On Top of Monadh Liath

[Grisu]

Well, it looks as if the ,,on top of" unvoluntary has become a sort of leading theme of this year's walks. After ,,on Top of Kintail" (see, if you like: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=119727) and ,,on Top of Drumochter" (see, if you like: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=119939) I finally got ,,on Top of the Monahliath Mountains"
This is another looong walk but on a day like this pretty much rewarded - just forget about the range of the notorious boggy places which could be quite extensive and unavoidable and you'll be fine
However, my socks & sandals proved again very useful on this ground and I enjoyed the walk very much: from the quiet, even and pastoral Glen Banchor to the narrower Gleann Fionndrigh gently undulating upwards, accompanied by its sound of rushing water, dragging me more and more into the remote and isolated wildness until the crossing of the footbridge from where a path leads up along a burn towards Gleann Ballach --
It should be possible to avoid most of the bogginess of Gleann Ballach when one tries to go left and up to the south-east top of Carn Dearg. At least a man came that way towards the summit of Càrn Dearg and it looked like an enjoyable ridge walk, although he said it was very steep to get up, but the ascent towards Carn Dearg was steep as well, though.
At the summit I met a party of four which was just taking off to continue their walk, I soon followed and enjoyed the following walk over the vast, extensive and broad moore very much.
I am not talking about the crossing of the awfully boggy Coire bog just before the last pull to the ridge before Càrn Sgùlain.
I passed the party of four probably at the point of 908 meters where we had another little chat while they were enjoying their tea . From there it was only a relative short and straightforward walk along the ridge to the summit of Carn Sgùlain. A line of fence posts is leading along this seemingly endless walk to Càrn Sgùlain and the cairn is decorated with one fence post in the middle as if to put a full stop
But the walk was not finished yet: another looong walk over moory countryside, another crossing of a boggy bealach and a last quite steep pull to the huge cairn of A' Chailleach where all six of us met for a short moment.
The man was ahead of us for quite some time and ready to start to descend when me, closely followed by the party of four, reached the summit.
Some photoshooting at the cairn and then another looong and tiring walk back to the car.

deserted township in Glen Banchor

outlook towards Gleann Fhionndrigh

crossing Allt Fhionndrigh; still dry socks & sandals

Glen Fhionndrigh

little burn

and into Glen Ballach ... phhh

suddenly people, dogs and cars were ploughing through the boggy ground

end of Glen Ballach

Crags of Carn Dearg

party of four at the summit

steep drop down to Glen Ballach

summit cairn above the crags

man coming from south-east top

summit view

fascinating Glenn Ballach

The view doesn't change much but it is calming

line of fenceposts

boggy Coire bog

summit cairn at Carn Sgùlain with fence post in the middle

summit view

summit view

outlook to A' Chailleach

Allt Cuil na Caillich and the last steep descent & ascent; picture taken from the far side

SummitSelfie

summit cairn of A' Chailleach

looong walk back

However that be, I always forget very quickly any troubles, so what remains are memories of a nice walk through isolated glens and over broad ridges with great views on a sunny day

looking back to A' Chailleach