Cycled down the forest path until I got to the start of the Cam Bhealach track – the boot had disappeared from the post though.
After the initially steep section through the forest, the track is then in more open ground - from then on it was a fairly gradual incline all the way up to the bhealach. Track was a bit icy in places with a little snow but nothing serious.
When I got to the bhealach, another walker shouted down to me from the lower slopes of Sron a Choire Ghairbh. Turned out he’d come over from Blairgowrie the previous night, had set off at 6am (his was the only other car parked when I arrived) and he’d already been up Meall na Teanga.
Looking back east
Looking west
Walker in the distance
Meall Dubh and Meall na Teanga
We followed the zig-zag path using previous footsteps in the snow and chatted on the way up to the summit of Sron a Choire Ghairbh. Despite the good weather, we were amazed to be the only people on these hills that day.
Some great views from the top although it was a little cloudier over to Knoydart.
Took a bit longer to take photos though as my camera wouldn’t work in the cold until I could warm it up.
We then headed back down to the bhealach – didn’t take long at all. As he was then heading back down, we said our goodbyes and I set off southwards to skirt round Meall Dubh en route for Meall na Teanga.
Once round Meall Dubh, the going got a bit steeper with soft, deep snow which didn’t really hold any kicked steps. Following previous steps and after floundering around a wee bit in the snow, I got up through the lower cornice edge and then the easier walk up to the summit cairn. Had the hill to myself – no-one else around at all.
It was a bit colder here with a little wind starting to pick up. Same problem again with the camera which switched itself off each time I tried taking a picture – tried changing batteries but to no avail. So then followed a period of holding the camera under my fleece to warm it up and bringing it out to get a photo then back under the fleece to do the same again. [Have now checked the instructions which state a lower operating limit of 0 degrees
].
Had lunch and hung around for a while just looking at the view.
Could’ve stayed there all day but it was starting to get really cold so I headed back the way I’d come. Much easier descending in soft snow and then followed the straightforward walk back down to the forestry path.
Faint traces of the zigzags up Sron a Choire Ghairbh
Back at the car the mist was still down in the glen
Slow drive back to Glasgow as the engine problems kept reappearing. Glad I managed to get out on such a day.
