walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

On Top of Creag Meagaidh

On Top of Creag Meagaidh


Postby Grisu » Thu Aug 17, 2023 9:50 pm

Route description: Creag Meagaidh circuit

Munros included on this walk: Càrn Liath (Creag Meagaidh), Creag Meagaidh, Stob Poite Coire Àrdair

Date walked: 04/08/2023

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 23 km

Ascent: 1279m

5 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

This was a very enjoyable walk. :D
Once at the ridge there where no remarkable de- and reascends compared to those on the Monadhliath ciruit which I found quite suprising for a circuit with three munros. Only the ascend to Creag Meagaidh was a bit more demanding but then there is another nice walk over the whaleback-like plateau towards the cairn of the third summit to recover from any effort it might have taken (or not).
Apart from the predicted rain shower which started just in time when I arrived at the first summit and some mysterious views through wafts of mist during the ridge walk over Meall an T-Snaim and to Sron Coire a' Chriochairein the weather was quite reasonable: dry with sunny spells, not too cold and not too windy apart from a few sections.
Although the visibility was in general rather moderate I had at least clear views down the impressive craggs of Coire Adair, the Lochan and The Window which was a nice variety and an entertaining diversion after all the walks over moorland (although I do like walking on moors! but it was a bit much the last days :wink: ). Else, it was a bit busier on this walk than the other days.
The descent down The Window made it up for the ,,missing descents" on the previous parts of the walk. The upper part of the corrie is filled with great boulders which block the already eroded path partly. So it took me some time to navigate through and over these obstacles. I couldn't figure out if there was a second path more to the right. At one point the path once switched to the right but soon I was back to the left side :? However, it is a looong descent.
At the Lochan a' Choire I took some time to take pictures of these impressive crags, remembering the report of Tim (https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=81131) that he spend about an hour sitting at the Lochan (on a perfect morning with clear blue sky and sunshine :wink:) - anyway, it is a perfect place to contemplate even on a cloudy afternoon and it is definitely worth to come back in the morning to have the sunlight in the back for better pictures.
The walk along the wild and heathery banks of Allt Coire Ardair on fairly even ground was very relaxing, later the path undulates upwards and the scenery changes. More and more the sun came out and contributed for a very pleasant atmosphere during this long route back to the car park.
DSC00998 pitched path 2690.jpg
nice pitched path

DSC01002 muddy place690.jpg
later the path became more ,,natural" :-)), but there were only few boggy places

DSC01012 first sight of cairn690.jpg
At the cairn of Càrn Liath was a family thinking about whether to continue or to return considering the strong wind and the rain which welcomed us on the ridge.

DSC01013 family leaving690.jpg
family contemplating options - finally they continued but descended after Stob Poite Coire Ardair

DSC01017 ascending to 1690.jpg
Uinneag Coire a' Chriorainn, a little dip before Meall An T-Snaim

DSC01023 fencepost ridge in mist690.jpg
rusty fence posts leading towards the next bealach

DSC01031 bealach Uinness Min Choire690.jpg
Bealach Uinneag Mìn Choire

DSC01034 view back690.jpg
At Sron Coire a' Chriochairein the views opened up and the weather got better.


DSC01039 Sron Coire a Chriochairein690.jpg
outlook

DSC01041 view down valley690.jpg
Loch Laggan

DSC01042 fenceposts690.jpg
ridge towards Stob Poite Coire Ardair

DSC01044 lochan and cliffs690.jpg
I got a bit further below the ridge to enjoy the view down the crags and to the Loch

DSC01058 view window690.jpg

DSC01060 view to cairn 2690.jpg
Cairn of Stob Poite Coire Ardair in sight

DSC01063 view 2 Loch Laggan690.jpg
Summit View to Loch Laggan

DSC01066 getting to window690.jpg
tackling the third munro

DSC01070 mad megs cairn690.jpg
Mad Meg's Cairn looking gloomy.
According to local legend this mysterious cairn marks the grave of an 18th Century suicide, who was denied burial in the local kirkyards. Her family buried her high on Creag Meagaidh. The old stone walls of the cairn have collapsed, showing that a considerable volume of sandy soil had gone into the making of the cairn (https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/100577)

DSC01072 outlook690.jpg
whaleback-like ridge to Creag Meagaidh

DSC01075 summit view 3690.jpg
dramatic view towards the mountains around Fort William

DSC01078 summit view 3690.jpg
Am I looking at Beinn a' Chaorainn in front? - Ben Nevis in the background

DSC01088 view from Creag Meagaidh690.jpg
Loch Sguadaig?

DSC01089 Mad Meg Cairn690.jpg
Mad Meg's Cairn in sunshine

DSC01096 spotlight690.jpg
Spotlight

DSC01100 descending690.jpg
The Window

DSC01101 getting into window690.jpg
descending

DSC01105 look down690.jpg
another looong way down

DSC01109 stone avalanche690.jpg
looking back

DSC01118 tower clifs690.jpg
crags towering above

DSC01136 bench at lochan690.jpg
Lochan A' Choire

DSC01140 view from lochan690.jpg

DSC01153 wild river690.jpg
wild valley

DSC01166 path690.jpg
path above Allt Coire Ardair

DSC01170 1 seat690.jpg
viewpoint with seat
:D
DSC01155 poller690.jpg

DSC01169 Loch Laggan690.jpg
another window
User avatar
Grisu
Walker
 
Posts: 594
Munros:122   Corbetts:4
Fionas:2   
Hewitts:33
Wainwrights:27   
Joined: Mar 13, 2017
Location: Norden, Germany

5 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: grahamyarr and 9 guests