Three Munros and some missed SubTops

[Grisu]

Today was another good walking day to tackle this big round North of Glen Shiel. It stayed dry and the views had been very good.
Finally it was a not so steep but still a long ascent until you stumble over the first cairn when you reach the broad plateau of which I thought in the first moment that it already might be the summit cairn until I realised my error.

Slab with row of stones marking the direction

The outlook of the following ridge walk was very nice and I was looking forward to it.

cairn at the end of the ascent and outlook towards the ridge

outlook towards Sgùrr nan Conbhairean from the second summit cairn of Càrn Ghluasaid

Short before I arrived the descent for Glas Bhealach I had a look back and it was then that I realised I might have missed the SubTop Creag a'Chaorainn only by a few meters because I was following the path a bit below that lead straight to the bealach and I must have lost the path leading along the edge and over the top - what a shame

first I thought this cairn was indicating the SubTop Creag a'Chaorainn but looking back it proved otherwise

Now strong wind was blowing from the north over the bealach and up to the second summit, which looked very impressive with its huge cairn.

from the distance the cairn looked almost like the ruins of a house

Today had been busier than the last days and there had been some walkers I have met and seen in all directions, espacially around this munro.
Again there were impressive views all over although it is was much cloudier than yesterday but luckily all the dark and heavy clouds kept away and it was quite a pleasaure seeing the pouring rain shifting from one mountain to another without getting wet myself

the huge summit cairn

heavy clouds above Mullach Fraoch-choire

lightshow on Lochan Uaine

Allt Coire Sgreumh

skye

outlook to Sàil Chaorainn

Althoug it actually looks like a minor bump from Sgùrr nan Conbhairean the perspective changes when you are down the bealach. Looking up it makes you learn why it is still a munro. Anyway, it was a nice walk along the gently undulating path but longer as I had expected.

looking back from the summit of Sàil Chaorainn with the BEN in the background

Until I arrived I wasn't sure if I would go further north for the two SubTops but the perspective over to the cairn on the far side was so tempting that I couldn't resist. And it was very worth it: an enjoyable short walk and more views.

outlook with cairn

I couldn't figure out were the second SubTop might have been, but I had no doubts that the cairn in the distance marks Carn na Coire Mheadhoin, the neighbour of Sàil Chaorainn.
However, I probably must have missed it nevertheless, at least according to my strava record. But I have no idea which other way I could have taken and how I could have missed that Top, it looked as if it is just on route
So I take the views for solace and I am happy enough that I didn't miss this bit of the walk and the views.

summit cairn Càrn na Coire Mheadhoin? and dark clouds in the distance

looking back

the neighbours A'Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire

Now it was time to go back. At the foot of Sgùrr nan Conbhairean a chatty party came down from the summit making a lot of noise but soon it faded away mercifully and I plotted along the bypass below Sgùrr nan Conbhairean along the broad and than narrower ridge of Drochaid an Tuill Easaich with nice views down Toll Easach and Gorm Loch.

Toll Easach

Gorm Loch with Loch Cluanie

From the distance I spotted a cairn on the far side of the bealach and a faint path leading upwards while a more distinct path sloped lower down.
I still can't figure out where this SubTop Drochaid an Tuill Easaich exactly is, but it looked the highest point since I was descending towards the bealach and I wanted to make sure not to miss another SubTop.
However up there I had a last look back to the Kintail mountains which I wouldn't liked to have missed!

view towards A'Chralaig & Mullach Fraore-choire

looking back to the ridge between Càrn Ghluasaid and Sgùrr nan Conbhairean

ridge between Sgùrr nan Conbhairean and Sàil Chaorainn

View towards Loch Cluanie

The descent was quite nice until I reached Meall Breac.

last look towards the ridge between Càrn Ghluasaid and Sgùrr nan Conbhairean

Now it became ugly. The description is quite prosaic about this part of descent

cairn at Meall Breac (I guess)

First I lost the path but quickly got back on route, fortunately. Then it became very, very steep for the next few hundred meters. Further down the steepness became less but the path became boggier.

looking back the ugly bit

Finally I have reached the river where a crossing below the ravine and next to the waterfall was no problem.

crossing Allt Coire nan Clach

waterfalls

The walk back along the old military road(?) still took about 2 kilometers, leading upwards and with some boggy places it was a bit tiring at the end of this long walk.

if you are looking for the old military road, don't worry you are right on it

nearly there

Finally I happily got back to the car with three more munros in the bag.
It is still a bit disappointing that I couldn't bag all SubTops.
Normally I am not so eager to bag them, but on today's walk they seemed to be comfortably along the route and I thought I could have bagged them without too long detours and without too much effort -
But then, I didn't really put attention to it when I planned this walk
Still, I wonder if I have really missed Càrn na Coire Mheadhoin and where this Thigh Mòr na Seìlge could have been.
May be on the ridge to my left which I have recognised suspicously on my way back from my little detour - wondering But I couldn't see anything which might have indicated another SubTop over there. It looked all too low and ordinary .
May be someone can figure out on my gps-route and let me know what went wrong and if - at least - I didn't miss
Drochaid an Tuill Easaich?!

Sgurr_nan_Conbhairean_2.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

However, with today's walk I have completed the Munros along Glen Shiel and almost all in Kintal - only Beinn Fhada and A' Ghlas-bheinn are left.

[past my sell by date]

A big walk this. I did it in winter : it was bitterly cold and windy and there is absolutely no shelter on any of the summits . Two of the party turned back after Conbhairhean but John and I pushed on to.Sail Chaorainn. On the way back the reascent was quite icy and I cut steps to the top. There was no way i was going to put on crampons - I didn't have step ins in those days.
We certainly didn't take in any tops

[Grisu]

A big walk this. I did it in winter : it was bitterly cold and windy and there is absolutely no shelter on any of the summits . Two of the party turned back after Conbhairhean but John and I pushed on to.Sail Chaorainn. On the way back the reascent was quite icy and I cut steps to the top. There was no way i was going to put on crampons - I didn't have step ins in those days.
We certainly didn't take in any tops

Yes, it is a big walk but there is a little bit of shelter at the cairn of Conbhairhean.
I was happy to take the bypass on my outward route - it would bring you back to the bealach, too.
And I definitely never will do any of these mountains in winter

[jmarkb]

Looking at your GPS track, you did climb the Munro Tops Carn na Coire Mheadhoin and Drochaid an Tuill Easaich but skirted round Creag a'Chaorainn. The fourth Top in this group is Tigh Mor na Seilge which is a further 1km beyond Carn na Coire Mheadhoin and some 70m lower.

I would not beat yourself up about not doing Tops unless you are really intent on completing them all. Adding the Tops makes for quite a lot of rather illogical routes with extra out-and-back distances and regains of height - A' Chioch on the neighbouring A' Chraileag being a good example!

You might find this site https://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/ useful for plotting the exact positions of summits.

[Grisu]

Looking at your GPS track, you did climb the Munro Tops Carn na Coire Mheadhoin and Drochaid an Tuill Easaich but skirted round Creag a'Chaorainn. The fourth Top in this group is Tigh Mor na Seilge which is a further 1km beyond Carn na Coire Mheadhoin and some 70m lower.

I would not beat yourself up about not doing Tops unless you are really intent on completing them all. Adding the Tops makes for quite a lot of rather illogical routes with extra out-and-back distances and regains of height - A' Chioch on the neighbouring A' Chraileag being a good example!

You might find this site https://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/ useful for plotting the exact positions of summits.

Thanks a lot, jmarkb, for working this out. According to the heatmap of strava which shows in blue lines the people's moving they all go to the cairn which is visible from Sail Choarainn but obviously does not mark the sub top Carn na Coire Mheadhoin which is before and there are no traces around this place - like a virgin😊. The fourth top pribably is on the ridge to the right (looking from Sail Chaorainn) but this was not worth the effort to check😇
And yes, you are right, I don't intend to do all tops but if they are so conviently along the path it would just be a shame to miss them out.
Anke