A nice couple in the cairn gorms

[scottishkennyg]

55 miles after setting sail I parked in the car park just before Auchlean farm. I cycled along the road then track to large gate at woods near Achleum. It was pretty boggy so I dumped the bike and strode along edge of forest over peaty hag direct to Meall nan Sleac ridge.

Toward Meall nan Sleac

Up Coire Garbhlach

A wee steep climb required to reach summit cairn at 800m. I continued along easy track that converged with main motorway leading up to summit ridge.

Motorway

Some mini blizzard conditions were waiting in clouds to restrict visibility, but hey it is winter/spring. After about 1km meandering on ridge the summit cairn was touched at 0945.

Summit of Mullach Clach a Bhlair 1019m

I continued back along track to main junction to ramble 3km over plateau toward Carn Ban Mor summit 1040.

cairn on Carn Ban Mor 1052

Bit of spindrift and poor visibility along ridge
Some poor visibility

Soft snow and poor visibility hindered progress and navigation with the compass and map. I personally do not believe in the growing trend of reliance on GPS or other sat nav. systems, we might as well ask for signposts to be put on the motorway routes with countdown markers for key junctions. Anyway, I hovered around the summit cairn at 1052 for a long time using my abacus to work out timings etc. Even had time to wonder why this was not a Munro on its own right.
Weather was getting worse and I could not see very far, even with the trendy new goggles. I decided to do some radial checks to find a back-up landmark. I sourced the main stalkers path, sound a true bearing, then off with renewed determination toward Sgorr Gaoith.

Approaching SG summit

A wee rise to the summit keeping well back from the edge of the cliffs the cairn was touched. 1320.
The cairn was perched close to the edge of a sheer drop down into Coire na Caillich so there was no point in standing too close to the corniced edges.

Another two walkers approaching summit of SG

Ridge to North Tops and Heavy Cornices

Summit cairn looking south

Conditions eased on summit and the visibility improved just as a couple of walkers from Gourock appeared.

Lady from Gourock

Man from Gourock

down to Loch Einich

Back south across walk

They had just walked up from the glen and were completing SG on a shorter circular route. We had a chat and took some photos before heading off in opposite directions.

Southeast

South

SE

Braeriach

The Gourock Couple on Summit of SG

I contoured round CBM and followed the main road (coincidentally a great job being carried out by the path conservation gangs) back down to the bike before a short ride back to the car at 1530.

[gordon l]

I am the man from Gourock; was good to bump into you on the summit (almost literally given the cloud conditions). It was great to get a wee peak at the other peaks on the summit. Golf is rubbish; don't let it spoil a good walk

[scottishkennyg]

I am the man from Gourock; was good to bump into you on the summit (almost literally given the cloud conditions). It was great to get a wee peak at the other peaks on the summit. Golf is rubbish; don't let it spoil a good walk

Nice one. Good to meet you and your girlfriend, hope your return journey was sound.