free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
On a fine Sunday morning I headed out from home in Grantown for an hours drive to Auchlean in Glenfeshie, my target was Mullach Clach a'Bhlair - I had read that this could easily be a boring hill climbed by a boring route so planned to make it more interesting by walking into Coire Garbhlach and scrambling up it's head.
It was a beautiful morning as me and Flynn (our wee cocker) left the carpark with blankets of purple heather and clear blue skys.
We headed along the Feshie through the heather to meet the Allt Garbh, before following it south into the Coire.
It was hard going through the heather with no real path and having to cross the allt several times, but thoroughly enjoyable being in such a stunning and untouched place, before long I was well into the mouth of the Coire. Heading upstream I saw two wee birds I later identified as Dippers (correct me if I'm wrong!)
After working my way up the coire for about an hour I stopped for refueling and to choose my exit scramble out the head of the coire - I chose this:
It was hard work and mildly terrifying climbing and scrambling up the head but the views looking west and back into the coire as I pulled myself up out the coire were literally breath-taking!
It was then a short stroll over decent tracks to the summit of Mullach Clach a'Bhlair, and had chance to catch my breath and take in the views. We got lunch on the summit - cheese roll for me and rodeos for Flynn!
I hadn't planned on climbing Sgor Gaoith today but I could see it's peak across the plateau and since I had climbed it in February in 'pea soup' with no views whatsoever, today was too good an oppourtunity to miss to get the views down into Loch Einich. So I headed off across the plateau taking in the views of the Great Moss, Carn Toul and Angels Peak.
After meeting several people (and other dogs!) around Carn Ban Mhor we were soon at Sgor Goaith. As expected the views were simply stunning and better than I could have imagined. Unfortunatley there was zero wind on the peak and the midges were out in force so couldn't stay long on fear of being eaten alive!
From here we took the direct route down to the car park at Auchlean, there was an easy path to follow that as it came downhill wove through a very bonnie scots pine and juniper wood.
I had a great day in the Glenfeshie hills and found walking through the Coire a much more entertaining way of tackling Mullach Clach a'Bhlair, rather than simply following the landrover track, the scramble was challenging but there are a number of options out of the coire to suit all skill levels. The views over the moss were stunning and make me very excited and motivated to take the Carn Toul massiff sometime soon. Getting the views from Sgor Gaoith were an added bonus that I hadn't planned on. A great day out!
