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After some thought on where to go with the weather promising a cloud free Tuesday, Nathan and I settled on the Creag Meagaidh circuit. We set out from the nature reserve car park at 8.30am and headed up towards the old farm/visitor centre. There were large banks of cloud but it was way above the summits. Even at this time of the morning the air was warm and sticky with no hint of a breeze.
It was a pleasant walk on a good stony track and soon the famous "window" came into view across the glen.
We decided to do this circuit in reverse to the WH guide, mainly so you are walking towards the cliffs and lochan rather than having your back to them. As the track began to bear left, the ice climbing mecca came into view.
When we reached the Lochan we stopped for a while and just gazed up at the cliffs. This is definitely a place to return to in winter, either to watch the climbers on the icy cliffs or to have a climb yourself. A very quiet, restful place. And rest we did as the heat was kicking in and we hadn't started to gain any height yet
With no breeze and no direct sunlight there were a few midges kicking around but they were certainly not out in force yet. Give it a week or two
After taking on plenty of water we were ready to tackle the climb up the window. I hadn't been out for four weeks and had only just recovered from a bout of manflu - i knew in these humid conditions this was going to be tough going.
The path sticks to the right of the worst of the scree but it's still fairly loose in places. I was feeling the heat and paused regularly for water and "view appreciation" stops
The main core of the window is still holding snow, though parts are avoidable and where you do have to cross it it's soft and reasonably shallow.
It was much relief to reach the bealach. Still no cooling breeze to speak of, I don't know about Nathan but I lost a fair amount of body water getting up there
There was then a final climb to reach the plateau of Creag Meagaidh. There is still a magnificent cornice sticking around. There is a path right on the edge of the cliff and i couldn't help but walk round it peering over the cornice to the depths below.
We then headed over towards the top, passing the huge Mad Meg's Cairn
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- Mad Meg's Cairn
Before finally reaching the summit of Creag Meagaidh and the first munro of the day.
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- Summit of Creag Meagaidh
We got stuck into some food here and I monitored my water situation. In the heat I was downing serious amounts of fluid and was mindful that there was nowhere up there to fill up. Four weeks off the hill and I could feel the first signs of my legs starting to cramp. Luckily Nathan was carrying some electrolyte tablets, so I added these into my water bottle and these helped ease the protesting muscles - cheers mate
It was then time to retrace our steps to the top of the window and begin the steep but short climb up to the ridge towards the second munro.
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- Summit of Stob Poite Coire Ardair
From here the hard work of climbing was over, but it was a fair old walk across to Carn Liath but a least it was fairly flat
At long last there was the slightest hint of a breeze - not before time. Heads down we got the ridge done and despite at times it not seeming to get any closer we finally reach the last munro of the day.
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- Summit of Carn Liath
Some lovely views from the top, particularly over Loch Laggan
We didn't hang about as the breeze had disappeared and the humidity seemed to have ratched itself up another notch. All I could think about was the images of the British Lions rugby boys in Hong Kong earlier in the week sitting under water fans to combat the heat and high humidity - what we would have given for a shot under one of those
We headed down straight over Na Cnapanan which is the brown knoll you can see in the photo below. If there is a path here it's very feint, much of the first half of descent was over uncomfortably loose boulders. We then picked up a more pronounced path which led through a small woody area. The path here was wet and seemingly never-ending, there was also plenty of bracken about, i was concerned over ticks but I encountered only one and gave it a sharp flick before it did any damage. We finally appeared out of the wood and regained the stone path. Thank Christ! If we weren't macho types we may have shed a tear at how relieved we were that the descent was over
We then headed back to the cars where a cold Irn- Bru near saved my life
A great day out though man it was hard going. Memo to self - don't take four weeks off and do start taking loads more water!
