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3am alarms for anything in life are always a struggle. Work definitely, holidays and days on the hills slightly bearable. But today, this was not for any type of day in the hills.
The forecast from MWIS and every other weather outlet was pointing towards one prediction. Blue skies, inversions and tropical temps of plus 4 degrees on the tops. Even the cautious Met Office were saying the same. Too good to turn down and as you'll see from the photos, it was a good decision.
A quick 2 hour jaunt up the A84 and A82 saw us starting out at just after 6 in the pitch black and foggy parking area of Achaladair Farm. Only one other vehicle met us on our arrival, a frozen campervan, so it looked like we were potentially the only early starters for these 2 munros.
The less said about the multiple crossings en route to the fallen bridge crossing the better. Fast flowing water under deceivingly thin sheets of ice were the order of the day for most. A few quick ice skating shuffles and one sock change later, we were on our way up the dry farm track to the dreaded girders.
Old bridge met, and to our surprise this was the easiest and last crossing of the morning. The water was frozen solid so an easy walk across the "water" using the left hand girder as a handrail (and safety pully in case of ice breaking).
Finally, after what felt like an age, the ascending began. On getting to the other side of the railway, we could start to see the light through the thick fog above and that certainty of an inversion was ever growing. A quick slog up to the lochan and we were finally above the cloud and a warm air was lingering making this feel more like a summer donder if it were not for the lying snow and slippy ice. The lochan looked incredible resembling an ice rink, though neither of us were keen to try it out
As always. with any inversion, it's best to admire from the highest point. And, having been stung in the past by strong sunlight burning away the cloud, we decided to get our skates (crampons) on and get to the top. The solid snow made the direct route up to the north ridge of Beinn a'Chreachain quick and painless. And of course, with every crunch, the views behind got better and better.
The final pull up to the first Munro gave us our first real wind of the day however nothing too bad and with the views all around us, we weren't too fussed.
Beinn a'Chreachain was finally reached...
We set off pretty quickly from Beinn a'Chreachain due to the wind but didn't have to move far to be back to calm conditions. The pace becoming slower due to the views and the impending steep ascent once over and down Meall Buidhe.
We could have stood just off the summit of Beinn a'Chreachain staring at the snow capped tops all around us for hours, eating 30p packs of cherry jellies and fizzy cola bottles, however, it was time to get a shift on. We met our first stranger of the day doing the route anti-clockwise. A quick blether and onwards. We navigated the frozen bog and deep snow at bealach an Aoghlain with ease and were now climbing once more. The sun was blasting the north eastern slopes of Beinn Achaladair getting some heat back in to the bones after the chill down at the bealach.
Another quick and easy pull up to the summit of the second Munro. Again met with stunning views in all directions.
And with that, after another cherry jellies feast,,the forecasted cloud on the tops came in and shrouded us just as we were setting off for the descent back to the car park. Perfect timing.
All in all, a sensational winter's day above the clouds!
