Cairngorms: Meall a' Bhuachaille & Creagan Gorm

[HighlandSC]

Date - Sat 07/11/2009
Hills - Cairngorms: Meall a' Bhuachaille & Creagan Gorm
Route - Start at Glenmore Forest Park visitor centre. Follow tracks to An Lochan Uaine and on to Ryvoan Bothy. Turn left at Bothy to head uphill on the path until reaching summit of Meall a' Bhuachaille at 810m. From the summit continue on path to the West descending to the col. From there continue along ridge straight ahead as it climbs to summit of Creagan Gorm at 732m. Continue West along ridge - at the end a path descends to the forest below. From here follow orange marker posts back to visitor centre.
Weather - Blue sky and a slight chill in the air, no wind, cold/frosty in the shade! (in short, perfect )
People - Me
Time - 7 Hours
Distance - 16km
Ascent - 1000 m
Max Altitude - 810 m

20091107 Meall a Bhuachaille.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Yet again the weather looked promising in the Cairngorms - which is always handy being 30 mins down the road I'd been looking at this one for a while and today was the day to do it. It was a stunning walk, providing some excellent views of the Cairngorms, not to mention the beautiful pine forests and of course Loch Morlich and the green An Lochan Uaine

A nice morning glow greeted me as I headed south from Inverness


I started at Glenmore Forest Park visitor centre. From there you head straight into the forest.

Shortly after you are presented with nice views across to the Cairngorms




The sun makes it's first appearance


Continue up the frosty track


Now I had 2 bits of bad luck and 2 bits of good luck

Bad Luck 1: I took the wrong track - the dead end one also heading East above Glenmore lodge (see map).
Good Luck 1: I considered turning back but a quick check of the Harveys map shows a path about 30m more uphill cutting back down toward the track I should have been on (see map).
Bad Luck 2: I unknowingly drop my GPS(Phone) at the start of the path taking me back to the correct track.
Good Luck 2: I realise about 50m down the path that I no longer have the GPS! After a frantic check of all my pockets and a bit of head scratching I work my way back up the path scanning the heather at the side until I get back to the top and find it sitting there on the path. Result

The path that got me back on track


A fine day indeed




The path begins descending into the valley as you look toward Creag nan Gall



The view across to the Cairngorms from the wooden bench on the path


Iced up water tank thing - what is this for?


Loads of fine trees along this walk




As you reach the bottom of the valley all of sudden you find An Lochan Uaine








A boring icey puddle to everyone else, but possibly the first bit of ice I've walked on in my walking career


The Moon was present for most of the day


Ryvoan Bothy


Today was a day of many firsts: 1st Corbett, 1st frozen/frosty/icey walk, and my 1st refuge inside a bothy - as if the day called for it (but I pretended I'd stumbled in from a wild storm )



Take a left at the Bothy and begin the ascent on a good path


Looking back down toward the Bothy


As you ascend the views across to the Cairngorms return


I think the big peak here is Bynack More


The summits up there somewhere (I don't think it's really visible until your almost there)


Meall a' Bhuachaille summit. There's a huge circular cairn/shelter here. This pic is looking NW along the rest of the ridge I'd be walking (2 tops are Creagan Gorm (732m) & Craiggowrie (687m))


The cold and frosty side of the summit


Loch Morlich


I descend from Meall a' Bhuachaille and reach the col. The ascent up to Creagan Gorm begins:


After reading fatdogwalks report on this hill I was hoping to bump into the Cairngorm Reindeer herd - i looked up as I began going up Creagon Gorm and there they were! I was still a long way off (this pic is zoomed a bit)


I cranked up the pace a bit to get to the Reindeer.

Looking back, the highest Cairngorm tops had started holding on to the cloud


I never noticed them leave but by the time I got to Creagan Gorm the Reindeer had completely vanished

So I took a pic of some iced up grass


I continued on toward Craiggowrie


A good way to freeze your fingers


I reached the top of Craiggowrie and started the descent toward the Queens Forest on the very boggy path. Had this been a wetter and warmer time of year it'd have been a complete swamp. Luckily it was just the right consistency to really hammer down the path (still being careful with your feet mind you) without feeling it much on the knees. I passed several people slowly going up this way who didn't look too chuffed

A glance toward the Cairngorm mountains before I enter the forest


The first path into the forest before you join the wide tracks


There had been some recent felling in the area


But the logs were still happy


Loch Morlich with a cloudy background - the one that Kinley was enjoying being above!


A final pic of the setting sun before I arrive back at the car (parked at Glenmore Forest Park visitor centre)


Another fine day in the Cairngorms

[mountain coward]

Been wanting to do those for ages... must do them on a day off from Munroing sometime... nice to see inside the bothy...

[Michelle]

Happy logs...

[HighlandSC]

Yes, happy logs

I must say, if I was a tree that had to be felled and left at the side of a track I'd be happy with that location and view! It could be a lot worse!

[David.Ferguson]

Nice pictures HSC.I think most of us out at the weekend were blessed by decent weather.

[Freewheelin]

Think that's the tidiest I've ever seen the bothy looking!