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A fortnight ago I climbed Beinn na Lap starting from the small parking area just shy of Rannoch Station and using The Road to the Isles to get over to Loch Ossian. When setting out, I still hadn't decided whether to do that route or this loop of the two Munros and the single Corbett so today it was a return to the same starting point to continue with my quest to stop going back to the Cairngorms and re-doing hills that I've done umpteen times.
Driving along Loch Rannoch side it was noticeable that it wasn't as packed with cars, vans, tents and campervans and today it was possible to use the odd passing place whereas two weeks ago it was like a scene from The Walking Dead with cars and vans just abandoned everywhere.
Midge free at the parking spot next to Loch Eigheach so I was able to take a few minutes to get myself set and started walking at 7:15am. A nice early morning, gentle breeze, blue sky and all the tops clear of cloud.
The first couple of miles is on a good track and just a gentle climb to start the day.
Approaching Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn I left The Road to the Isles and took the track on my right heading up Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn and running parallel and on the west side of the Allt Eigheach. After 5 minutes on this good track it was time to branch off and head up Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn. No path to follow at this stage, just pick what looks like the driest route and start the climb. A bit of meandering needed, damp in places but never that bad and I was able to gain a bit of height fairly quickly.
- Looking over to Rannoch Station and Loch Laidon beyond
- Heading for the hill on the left
- Allt Eigheach looking south
- Leaving The Road to the Isles
- Looking back towards the start
As is often the case I stumbled across a narrow track on the higher slopes of Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn and I was able to follow this all the way to Carn Dearg. On reaching the higher ground the clag seemed to come from nowhere, never that thick but thick enough to hide all the distant hills. There were no views to be had between Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn and Carn Dearg, the walking was easy and each time I climbed a top another would appear through the mist and this seemed to go on for ages before finally the last climb and I was at the top of Carn Dearg.
- Quite a lot of deer around today
- A very brief break in the clouds gave me a quick glimpse of a distant Corrour
- Small lochan approaching Carn Dearg
- One of a number of little tops between Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn and Carn Dearg
- Cairn on Carn Dearg
I sat at the top of Carn Dearg and pondered my next move. If the clag was going to be stubborn and hang around for hours I had the option of taking the route off the hill and down towards Loch Ossian and then picking up The Road to the Isles and heading back to the car. My preferred option was to continue on and do the intended loop, but I wanted to see the views rather than just tick off the hills and never return. I decided to give it an hour, the forecast was good so hopefully as the morning progressed the sun's heat would start to burn off the cloud. I hunkered down and got a little bit of shelter from the wind but in the clag it was quite cold and after half an hour I had to put the gloves on (age is a bummer, this wouldn't have happened twenty years ago
). After 45 minutes the clag started to clear and very quickly it became a sunny and warm morning so time to get going again.
- Route down to Loch Ossian - not required
- With the clag gone I can now see Sgor Gaibhre
- East end of Loch Ossian
The walk between the two Munros is straight forward although I initially missed the path on the lower slopes of Sgor Gaibhre so I made it a little rougher than it needed to be. Once on the path it was easy walking on a good path and I was quickly at the top.
- Heading towards Sgor Gaibhre
- The route between Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn and Carn Dearg
- Loads of frogs today
- The final easy climb up to Sgor Gaibhre
- Summit - Sgor Gaibhre
- Lochan a'Bhealaich below Sgor Gaibhre
- Loch Ericht
- Sgor Gaibhre
- Sgor Gaibhre
- View to Beinn Pharlagain
There was a healthy midge colony at the top of Sgor Gaibhre so I didn't hang around for long. A few photos, a look around at the great views and off towards the Corbett. A feint track can be followed nearly all the way to Beinn Pharlagain. As usual I was following the track, then I lost it then I stumbled upon it again. In the lower ground between the two hills there are some damp areas but a bit of easy meandering and I was through it. On reflection, I probably made a mistake on the last climb up to the top of Beinn Pharlagain in that I took a direct route to the top. This turned out to be very steep and wet so it took a bit of time. I think I should have veered to the west and taken an easier line to the top but as usual the Corbett proved to be the hardest hill of the day.
- Heading towards Beinn Pharlagain
- Another small lochan
- Approaching the final steep climb on Beinn Pharlagain
- Looking down on Lochan Meoigeach
- Summit photo afterthought - too busy chatting
At the top I met a couple of guys from Cumbria, we chatted for a while and I joined them for the descent off the hill. I had been in two minds between keeping to the east of the Allt Eigheach or trying to cross it to pick up the good track near Sron Leachd a' Chaorainn. They told me about a bridge they used to cross the river (I didn't know there was a bridge) and we just headed down to that. The descent was a bit drier than I was expecting but there were a few hidden holes in the undergrowth that caught us out a couple of times. Once over the bridge we said our goodbyes as they picked up their bikes and had a nice easy downhill back to their campervan.
- Looking back at the descent route of Beinn Pharlagain
My walk back to the car was back down the route in but by now it was mid afternoon and warm work but the views were terrific and unlike a fortnight ago, there were no clegs after my blood.
- Nearly back at the car
I'm really glad I went back to do this route as it was really enjoyable. Hopefully I can keep doing more new hills and give the Gorms a break for the rest of the year.
