Meall Buidhe & Stuchd an Lochain
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:37 pm
I managed to escape the torrential rain in Edinburgh and headed North to one of my favourite parts of the Highlands, Glen Lyon. Had to stop of at the van in the parking area at Glen Ogle on the way up, the lure of a bacon roll and a coffee were too strong to allow me to drive past, its well worth a visit if you are heading this way. Plenty of activity around Ben Lawers car park as there was an event taking place.
The weather was great for walking, high cloud, warm with very little wind, perfect. There were plenty of cars in the car park below the Giorra dam, everyone taking advantage of the weather and heading for the hills.
Started walking at 10.20 followed the stony track for a few hundred metres on the north side of Loch an Daimh, ignored the first track and turned off just past the small dam on the track heading up towards the ridge. The start of the path is a bit boggy but it's not long before you are up on firmer ground; there is a bit more boggy ground before you reach the summit of Meall a'Phuill but nothing which caused any problems. Once on the top of Meall a'Phuill the route to the Cairn on Meall Buidhe stretched out along the ridge in front of you, I reached the summit in an hour and a quarter. The view from the summit was superb with a clear view of Rannoch Moor and West towards Glencoe and of Stuchd an Lochain which was going to be my second Munro of the day. I had a good quick walk back down to the car park, took me a further 45 mins, stopped at the car for 20 minutes for a coffee and cheese roll before heading across the bridge and up the track above the boat house towards Stuchd an Lochain. The first part of the track is steep and wet as you are walking up through a stream in places but it was easy going up to the top and then its a great ridge walk along to the summit of Stuchd an Lochain. Half way along the ridge I could see a storm heading my way from the NW, I had plenty of advance warning so stopped and put on my waterproofs just before the rain arrived. It chucked it down for about 20 minutes but soon moved away and it didn't spoil the view from the summit which was superb, particularly the view down to Lochan nan Cat directly below the summit. I didn't stay long on the top and was back at the car at 3.20, I changed into something dry and headed off back along the road to Ben Lawers and Killin. Just before I reached the Ben Lawers car park a rescue helicopter went by with the winch man waving out of the door. I later learned that an elderly walker had died on the Tarmacan Ridge, what a shame and my sympathies to the man's family. I think if I had the choice I would much rather pass away in the mountains than in a hospital bed, I've already told the better half where I want my ashes scattered.
The weather was great for walking, high cloud, warm with very little wind, perfect. There were plenty of cars in the car park below the Giorra dam, everyone taking advantage of the weather and heading for the hills.
Started walking at 10.20 followed the stony track for a few hundred metres on the north side of Loch an Daimh, ignored the first track and turned off just past the small dam on the track heading up towards the ridge. The start of the path is a bit boggy but it's not long before you are up on firmer ground; there is a bit more boggy ground before you reach the summit of Meall a'Phuill but nothing which caused any problems. Once on the top of Meall a'Phuill the route to the Cairn on Meall Buidhe stretched out along the ridge in front of you, I reached the summit in an hour and a quarter. The view from the summit was superb with a clear view of Rannoch Moor and West towards Glencoe and of Stuchd an Lochain which was going to be my second Munro of the day. I had a good quick walk back down to the car park, took me a further 45 mins, stopped at the car for 20 minutes for a coffee and cheese roll before heading across the bridge and up the track above the boat house towards Stuchd an Lochain. The first part of the track is steep and wet as you are walking up through a stream in places but it was easy going up to the top and then its a great ridge walk along to the summit of Stuchd an Lochain. Half way along the ridge I could see a storm heading my way from the NW, I had plenty of advance warning so stopped and put on my waterproofs just before the rain arrived. It chucked it down for about 20 minutes but soon moved away and it didn't spoil the view from the summit which was superb, particularly the view down to Lochan nan Cat directly below the summit. I didn't stay long on the top and was back at the car at 3.20, I changed into something dry and headed off back along the road to Ben Lawers and Killin. Just before I reached the Ben Lawers car park a rescue helicopter went by with the winch man waving out of the door. I later learned that an elderly walker had died on the Tarmacan Ridge, what a shame and my sympathies to the man's family. I think if I had the choice I would much rather pass away in the mountains than in a hospital bed, I've already told the better half where I want my ashes scattered.