I know, I don’t ask for much.
But this was the last chance to get up some hills before a further foray south in our great relocation project. We’ve done up their new apartment so now it’s all about moving the in-laws next so I needed a sanity surplus from this little expedition before we head off to pack and bring them north.
So, back to this list.
MWIS suggested east of the A9 for the last of the two of my unreasonable demands – dry views.
The preponderance of red splodges on my Munro map in that neck of the woods gave plenty of choice and the land rover tracks on Carn na Caim and A’ Bhuidheanach hinted that there was a fair chance of avoiding most of the boggier bits.
Then, after browsing WH, I hoped that reports littered with uninspiring adjectives would keep the crowds at bay.
But hey, a hill’s a hill’s a hill and not to be snubbed in my book.
- There'll be a welcome in the hillsides - Balfour Beaty style
- Honest, it's a quarry - with Carn na Caim behind
To say the route is undemanding in good conditions is to grossly over-estimate its difficulty. OK, if you go “off piste” and head south west rather than south east off A’ Bhuidheanach, and try to approach Bheag from the west rather than the north, it can call on the simplest of navigational skills as there’s nothing on the horizon ahead at which you can aim.
- The final "slopes" of Carn na Caim
- There's little to shelter behind if the wind picks up on the summit of Carn na Caim
So, how did I fare on my unrealistic set of demands?
Dry feet – perfect, helped enormously by boots still new enough not to have damaged stitching or holes in the toe.
Stretched legs – well the track up can be a bit tedious, but only for an hour as you gain height. Once on the plateau it’s a pleasure to stride out and enjoy some undemanding exercise not interrupted by brutal bursts demanded by steep summit pinnacles.
Unvisited Munros – yes, two more splodges have now turned blue.
Sunday crowds – three men and a dog despite the constant drone of vehicles on the A9 below seemed a good return.
Little or no rain – a couple of half-hearted attempts at drizzle were summarily dispatched by simply putting a cag on.
Views – they may not be calendar fodder to three quarters of the compass. To the west, however, there were plenty of opportunities to name the hills as they popped in and out of view, and watch their characters change as weather in that direction took its toll.
- The steepest thing around - on A' Bhuidheanach
- Low-tech GPS a few yards to the left of the quartz "pinnacle" on A' Bhuidheanach
- Looking down Coire Chuirn
All in all, a satisfactory day out – and now mentally fortified to try to explain the benefits of de-cluttering to an older generation. It’s a big ask in their late eighties.
- Summit of A' Bhuidheanach Bheag
