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7 Munroes and a pig

7 Munroes and a pig


Postby whiteburn » Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:08 pm

Munros included on this walk: A' Bhuidheanach Bheag, A' Mharconaich, Beinn Udlamain, Càrn na Caim, Geal-chàrn (Drumochter), Meall Chuaich, Sgàirneach Mhòr

Corbetts included on this walk: The Sow of Atholl

Date walked: 04/07/2012

Time taken: 18.5 hours

Distance: 56 km

Ascent: 2400m

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With the poor weather showing no signs of abating I decided to go for a wander in the hills around the Drumochter Pass taking in the 7 Munroes, unimpressive weather for unimpressive hills?


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I parked up in Dalwhinnie next to the railway bridge and after the midgies had a quick snack I set off down the south shore of Loch Ericht at around 11am with 2 night’s provisions.
After around 1km, at the end of the wood, I left the track and turned uphill towards Creagan Mor, a wet trudge across open moor with the summit hidden in the clouds.

IMG_0339.JPG

Was close to the cloud base at around 650m when the rain started, not heavy but enough to wet through in a short time so it was on with the shell then head down and continued the trudge uphill.
Creagan Mor, Geal-charn, A’ Mharconaich and Beinn Udlamain came and went in the mist and rain, didn’t really see much as the visibility was generally only 50m, not thick enough to give any real navigational difficulties but enough to spoil any general sightseeing and the camera stayed firmly inside it’s waterproof bag!
During the climb to the summit of Sgairneach Mhor the rain stopped and the cloud lifted briefly above the summits allowing a quick photo opportunity before I descending east towards to rumble of the A9.

pan.jpg

Reached the bealach before the Sow of Atholl around 6pm, not finding suitable campsite I loaded up with water and then headed for the summit of the Sow, didn’t want to camp in the valley and suffer the midgies and A9 noise. Soon settled into the practised routine; drink, eat, drink and early to bed with a dram listening to the rain. :)
The morning started at 6:30; light rain was still falling; stuck the head out of the tent, 30m visibility; another dreich day. By 8am I was on the hoof again heading downhill to the south in the rain! :(
An hour later I passed by Dalnaspidal Lodge, crossed the railway line and then headed directly across the A9 to join an ATV track up the ridge towards A'Bhuidheanach Bheag. The track petered out after a couple of km’s but easy going followed until a line of old steel fence posts appeared out of the mist and leading quickly to the summit, still raining! :(
The old fence line proved a good guide across the plateau and through the mist towards Carn na Caim, the fence changes direction about 200m short of the summit but the cairn was easily found even in 30m visibility, still raining! :(
The next leg of the route proved the most arduous in the poor visibility after heading south east for about 1 km (picking up the old fence line) it was around 5km cross country generally north east and I seemed to find every boggy bit on route, still raining! :(
Descending into Choire Chuaich the mist cleared and the rain stopped, 3 pm, I found a stream and stopped for a brew. Had originally planned on camping out another night somewhere around Meall Chuaich but after mulling the good progress and poor forecast I decided to push through back to Dalwhinnie, 3:30 back on the trail with 12+km ahead and it had started raining! :(
The climb up to the summit of Choire Chuaich from the bealach proved a bit of a slog, or perhaps the legs were objecting to the 20+km they’d already done, not the weather to hang around, turned west and downhill, still raining! :(
The rain had stopped by the time I hit the landrover track so it was off with the waterproofs for the long, 7km, slog to Dalwhinnie. The track down the glen and alongside the aqueduct seemed to go on forever but at least the rain held off and I finally made the car at 7pm after a long day; 34km, 1070m ascent and 11hrs on the hoof.
The midgies were waiting for their evening meal! :( I ran away! :)
whiteburn
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Re: 7 Munroes and a pig

Postby basscadet » Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:10 pm

Oh what a good effort... :clap:
Thought you did it all in one day for a moment - that really would be nuts! :lol:
Ive done that boggy trudge along the ridge to Meall Chuaich in similar conditions.. quite uninspiring, but gotta catch 'em all ;)
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Re: 7 Munroes and a pig

Postby Dave Hewitt » Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:01 pm

Good effort.

basscadet wrote:Thought you did it all in one day for a moment - that really would be nuts!


I’ve not done the seven Munros plus Corbett trip as described, but have done everything bar Meall Chuaich as a daytrip and it wasn’t too nuts. Took 9hr15 to get round, no rush – spent an hour of it sitting about. Was a dry clear day, which helped, as did just having a daysack, and started/finished at Dalnaspidal. Other people must surely have done this or something similar as a day outing, although probably not heaps.

There seems to be a general aversion to crossing roads when planning longish days, even when there are hills close by on the other side – eg not many people cross the Glenshee road even though some reasonable options (and a half-time cuppa and snack) come into play by doing so. Yet people routinely do the Meall Buidhe / Stuchd and Lochain out-and-back thing, or climb Ben Klibreck and Ben Hope on the same day. Odd.
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Re: 7 Munroes and a pig

Postby mrssanta » Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:16 pm

it's a long way to go in the rain. It looks like adding Meall Chuaich adds a good number of miles to the trip.
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Re: 7 Munroes and a pig

Postby whiteburn » Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:24 pm

mrssanta wrote:it's a long way to go in the rain. It looks like adding Meall Chuaich adds a good number of miles to the trip.


Yeah, tacking on Meall Chuaich does add to milage but at least it got this bunch out of the way in 2 days rather than 3 or 4 day trips.
Having 2 cars would be a good way to tackle these hills over two outings from Dalnaspidal, the east side would still be a long day out though.
whiteburn
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Re: 7 Munroes and a pig

Postby basscadet » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:16 pm

I did them in 2 day trips.. Hard days though, as it was affy windy and snowy at the time.. I didnt have a car then either, so I had to camp a night either side to get home on the train.. Best bit were views across the Ben Lawyers hills :)
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Re: 7 Munroes and a pig

Postby BobMcBob » Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:27 pm

I'm no fan of boring walks for the sake of walks (you called them unimpressive... I've never been and probably never will now :D ), but I've got to give you a thumbs up for the title of the report :D
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