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Having seen the forecast I had to get out and enjoy the last arctic blast of winter. Making a virtue out of necessity- I can count near 200 munros among the hills I've done alone using public transport , a very particular list, you may well ask what is the point? - I don't know why is the honest answer ,I only count hills done this way.
Tuesday morning up early, packed rucksack, caught train to tulloch and walked out along forest track from roughburn towards bealach a bharnish, thinking I might camp on craig meagaidh, not today, the wind/snowstorm as came out of trees decided against it. Found a sheltered spot by burn, looking through rucksack after tent was up I realised I had forgot my sleeping mat not vital but useful in snow. Ah well- tent pegs, food, lighter/matches(after walk in to bothy in nov- none left there either -whisky got me through) are just some things I've forgot over the years. Jacket, bit bubble wrap, rucksack did for insulation ,water and boots were frozen in morning. Cloud and more snow had come down overnight- I could just make out a large herd of deer as they came down into coire. Packed gear and plodded through some deep drifted snow to bealach then on a bearing up slopes to meagaidh, knowing nearer the top it would be wind scoured/iced with fenceposts to lead way to cairn. The cloud lifted on the way up but it was too cold to stop at cairn. Contemplated carrying on over to cairn laith down to garva bridge then out to laggan or newtonmore but even with nightwalking would struggle to get home before thurs afternoon anyway I didn't want another cold bum from sleeping out so reversed route back to tulloch train & home to warm bed.
Was sorry to miss coire ardair and cliffs but needs must-never added to 'favourite hills slept out on' and only added 1 munro to those done alone with public transport-but more importantly I caught the last blast of winter -there's nothing like snow covered scottish hills-I love them.
here's a few poor pictures-you canna see cold...
- cold bum
- way up
- clearing
- view north
- unclear view south
- station soon