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Arrived at the car park at road end just before 10am. 8 cars already there so popular. Still spaces for a few more cars. Booted up and off. Cloudy but little wind so good walking to be had. A track to start once through the gate at the bridge. Took a short cut up a grass track through a field where cows and calves were grazing. Cattle avoided, through another gate and finally some climbing starts. A long trudge to the bridge over the burn. Bit bouncy but safe enough.
Bridge over Allt Garbh by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
The start of the wet stuff up the gully, even if walking above the quad track. It only gets worse. Once out the gully first sight of today’s destination. The hill itself still some distance away. The quad track is now weaving across the Glen dodging the worse of the bog and as a walker I had to dodge even more to keep my feet dry. Followed the track up the side of the glen for a bit. I liked the look of the ridge in front of me better than the route to the hill so kept on climbing towards it. No path so rough walking now but no bog. Stopped for lunch at 1pm below the ridge with a great view of Carn Dearg and another lone walker at the top.
Carn Dearg lunch view by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Reached the top of the ridge and Loch Uisge visible. Loch Water, must have been a bad day for naming stuff what else would a loch be. Walked up to the top of Carn Mairg first top.
Carn Mairg top by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Taking photos as I walk now. Fairly straightforward walking to Carn Dearg from here.
Carn Dearg from ridge by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Met a couple of guys from Glasgow. Had a blether to them. They said they were going to the other top and scramble down from there. I’d looked at the slope on the way up. Said I’d follow after I took photos of the lochan in the Corrie. Loch Dubh.
Loch Dubh from Carn Dearg by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
So I reached the second summit as they went down the slope.
Carn Dearg from second top by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
There is a crag just beyond the summit and a dry slope diving down. A deep breath and I followed on. So it was side steps all the way swapping sides to give my legs a break. Plenty of footholds and vegetation to hold onto.
Carn Dearg half way down slope by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
It took a while to get down and was relieved to be walking normally again at the bottom. I could see the track on the other side of the burn.
Carn Dearg from bottom of slope by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Picked a moraine to walk along, dry, sheep track, easy walking compared to coming up. An easy crossing and up the banking over to the path and so back to bog swerving. Last look at the hill before entering the gully again. Great to get over the bridge but now it’s a big trudge back to the car park. Still had to dodge cows and calves using the same track. Back at the car at 4pm. Longest walk I have done in a long time. Weary to say the least. Can of cherryade drained to get the energy levels back up before the 2 hour drive back home.