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My initial plan for these hills was to walk/cycle then move further up the road and add Meall Chuiaich to save having to come back for it,i had checked walk reports and i reckoned i could complete the first two in 3.5 hours with Meall Chuiach maybe going to take 2.5 hrs if i used my bike.Well my plans were almost blown out of the water when i woke at 9am-4 hrs later than planned but i headed up anyway and still thought that if i could get round the first two in three and a half hours the last one would still be achievable and i'd be home at a decent time.
- start of the walk just off the A9 at the building site
i arrived at the lay-by and was on my way for half eleven on my bike which didnt last long as the steep rocky path up to 900m was too much for me so i proceeded to push the bike most of the way up which i have to say was very tiring.
- looking back toward the A9 from 900m
Upon reaching the top of the path i was glad to see that the paths leading to both Munro's were fairly easy gradients but i was slightly taken aback by the bland scenery which was on offer but i pressed on and headed out toward A'Bhuidheanach first and reached the end of the landrover track in quick time on the bike.A dip down to a small stream followed by a steady incline all the way got me to the first summit where i only stopped for a quick photo
- A'Bhuidheanach summit
before heading back the way i came to where the path splits and headed out toward Carn na Caim.Much of this is landrover tracks but its still possible to cycle all the way to the summit with only a small section of peat hags to cross just short of the summit.
- the featureless hillside leading to Carn nan Caim
- Carn na Caim summit
Again i reached the second summit in great time due to the bike but i was slightly concerned that my front tyre was slowly losing air but i got my summit pic and headed back as fast as i could manage,looking forward to free-wheeling all the way down the steep track to the van
But just as i started the downwhill ride disaster struck,my front tyre blew out and as the inner tube got caught up in the brakes it ripped the valve from the tube.......bugger!
- disaster-i've lost a tyre!
i was left with the decision of whether to walk back down with the bike or try and cycle without a front tyre...............i chose the shockingly boneshaking option of going on the bike which was fairly unpleasant to say the least but it managed to get me back to the van in short time and kept me right on the 3.5 hrs i had set for these two.
It was now 3 o'clock and i was still on course to drive up to Meall Chuiach but after studying the map i knew that to get the last one finished in 2.5 hrs was pretty optimistic without my bike so with much regret i chose to head home,cursing the blow-out that had scuppered the final leg of my intended route
These Munro's are probably best left till the winter,very un-inspiring at this time of the year with poor views and bland outlooks although maybe a different route would make it a better walk,still its another couple off the list,although adding in Meall Chuiach would have certainly made the trip more worthwhile for me