free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
I recently posted my first walk report on WalkHighlands and was very encouraged by the lovely comments I received so I decided to publish more! I am a trainee Mountain Leader so currently doing the write up for my D-Log and hope some of my reports will be helpful for other site users.
My colleague Stewart who had previously done a few hikes with me was keen to do some cold weather camping but as he had little experience of wild camping in general I suggested we bag a couple of Munros and camp afterwards. Daylight was starting to become a bit more forgiving so we chose to do Stob Coire Sgriodain and Chno Dearg. We take turns to drive for hikes so it was Stewart's turn, he picked me up at 6:30am and we set off north. After a breakfast stop at McDonald's at the services in Perth, we headed up north along the A9 and turned off at Dalwhinnie to drive along the picturesque A86. The weather forecast improved the further north we drove with the sun lighting up the still snow covered summits of Creag Meagaidh and neighbours.
We parked at the end of a road near Fersit around 9am, got ready and started the hike, which initially took us past some farms, on a track sign posted for Corrour Station. Soon we turned off and started the climb towards the first Munro of the day, Stob Coire Sgriodain. The track was now faint and boggy and soon disappeared altogether. We kept aiming for the shoulder of Sron Na-Garb-Bheinne, covering rough ground and sometimes scrambling up crags, which made the walk a little more interesting. Halfway up the climb we came across one of the more unusual sights on a Munro - a football. Not entirely sure what would possess someone to play football halfway up a Munro!
As we gained altitude, the wind picked up and was blowing ominous looking rain clouds our way. We could see the showers covering the nearby Easains and the Creag Meagaidh range but just by luck they missed us.
- Snow showers in the distance
As we reached the summit plateau, disappointingly we were shrouded by cloud which obstructed the dramatic view down to Loch Treig beneath us. We put on waterproofs, expecting to be hit by a snow shower but nothing came of it. We reached the first summit of the day where we had lunch and chatted to a couple of fellow hikers who were doing the route in reverse. Just as we were finishing our lunch, the cloud drifted away revealing the magnificent views across the loch and towards the Mamores and Ben Nevis. This could only mean one thing - photo time!
- Clouds clearing over Loch Treig
- Lunch buddy
Having made the most of the break in the weather we packed up and headed along the ridge to Stob Coire Sgriodain's south top and beyond, on to the grassy slopes of Chno Dearg. There was still some residual snow but it was soft enough to kick steps into so there was no need to get crampons out of the bag.
- Chno Dearg - next summit
As we started the climb up towards Chno Dearg, the clouds cleared fully, revealing bright blue sky and warm sunshine. The ascent wasn't steep and we soon reached the summit of the second Munro. There was still snow on the summit but it was soft and the Munro is a rounded hill with no steep sides. We had a break at the summit cairn, enjoying a hot drink while admiring the views around us. The sky looked ominous over the Cairngorms and all around us the nearby hills were still being hit by snow showers but our Munro was completely free of precipitation. We finished our break, reluctantly pulling ourselves away from the views and tranquility and started the descent.
Initially the terrain was rocky but soon it smoothed out and became grassy and very boggy from all the snow melt. There was no path to follow but we could see the farms we passed earlier on in the day and headed in that general direction. It was a long slog through very wet ground and soggy feet were inevitable. We then picked up a stream and followed it back down to the farms where we once again picked up the farm track back to the car park.
I was glad to change into a dry pair of socks and boots back at the car. There wasn't much daylight left so rather that trying to find a suitable camping spot in the farmland nearby we headed to Creag Meagaidh Nature Reserve where the land owner allows people to camp for a donation. We set up our tents and as this was the first time we camped together we checked out each other's set ups. I had my Vango Mirage Pro 200 with a 4 season Vango Thermocore and Snugpak Softie Expansion 4 sleeping bag. Stewart had a Decathlon Quechua 2 person dome tent, Alpkit Whisper sleeping mat and the same sleeping bag as me, which he bought on my recommendation for the colder weather. For dinner I was making Teriyaki mushroom and pork mince with pea rice - the pork was cooked on a cheap AdventureRidge camping stove and I used the pot attachment from my Highlander Fastboil stove to cook the rice and peas. A bit of a gourmet meal but we were camping close to the car and could afford to bring more cooking gear. Even Stewart, who is normally a fussy eater, was impressed and enjoyed a hot meal at a picnic bench.
Snow was forecast that night and even though I was secretly hoping it would snow, it was too mild. No further precipitation came that evening and we retreated to our tents. The temperature dropped in the morning and there was a bitterly cold wind with the air temperature of 3 degrees Celsius but it was still dry. We packed up our gear, cooked porridge for breakfast and started heading home. We stopped at Loch Laggan so that I could go for a swim (it was rather chilly) so after a quick pit stop in Dalwhinnie for a hot chocolate we drove south down the A9.
- Everyone loves a Highland Coo
Summary:
Munros summited: Stob Coire Sgriodain & Chno Dearg
Munro count: 107 & 108
Height: 979m & 1046m
Distance: 13.5km
Time: 7.5 hours
Conditions: Changeable - moderate wind, sunshine, cloud cover, snow showers all around except for where we were
Lessons learned: Chno Dearg's alternative name is Bogwarts and apparently Stob Coire Sgriodain doubles up as a football pitch.
