Walkhighlands

Date: Sunday 18 September 2011
Distance: 41km (walk 28km, cycle 13km) approx
Ascent: 2,000m approx
Time: 10.3hrs
Attendees: me

Haven’t been around much recently due to family commitments etc – missed Graeme’s Kintail meet as a result - and it had been 4 weeks since I’d last been on the hills. Planned an overnighter in order to cover the 8 munros north and south of Loch Laggan.

Today was north with south tomorrow.



Up early and drove to Dalwhinnie then down Loch Laggan.



Parked in the car park at Aberarder. Weather was dry at this point but overcast. Got the bike out and cycled down to Roughburn. Then managed to get the bike over the fence and locked it up to a tree just down from the track. Started up the track through the woods – initially took a wrong turning at 371821 but soon corrected and went back. On coming out of the woods then had to find a way to cross the Allt a’ Chaorainn before continuing northwards on the edge of the trees.

Views opening up behind me



Early stages were quite boggy and couldn’t really find a track to follow but it was reasonable heather and moorland.



From a promising start, the weather turned for the worse and it started raining – stopped to put on waterproofs as it looked like it was going to stay on. Reached the summit of Beinn Teallach and the clag was down – this was going to be the story of the day, ie clear bits in between and clag on the tops.



I then headed NE to avoid the crags and then drop down around Tom Mor to cross the Allt. Found a way to cross it and then started up the hillside towards Beinn a Chaorainn.

Looked back to Beinn Teallach



And over to Loch Sguadaig



Quite steep in places and I was starting to find it quite hard going. I’d hardly had any exercise at all for about a month and was starting to feel it. Still, I reckoned that going clockwise would mean that I’d get the harder section over at the start.

Fairly clear for most of the rest of the way but the clag was down again at the summit



Great view....huh



I decided against walking down to the south top and headed back up the ridge before heading off NE for the long walk to Creag Meagaidh.

Could now see where I was going again



Headed via the Bealach a’ Bharnish. Don’t know if there was a track or not but if there was I couldn’t find it. The moorland wasn’t difficult for walking over though.

Down below the cloud I could see more of the views around me





Higher up a line of old fenceposts started – useful in poor weather



Before getting the top.....again in the clag



Met some other walkers at the summit. The next section to Stob Poite Coire Ardair was quite short and easy going. Got some views under the cloud of the lochans.





Same old story – couldn’t see anything on the top of Stob Poite Coire Ardair....



Then began the final long section towards Carn Liath. There was now a path for much of the way which made things a lot easier.

Down below the cloud again I could once again see round me.





The annoying thing was that Ben Alder & co to the south and the hills up by Newtonmore seemed to have sun on them most of the time whereas I seemed to be in cloud/mist.

Approach to Carn Liath was clearer



And the cloud did lift a bit so that I could see down to Loch Laggan and back to Coire Ardair







But by the time I got to the top of Carn Liath, guess what was visited on me yet again...the clag



Traced my steps back a short way before taking the track back down to the car park. It was very boggy in places and followed a stream through some lightly wooded sections...on the plus side I could see more round me again.





Back down at the Aberarder I found an information point and public toilet – very handy. Got to the car and then drove down to Roughburn to pick up my bike before getting some dinner. Parked the car in the layby about 1km SW of Moy Lodge as I was staying overnight in order to walk the 3 to the south of Loch Laggan the next day.

Nice long walk there rockhopper, another set of hills I hadn't thought of combining.
What was the cycle like along the loch? I assume it was quite flat, but I bet it had some dodgy traffic.

M.I.A - like myself

I thought you would do the 8 in 1 day . When i did these, in glorious sunshine (anti clockwise - i like a tough finish ), i actually though that the 8 could be done in a day....and your gooodself was an ideal candidate/crazy man to take them on

Shame about the clag. I would recommend doing the Creag Meagaidh trio, perhaps in winter, as the views are fab.

Now how will the other 3 be tackled....

p.s have you done the 4 at Loch Treig yet?

Another big effort rockhopper, pity about the lack of views though ,was up creag meagaidh last saturday and loved it

God-damn it rockhopper that's 25 miles and 6500feet of ascent love that first pic, a shame the clag kept sneaking in and out at the worst times, incredible effort though, hope you got better weather for day 2

Here's me thinking you had retired then out of the blue comes this epic. Good to see you're still going strong and enjoying your long walks/cycles

skuk007 wrote:What was the cycle like along the loch? I assume it was quite flat, but I bet it had some dodgy traffic.

Fairly easy going - probably about 150m ascent with a few smallish hills but relatively flat. Very little traffic but then it was around 0830 on a Sunday morning.

dooterbang wrote:M.I.A - like myself

dooterbang wrote:Now how will the other 3 be tackled.... p.s have you done the 4 at Loch Treig yet?

Standard route for the other 3 I'm afraid - WR now posted. Not likely to get to Loch Treig until next year - have an idea for an overnighter route worked out for the east of Loch Treig and Loch Ossian - not definite yet though

cheers pigeon and chris

Johnny Corbett wrote:Here's me thinking you had retired

a spell of clag induced disillusionment and family commitments plus the fact that I'm running out of nearby munros - starting to look at corbetts

Another great epic there Rockhopper.

I too am running low on nearby munro's. looking at 2 & a half hours drive each way to get up them hills

regards

Jonny

Another excellent report Rockhopper. Shame about the clag though. Not sure if I would cycle that road with all the nutters driving it