Bit of pre-dawn and other Mullarkey on Gaoith and Mullach

[The English Alpinist]

Sgor an Dubh Mor - means 'the big black pinnacle' - 3rd Munro Top before dawn.

Geal-charn (centre) as viewed at end of the walk; and how I encountered it earlier (inset).

A title that needs some translation, perhaps, especially for English readers: 'Sgor Gaoith' and 'Mullach Clach a' Bhlair', a pair of Munros on the western edge of the Cairngorms which can be (reasonably) nicely linked. Afflicted by my usual first night anxiety, I decided that my 3 a.m. 'wakefulness' might as well mean wakeful walking. My thinking was that I would have the reward of finishing this 19-mile trek in time to enjoy Kingussie (such as there is there) before closing time and in daylight, as well as sampling the dark and starry atmosphere of the pre-dawn mountains. So, beneath a superb Orion and Mars above it, and a helpful moon which even allowed me to switch the torch off for spells, I set off towards Geal-charn; that's the northernmost top belonging to Sgor Gaoith - oh yes, I'm still insisting on trying to bag all the Tops too. There were 5 of them to enjoy on this venture, my first acquaintance with the might - or rather the mist and damp, on this occasion - of the Cairngorms.

Sgor Gaoith, Munro proper (minus carn), is approached at break of day. 3,668 feet (1118m).

This.

Carn Ban Mor - means 'the big fair hill' (really?) - another Top.

Some shelter. A life-saver in a blizzard I don't doubt.

Night-walking, at least on this part of the route, held no perils. The path and the way up Geal-charn was fool-proof, and the dark forms of the next two Tops presented themselves fairly obviously. Is such a thing a 'cure' for anxiety, though? I'm not so sure. My company being the hiss and chill of the November breeze, and human civilization appearing only as the distant lights of Aviemore as I reached the upper slopes of said Munro Top, my overriding feeling was wondering whether dawn would actually ever come. I might have mitigated this by checking the sunrise times beforehand, I guess, but you can't have spontaneity and full knowledge both. Well, it came at about 6:45 a.m., by the time I neared Gaoith itself. No cairn - I worried about this later (till the greatness of walkhighlands.co.uk explained it) - but the summit seemed undeniable enough: the land did not rise any higher, and to my left was a precipice plunging into the grey void. Grey was the word, for with the dawn came cloud-cover. No famed views for me, just a bleak but easy tramp on a well-defined path across the tundra. This did not last; the path, that is.

5th and last Top, Meall Dubhag. Means 'hill of the dark place'. Okay.

This stuff.

'Meall Dubhag', the last Munro Top of the day/morning, entailed a slight deviation to the west, and a departure from any sign of a path. Surely one must have existed in the murk, but I realised I was going to be bypassing this Top altogether if I didn't make the turn somewhere. It had to be over towards where the land was rising to my right, so I simply struck out on a compass bearing. I found the cairn of what could only be Meall Dubhag in about 15 minutes, but chose to pose on a more interesting rock nearby for this great event. Then it was the return journey to rejoin the excellent path - nay track, nay 'road' almost - to Mullach. This proved considerably more troublesome. I have no idea why, unless too-vague compass work which incurs punishment, and the hags and bogs seemed strangely, disturbingly different and much worse and lasted longer. Partly psychological, partly real I think; but before my fears of materializing on the wrong side of the mountain, or even a different one altogether, became overwhelming, I stumbled onto the track with the euphoria of one striking gold. To all intents and purposes, job done, for one could do Mullach Clach a' Bhlair blindfolded, such is this wonderful track to it. .

Track to Mullach; nicely obvious, gratefully easy.

Enjoying Mullach Clach a' Blair, 3,343 feet (1019m). 'The summit of the stony plain'. Yep.

The crags of Coire Garbhlach.

In terms of views, the highlight of the walk was the descent to Glen Feshie, from about half way down when I was out of the clouds for the first time all day. Also, for the first time all day, I met people. They were ascending from Feshie, and no doubt the Achlean road, which was my ultimate destination to bring me full circle. I'd started from the hostel at Balachroick, which meant a long and (I thought) easy run-out via a forestry and a riverside ramble. Either through incompetence, or prior landslips, I somehow managed to lose these great big distinct paths which were strewn across the landscape as well as the map. I feel I must apologise to the deep heather I needed to tramp across for about a kilometre, but I'm sure it will recover, as would my leg muscles. All in all, a job very well done, my first two Cairngorms (with Tops) - and I got into Kingussie to link up with my non-walking brother and enjoy the cafe well before closing time. Note to self; it's probably a happier way of doing things than finishing with a long darkness plod, and wandering into some hibernating Scots village.

Down to Glen Feshie.

Possibly path was compromised at River Feshie.

Tramping this.

Mid-November on the Achlean road, Glen Feshie.

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PS. Sgor Gaoith means 'windy peak', my cultural reading tells me. Just breezy, as well as dusky, when I encountered it. But I don't doubt the potential.

PPS. Cairns. As I sat in The Sugarbowl Cafe, Kingussie, reflecting on my achievements, I thought with no small horror that I might have failed to summit Sgor Gaoith. This was because McNeish, whose book I enjoy reading but sometimes get upset by for one reason or another, describes a cairn up there. Then I came across this, which set me straight and happy again:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37508

This walk is followed by 'To The Devil's Point With Me (via Braeriach etc)'
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=115697

[Skyelines]

Carn Ban Mor could also mean big blank space.

According my dictionary ban can also mean - vacant, waste (land)

[The English Alpinist]

Carn Ban Mor could also mean big blank space.

According my dictionary ban can also mean - vacant, waste (land)

That sounds exactly right!

[gaffr]

Well, at least in the pre defrocking of the marginal Munro days that Carn Ban Mor had a sizable heap of stanes that served it as a cairn.

[Colin1951]

I tend to side with WH Murray that it’s not a proper winter day out unless you come off the hill in the dark (if you haven’t read his “Mountaineering in Scotland” and “Undiscovered Scotland” you’re missing out on a classic from the 1930’s and 40’s.)
But you make a persuasive case for the Alpine start! I did the same round one January years ago, similar conditions but enough snow that the at track was invisible so it was nose-in-compass most of the way over the plateau. We finished in the dark that day for sure. Maybe I’ll try it again at 3am….