Glas Maol Munros circuit

[gman]

glas maol actual.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

First time I've been to this neck of the woods so I was more worried about the drive than anything else. 80% chance of cloud free Munros according to MWIS so I'd get a chance to try my new polarising filter

There's a steep road (12%) heading up to the ski centre, worth remembering as it's on the walk back. No other cars in the layby & didn't meet anyone else. Over the stone bridge and on towards Carn an Tuirc, path was muddy but it had hardened with the cold giving an easy walk in - parked above 500m so not much ascent either:


Sron na Gaoithe:


Mountain hare not bothered by walkers:


Higher up it became stony, these had a covering of frost and were slippy:


Cairn reached quickly, bit of clag but I'm sure the sun will burn through it


Down to the path onwards - I wound up following landrover tracks most of the way which felt a bit out of place at this height:


Visibility getting worse as I joined the drystane wall:


And Munro number 2, Cairn of Claise:


More wall:


And a bog:


There isn't much descent/reascent between Munros so didn't take long to get to Glas Maol. Plus there weren't any views to sit around admiring in the clag:


Either something very valuable or something very dangerous growing here:


Got to the shelter, looked dark & damp inside:


Few false summits on the way to Creag Leacath:


Cairn:


Descent was initially on the slippy rocks, then grassy hillside next to a burn - can actually see the road from here:


I followed a path at the side of the burn going back towards the road, had to detour a few times as chunks of the path had fallen into the stream - there's another path higher up which might be better.

Got to the road and started the steep climb up, thought cars were slowing down to offer a lift a couple of times but they were just struggling with the gradient There's a big maintenance area after a couple of kms and the road starts descending from here so the last part's a breeze, in fact walking up the road is probably the hardest part of the day

[rjpatyou]

its great to see Glas Maol without the 8inch of snow that was there 10 days ago i enjoyed the report makes wont to get up and do the other two wile the snows not there

[Graeme D]

A decent round for the time of year! Nice to see four Munros in a TR that I did over three separate walks, all in very different conditions to what you got for them.

[wilkiemurray]

thanks for posting - did these hills with my old man many moons ago cant remember what conditions were like though - I aso noticed on my drive down through the highlands today that the hare had their winter coats on - nice pics

[gman]

its great to see Glas Maol without the 8inch of snow that was there 10 days ago

The hills look better in the snow juging by your pics

A decent round for the time of year! Nice to see four Munros in a TR that I did over three separate walks, all in very different conditions to what you got for them.

Apart from the clag, I had ideal conditions for a quick round as the muddiest bits had frozen

I aso noticed on my drive down through the highlands today that the hare had their winter coats on - nice pics

I don't think they realise that the white coats aren't ideal camouflage yet - saw loads of them on the way up.

[quoman]

4 munro's for not much to much effort ...and as you said the walk backup the road was the hardest part of the day.