free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
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?
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.
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.
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!
