Munro-Monster on Tm Buidhe, Tolmount & Carn an't Sagairt Mor

[kevsbald]

The Munro-monster was surfacing again. I had to head North and get some kind of control. Anybody else experience this internal entity when they haven't done a hill for a while? I feel like some mad Jekyll & Hyde character ready to erupt. I left Glasgow at 0700 and parked up at Auchallater car park for 0900. I knew therefore that I had a long day ahead of me and was determined to enjoy a good stretch of the legs. The plan was simple - walk along to Loch Callater, up on to Crow Craigies and then grab Tolmount and Tom Buidhe. However, as much as I enjoyed the lovely walk in to the Loch and was surprised to see a white pony above me, it wasn't long before I experienced Jock's bog.

What you doing here?

Arty shot

The sound of the stags rutting was awesome and their calls reverberated across the coires and glens. I began the ascent up to the bealach and immediately felt the heart pounding but I was exorcising that monster. As I plateau'd out, it seemed a fairly easy climb up to Tolmount and from there, it wasn't 20 minutes before I was at the 1st cairn of the day.

Tolmount cairn looking back to Glen Clova

I sat and had a bite to eat and relished the peace and quiet. I could see a land rover and 2 ponies (they'd multiplied) above Coire Loch Kander and then heard gun shots booming across the coire. I imagine the ponies would be slightly redder towards the end of the day. A quick trip across and up to Tom Buidhe and I still felt fresh. It was only 1330 and I wasn't ready for turning back and down just yet. TB is an odd little bump with hardly any character to it whatsoever. Hard to believe it's a Munro actually. I met a walker/runner here who had been given 5 hours by his arthritic wife to do some hills and here he was bagging his 4th Munro and off to do Glas Maol and Creag Leacach, believing he would be back in plenty of time. Good effort. Rather than go back via Tolmount, I headed directly down towards the bealach and decided to stay high rather than face the bogs again.

Looking back to Tolmount and Tom Buidhe

Looking over to Carn an-'t Sagairt Mor

I checked the map and could see that I would be able to take in Carn an't Sagairt Mor before my descend and it would take me back at the head of Loch Callater. Poifect. I passed the Cairn of Gowal, while suffering 15 cardiac arrests by those f**king ptarmigan shooting out of the undergrowth. Bunnies were aplenty and were just beginning to turn white, in preparation for the snows. What a day. I began the short ascent up to Carn an't Sagairt Mor and saw two cairns about 100 m apart.

1st cairn - is it or isn't it the summit?

Baldy!

I made sure to touch both and stopped to take in the views - wonderful. I could see some snow on Ben Avon and the massive tors. Look forward to acquainting myself with you soon. As I headed down off the summit, I was stopped in my tracks by a site of devastation - what appeared like wreckage was scattered in amongst some rocks. It looked like remnants of a plane and I have since found out it was a Canberra plane which crashed back in 1956. Remarkably robust considering 53 Winters had passed. An odd site indeed.

Canberra crashed in Nineteen Oatcake

From a different angle

The path off this hill back to the Loch is an absolute joy to descend and I fair galloped down it. I was getting hungry and had eaten my hill food. Once back at the Loch, it was only a 3.5 mile walk back out and it was a good warm down. This route is excellent and circumvents the inevitable bogs at the far end of Loch Callater. I felt pacified once more - for the time being the Munro-monster was satiated.

[monty]

Hi Kev,
I beat you to these two, Tolmount and Tom Buidhe. I done them last Saturday with the addition of the Glas Maol 4. Totally clagged in for 90% of the journey. Looks like you had decent weather. Looking at your pictures comfirms my view that it was a featureless plateau but enjoyaeable just the same.

[NevJB]

The Munro-monster was surfacing again. I had to head North and get some kind of control. Anybody else experience this internal entity when they haven't done a hill for a while?

Hi Kev
All the time when not in the highlands - which is most of the time [down here in Essex]. At the moment trying to think how I can wangle a winter trip - but more than likely I'll have to wait until next May

[kevsbald]

Come North man! Ye cannae haud on to it for that long. It'll be too late for yooooooooo....

[monty]

Kev,
Did you notice that Tolmount summit seemed to have a whole regions worth of animal cac lying around all over the place

[Paul Webster]

Entertaining as ever - always look forward to your reports

Anybody else experience this internal entity when they haven't done a hill for a while?

He's left me alone for a while but his mate the Corbett Creature has been bugging me a bit.

[MunroHunter]

Hi all. First post. Looking to do Tolmount and Tom Buidhe as well as the Glad Maol 4 as a circular route. Has anyone got a route that they have done with this previously? Thanks for any help.

Hi Kev,
I beat you to these two, Tolmount and Tom Buidhe. I done them last Saturday with the addition of the Glas Maol 4. Totally clagged in for 90% of the journey. Looks like you had decent weather. Looking at your pictures comfirms my view that it was a featureless plateau but enjoyaeable just the same.

[kevsbald]

It's been so long since I did it, doubt I'd be much help. Good starting point might be Auchallater farm. Big day though.

[prog99]

Hi all. First post. Looking to do Tolmount and Tom Buidhe as well as the Glad Maol 4 as a circular route. Has anyone got a route that they have done with this previously? Thanks for any help.

I've done the round a few times now from the Devils Elbow parking. Last time I threw in The Cairnwell & Carn Aosda too.

[MunroHunter]

Thank you both for your reply. It’s ok the “to do” list.

Cheers