A hill that lives up to its name.

[PathfinderPaul]

Maoile Lunndaigh 2023-07-09 20_54_04.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

The meaning of the the name if this hill is , “bare hill of the wet place.” Well for me it certainly lived up to its name
Very heavy rain the previous day and through the night didn’t make this look a very good outing
By 10.30 it looked as though it might clear, so with encouragement from Ponyexpress, I decided to “go for it” She made it clear she wasn’t coming!
Getting to Craig I was shocked at the packed car park, but it was a Saturday. It was still raining so on with the waterproofs
But within half an hour the sun came out, so it was off with the waterproofs
When I got to the deer gate a rugged jeep type vehicle came by and stopped , the driver Jonnie, asked me where I was going , when I mentioned Maoile Lunndaidh , he asked if I on my way back I would call at the lodge, where they were staying. He said he was hoping to climb it & wanted to know what paths I found, he said there would be refreshments.
I wasn’t looking forward to the peat hags . I left the bike a short distance before the lodge and headed off for the “hags”. Some of the burns were very swollen, so there was some risky leaping.
Then I had navigation problems, with the Garmin, normally reliable, wouldn’t load the route (later a software update sorted it out)
So then I resorted to Outdoor Active on the phone, which didn’t work too well as I hadn’t downloaded the map
Some would ask why ever wasn’t the map and compass brought out
Laziness is the simple answer and overconfidence , as visibility was very good. I was soon off course meandering through the “hags”! I did come to a burn on the side of the hill, but NOT the hill I wanted to go up
IMG_20230709_144900_691 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
I now realised I needed to track accross the side of the mountain to make my way up to the first summit, but even more navigation errors and having come into a boulder field , I now found myself going round into the Corrie
At this point in the day I finally got the map and compass out and worked a slightly slippy way up a small stream and out of the Corrie

IMG_20230709_161630_458 by Joan Howard, on Flickr

IMG_20230709_161625_481 by Joan Howard, on Flickr

It was now of course fairly straightforward to the first summit.
IMG_20230709_164120_646 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
I could see a couple ahead near the second summit , but I never got close to them, but of course a nice path to follow
IMG_20230709_164124_307 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
IMG_20230709_170948_355 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
I wanted to see if there was any path that I could pickup to make my way down and miss any of the peat hags

IMG_20230709_172925_996 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
And, “yes” there is a faint path that can be picked out in the descent
As I got lower , the sunshine broke out and there were great views into the Corrie, where I strayed earlier
IMG_20230709_180534_624 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
I could even study where I’d managed my “escape”, before getting round to the much steeper cliffs
As I got close to the burn coming down from Creag Dhubh Mhor, I found the path fairly clearly

IMG_20230709_181412_939 by Joan Howard, on Flickr

IMG_20230709_181421_214 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
A chance to “look back” and see the amount of water flowing down the mountain
IMG_20230709_182958_969 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
Also a good view of the mountain, looks much simpler from a distance
IMG_20230709_182951_581 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
The ground was pretty rough, but I managed to “discern” the path, which followed the burn
IMG_20230709_183005_301 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
As the clock was ticking , I now entered “peat hag” territory, but path eventually led to the River Meig, where I picked up a very wet land rover track, with burns to “jump”
I managed to stay reasonably dry and eventually got to Glenuaig Lodge, where Jonnie , his wife and I think her sister were enjoying the evening sunset sitting outside (no midges!) . He was as good as his word and refreshments were produced I turned down the alcohol as I was driving. I reported my “discoveries “ of the path on the way down
IMG_20230709_194740_717 by Joan Howard, on Flickr
However he saved the real “treat” as I prepared to leave, he asked if I would like to put my bike in his jeep and have a lift down the track It would have been rude to refuse So a great end to the day and he dropped me off at the deer gate, after which its all downhill
IMG_20230709_194709_074 by Joan Howard, on Flickr

[Ponyexpress]

I’m NOT sorry I missed this one