4th time up here and I was sure that all had been in weather like today. But when I checked I saw that two had been in great conditions with full visibility. Trust nothing, especially yourself...We stopped just below the top, in a sheltered spot, for lunch whilst droves of folk, including a dozen from a walking group came and sat or came and went. Gear was interesting to note - all the walking group folk had full kit including gaiters (on a hill with a path and no mud/snow) - maybe it was to keep out spiders. Some young folk had trainers and no rucksack, just "an emergency hoodie". We stopped to chat with a solo walker on the way down and were back at the car for 1.30
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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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