15 Ben Wyvis 29th August 2009
Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 6:07 pmWhilst up in the Highland's visiting my sister I thought I would take the opportunity to take in one of the northern Munro's. I decided on Ben Wyvis (Glas Leathad Mor), it's translation means Big Grey-green hill but I think Big Misty Wet hill would be more apt.
I parked up off the A835, not far from the bridge over the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir. The information board here tells me "A great view awaits you"! Oh really, I'll take your word for it as the mist spoiled any great view to be had. The weather wasn't too bad to start with but it was a different story on the ridge. Anyway, I've got my waterproofs on so I struck a pose and set off.
The walk takes you alongside the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir through Garbat Forest and not long after leaving the forest you take a left and head for the southwest ridge of An Cabar. The path up An Cabar has been upgraded and the bouldered staircase helps on the ascent but destroyed my knee's on the descent. Further up there's more dirt and I spotted a Ptarmigan on the way.
Nearing the top I took a photo of the way I came. Looking down to the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir and on the right hand side you can see Garbat Forest.
Once I reached the summit of An Cabar, passing two cairns on the way, I had in front of me what should have been a straightforward 2km walk over grass to Glas Leathad Mor's summit. Unfortunately, once I reached the ridge the weather turned nasty. The wind turned extreme and it was a hard push through these 2km's to the summit cairn.
Thankfully the wind died down a bit when I reached the trig point and I bunkered down into the stone enclosure and had a spot of lunch before 3 other poor, drenched souls turned up.
A circuit can be made from the summit by heading out northeast, dropping to a col and then climbing Tom a' Choinnich. From there you walk down its southwest ridge to the Allt a' Garbh Bhaid following it through the trees to a forestry track which leads you back to the initial path. However, as the weather was so bad I decided it would be safer for me just to head back the way I came.
As has happened to me before (Ben Lomond, in particular), the weather turns perfect just as I am nearing the end! I turned round to get this beautiful shot of An Cabar and the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir on the way back.
I parked up off the A835, not far from the bridge over the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir. The information board here tells me "A great view awaits you"! Oh really, I'll take your word for it as the mist spoiled any great view to be had. The weather wasn't too bad to start with but it was a different story on the ridge. Anyway, I've got my waterproofs on so I struck a pose and set off.
The walk takes you alongside the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir through Garbat Forest and not long after leaving the forest you take a left and head for the southwest ridge of An Cabar. The path up An Cabar has been upgraded and the bouldered staircase helps on the ascent but destroyed my knee's on the descent. Further up there's more dirt and I spotted a Ptarmigan on the way.
Nearing the top I took a photo of the way I came. Looking down to the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir and on the right hand side you can see Garbat Forest.
Once I reached the summit of An Cabar, passing two cairns on the way, I had in front of me what should have been a straightforward 2km walk over grass to Glas Leathad Mor's summit. Unfortunately, once I reached the ridge the weather turned nasty. The wind turned extreme and it was a hard push through these 2km's to the summit cairn.
Thankfully the wind died down a bit when I reached the trig point and I bunkered down into the stone enclosure and had a spot of lunch before 3 other poor, drenched souls turned up.
A circuit can be made from the summit by heading out northeast, dropping to a col and then climbing Tom a' Choinnich. From there you walk down its southwest ridge to the Allt a' Garbh Bhaid following it through the trees to a forestry track which leads you back to the initial path. However, as the weather was so bad I decided it would be safer for me just to head back the way I came.
As has happened to me before (Ben Lomond, in particular), the weather turns perfect just as I am nearing the end! I turned round to get this beautiful shot of An Cabar and the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir on the way back.
). As stated in the report there's a man made, bouldered staircase a lot of the way up An Cabar, and the rest is like the photo of the track with the Ptarmigan. The ridge from An Cabar to Glas Leathad Mor is grassy but can't remember of there was a distinct path all the way to the summit.