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Had very limited time to get a walk done, I couldn't leave the house till 10 and needed to be back for 6.
Figured if I could find a hill within a 2 hour each way drive, I would have time for a 4 hour walk. I also decided to take my dog, Harvey, with me for his first munro. Having lived on both the Ayrshire and Lothian coasts my boxer dog is more of a salty sea dog than a mountain goat so I wasn't sure how he would get on so I didn't want to choose anything too challenging. After scouring WH I settled on these two munros at Drumochter, at the beginning of the Cairngorms National Park.
- Harvey ready to go
Parked up at Balsporran Cottages, gear on, dog chomping at the bit. Crossed at the level crossing and headed up the path where I saw a notice from the estate to keep all dogs on leads. Had been planning to do this anyway as whilst he is not interested in sheep he will chase grouse and hares if they shoot across his path and with the cliffs on A'Mharconaich later I didn't want to take any risks. We took the second right turn off the path which heads straight up the slopes towards the summit of Geal-Charn.
- Track towards Geal-Charn
The path soon peters out to become a grass/mud track as height is gained. As within any direct path to a munro summit it was steep in places and could potentially be boggy after sustained bad weather. The recent dry spell meant it was little more than walking on churned up wet grass, for the most part straightforward going.
- early pace gets tongues wagging
- muddy track to false summit
The sun was quite strong so we stopped at the false summit where a cairn and wind shelter sit to have a water break. Harvey was still bursting with energy and having no problem with the climb, I poured some water over his head just to keep him cool to be on the safe side as there is no water on this munro.
- on false summit
Refreshed we continued on the short, easy pull up to the true summit. Harvey's first munro in the bag.
- nearly there!
- Geal-Charn bagged
- summit cairn
Ready to push onto number two. I could imagine that in thick clag it could be a wee bit tricky to navigate as it is a large rocky plateau. A bearing SW from the summit cairn leads to an easy descent off the munro top to head towards the beleach that joins to the neighbouring munro of A'Mharconaich. This is a nice easy descent path, such a change from some of the stone bone crunching paths I've descended off recently.
- Looking over to A'Mharconaich
- View over Loch Ericht
There is a cairn marking the turn off the path onto a track leading up the slopes of A'Mharconaich, this is at a nice gradient, although not the most direct route. As we got just over half way up the munro, I could see a sheep with its lamb further along the path. Having the dog I decided to leave the path at this point and take a more direct, steeper line up to the broad ridge above. This was the toughest part on a fairly easy afternoon's climb. Reaching the path at the top signalled the end of the ascent for the day with just a gentle track leading to the summit. Harvey was doing well as we reached the second and final summit of the day.
- gentle track to the summit
- summit of A'Mharconaich looking over to Ben Alder area
- Job done, time to admire the scenery
Time to head down we carefully made our way down off the steep pathless side avoiding the precipitous cliffs on our right and headed along the spur where we stopped briefly for food and water. Lovely views along this nice descent before we hit a boggier section - could have been a lot trickier but for the drying out it will have had recently, care was taken as there was tell tale signs of peat hags about but we managed just fine.
- Looking back from spur to summit of A'Mharconaich
- Looking across to first munro Geal-Charn
I left the path and veered left knowing I could get back onto the outward track by crossing the Allt Coire Fhar burn. This would allow the dog to have a dip and a long cool drink, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We then walked the short trip back to the car. A short but lovely walk. Great to know the dog enjoyed it and was more than capable of completing these hills, I look forward to taking him with me again soon.
- Another two in the bag