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.

Creag Meagaidh

Creag Meagaidh


Postby litljortindan » Sat Sep 02, 2023 10:21 pm

Route description: Creag Meagaidh circuit

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

Date walked: 01/09/2023

Time taken: 9 hours

Distance: 22 km

Ascent: 1100m

4 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).

Image
Fine morning. It had been misty all the way to Aviemore and I almost decided to go to Cairngorm instead to get some sunrise photos above the cloud but I stuck with plan A of Creag Meagaidh. This photo taken from my short detour up the wrong path.

Image

Image
Path junction. Thought this was going to be easy courtesy of the stepped path but this runs out about a third of the way up, giving way to an ok but slower path.

Image
View south west.

Image
Zoom of the window.

Image
Looking south in the direction of the car park.

Image
The ridge ahead looks fine in the early morning light. However, there's no wind so I am finding it hard going. Anything for a breeze!

Image
A good view into Coire Ardair. I did a walk along the cliff top there in 2015 which I remember well for being the first time I had a pain-free fall in a year and a half. Also memorable for being a great walk, of course!

Image
My 2015 walk was basically along the skyline here.

Image
Back in 2023 I am relieved to reach the first Munro of the day, Carn Liath. It was a bit of a slog to get here but at least a wee breeze appeared for the last 200m of ascent.
The ascent path actually hits the ridge a bit west of the summit cairn so it feels like a bit of chore to get there, not least because of the stony ground. However, there are good views all around and I find that I have got there on schedule so quite please with that.

Image
To the north there is an arc of inversion cloud from horizon to horizon. I have mixed feelings about seeing this as maybe I could have got a sunrise inversion elsewhere but, on the other hand, I was executing plan A and it was going to plan.

Image
After 100m of descent the going improves greatly from a game of dodge stone to a loping stroll on deer-manicured grass.

Image
Part of the inversion to the north and west.

Image

Image
Zoom of Coire Ardair.

Image

Image
Last part of the ridge before the Stob Oite Coire Ardair slopes.

Image
One or two crags and gullies along the way but nowhere as spectacular as around Coire Ardair.

Image
Looking back at Carn Liath, Not much up or down in between.

Image

Image
Creag Meagaidh with Ben Nevis beyond.

Image

Image
Stob Poite Coire Ardair cairn.

Image

Image
Easy descent to the window.

Image
Surprisingly easy ascent out of the window.

Image
Not too far to Creag Meagaidh now.

Image

Image

Image
Good views to the south west.

Image
Stark landscape to the north.

Image

Image
Looking west again.

Image
Had a short break at the summit then decided to detour slightly to view some of the nearer by clifftops. Did think of descending via the south east ridge again but I was a bit low on water for that and didn't think I'd get such benign conditions as in 2015.

Image

Image
Some fine crags and gullies not far from the window.

Image
And a bit of fair weather cloud to keep the sun off a bit.

Image

Image

Image
Then it is time for the descent from the window. Not something I was looking forward to but my knees survived ok and not as bad as expected.

Image
Plenty to admire in between negotiating loose stones etc.

Image
And back onto easier terrain.

Image

Image
Fine reflections in Lochan a' Choire.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

After a short break spent admiring those reflections it was an easy stroll back to the car.

User avatar
litljortindan
Ambler
 
Posts: 2519
Munros:171   Corbetts:68
Fionas:29   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:47   Hewitts:12
Wainwrights:10   
Joined: Dec 11, 2011

Re: Creag Meagaidh

Postby rockhopper » Sun Sep 03, 2023 9:55 am

Nice morning for it and worth the detour up the wrong path for the sunrise :thumbup: - cheers 😀
User avatar
rockhopper
 
Posts: 7533
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:145   Donalds:89+20
Sub 2000:16   Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:3   Islands:26
Joined: May 31, 2009
Location: Crieff

Re: Creag Meagaidh

Postby litljortindan » Sun Sep 03, 2023 6:37 pm

rockhopper wrote:Nice morning for it and worth the detour up the wrong path for the sunrise :thumbup: - cheers 😀


Sunrise always liable to draw me off course if necessary. It was a good day. A bit anxious about the descent from the window but I'm happy to say that my knees stood the test. The rest was very enjoyable.
User avatar
litljortindan
Ambler
 
Posts: 2519
Munros:171   Corbetts:68
Fionas:29   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:47   Hewitts:12
Wainwrights:10   
Joined: Dec 11, 2011

Re: Creag Meagaidh

Postby johnbythell » Sun Sep 03, 2023 11:03 pm

Ha ha, we must have photographed many of the same clouds - I was on the Geal-charn ridge on the same day and took several of the Creag Meagaidh range looking north..
User avatar
johnbythell
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 200
Munros:162   
Joined: Sep 4, 2017

Re: Creag Meagaidh

Postby litljortindan » Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:01 pm

johnbythell wrote:Ha ha, we must have photographed many of the same clouds - I was on the Geal-charn ridge on the same day and took several of the Creag Meagaidh range looking north..


Yes, I think so. Always good to get a bit of cloud, both for the aesthetics and for a bit of extra sun screen imo.
User avatar
litljortindan
Ambler
 
Posts: 2519
Munros:171   Corbetts:68
Fionas:29   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:47   Hewitts:12
Wainwrights:10   
Joined: Dec 11, 2011

4 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 11 guests