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The Cairnwell 3

The Cairnwell 3


Postby MarilynMunro » Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:08 pm

Munros included on this walk: Càrn a' Ghèoidh, Càrn Aosda, The Cairnwell

Date walked: 11/06/2013

Time taken: 5 hours

Distance: 13.3 km

Ascent: 683m

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I was going to be visiting my in laws near Perth and with the recent good weather coming to an end, I penciled in the Cairnwell 3 to try and catch the last of this spell. It’s an area I've never walked before, fairly close and with the high start point it looked like a quick day and hopefully a few good hills, although a bit of a scrapyard by all accounts on the Cairnwell.
I set off fairly early up the A93, a nice picturesque route all the way, and parked up by 09:00. I took advantage off the café being open for a cuppa(strong, you could stand your spoon in it) and bacon roll, and then got booted up and on my way by 09:30. The WH route directs walkers past the main building and restaurant, some people may think this is the café at roadside but its the Cairnwell Restaurant which is out of sight slightly up the hill, and can be totally obscured on foggy days. Which it was for the early part of today, MWIS wasn’t very accurate for the start of the day, but bang on after midday.
The mist obscured most of the tracks scarring the hillside and the ski lift machinery initially and truthfully for the ascent to Carn Aosda, I think a piste map would have been of more use.

Signpost to first hill of the morning.JPG
Signpost to first hill of the day



Soon I made the T Junction of the paths and a sign post to Carn Aosda, leaving my bag at the sign I quickly made my way up to what appeared to be a large flat scree covered summit, I was lucky if I got 10/15m visibility at this point, so not hanging about I headed back to pickup my bag and carry onto Carn a’Gheoidh. The path is pretty clear all the way, passing many of the named runs and lift works. It was a little strange walking this area as I had only ever been up here boarding and that was before I started hillwalking. To see it in this environment was totally alien, and I can now see why some people may object to the scarring of the hills with lifts and tows, even in the mist it wasn’t very pretty.
As I made my way towards the edge of Loch Vrotachan, the ugliness is left behind the walk becomes an undulating meander. The path forks above the loch , left leads straight toThe Cairnwell and right contours around towards Carn a’Gheoidh, I took the right hand route. As I gained some height I was back in the clag and passing the two small lochans. At this point I noticed a walker some way in front of me, I wouldn’t get any closer all day, but they were always just on my horizon. Passing Carn nan Sac, the views had opened with views back to The Cairnwells slopes, and down to the corrie.
Pressing on I soon made the cairn at Carn a’Gheoidh, actually two cairns and a bit of shelter. Stopping for a bit to eat, and a mosey around the top with views drifting in and out, the person in front had carried on heading for Carn Bhinnein, I think. I thought about following them but the visibility was poor and I thought I’m up here for the views and I won’t get much over there. So after my break it was time to retrace my steps back past the two small lochans and to find the path to the Cairnwell, on the way back is when the clag cleared up a bit and I took a walk over to Carn nan Sac and the views onto the masts and side of the Cairnwell, some good views down to the corrie and the A93 below.

Carn Aosda from Carn nan Sac.JPG
Carn Aosda from Carn nan Sac.


The Cairnwell from Carn nan Sac.JPG
The Cairnwell from Carn nan Sac




Thankfully CnS isn’t a Munro cos its scattered with cairns, most likely built by splinter factions. :lol:
It was now time to head back and around the top of the corrie wall to ascend The Cairnwell, from this direction there are a few paths cutting a bit off the recognised route, so I took one of them and it brought me up just after the one of the lift towers and it was then a short walk past the chairlift and up to the summit.

From the Cairnwell, towards the scars on Carn Aosda. Path from Carn nan Sac, lower left, main path from Carn Aosda in centre.JPG
From Cairnwell, the scars on Carn Aosda. Path from Carn nan Sac, lower left, main path from Carn Aosda





I had seen lots of phots of the summit but nothing prepared me for the carnage up there. I wouldn’t want it landscaped but surely Orange, Vodaphone et al should have been forced to do something to camouflage there scrapheap . Ironies of ironies (sic) I couldn’t get a signal to phone my wife ha ha. I spent a short time looking across the glen to some of the other hills still showing some snow, whilst on this side it had been minimal. Soon it was time to head down. Fairly straight forward, basically pick a line and head towards the ski center, I would say apart from the height it is probably one of the easiest descents on the knees ever. Quickly back at my car it was in for a coffee and piece of Cappuccino cake. I realised I hadn’t said hello to Mr & Mrs Wainwright, but from my pic it maybe should have been my respects.

Commisarations to Mrs Wainwright.JPG
Commisarations to Mrs Wainwright


Maybe she didn't stand a chance

kb_600.jpg
Big Bully


After that it was another relaxing drive back to Perth, shame about the weather, but it was really only clag and a little wind
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MarilynMunro
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby pollyh33 » Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:27 pm

Nice wee report MM :clap:

Shame about the clag but believe it or not you got better conditions than I did when I went to these three with my daughter :crazy: We saw absolutely hee haw :lol:

Any explanation as to what has happened to the sculpture?, she's looks like she's feeling a bit down!!! :crazy: :crazy:
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby MarilynMunro » Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:40 pm

Thanks Polly, I remember your TR, something about "pamper bribery" at the Corinthian :lol: :lol:

A wee bird told me Betty got done by the Pistebasher back when we had the big dump of snow, I never realised they were only lightweight resin figures, but hopefully they will be replaced, absolutely no chance of a repair, she 's toast :lol: :lol:
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby SusieThePensioner » Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:44 pm

Never mind the clag, Jim, at least you were out walking, on your own, and the views did eventually appear :D Glad to see you had a few photos this time :lol:
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby MarilynMunro » Mon Jun 17, 2013 6:38 pm

SusieThePensioner wrote:Never mind the clag, Jim, at least you were out walking, on your own, and the views did eventually appear :D Glad to see you had a few photos this time :lol:


Cheers, Susie, just kinda sinking in that was probably the easiset 3 hills ever, hard to believe they are classed as distinctly different hills.
gman 's tip didn't work for me, not entirely sure what happened to the other phots, but at least I got a heads up on how to " recuva" any others.
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby GillC » Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:08 pm

Well done,,,i remember doing these 3 and being totally amazed at reaching Aosda with no effort (must be the easiest 3, (although climbing up the Cairnwell in howling wind was a bit strenuous lol . :crazy:
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby hutchy1 » Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:12 pm

a good report with some nice pics i couldnt believe the Cairnwell and Cairn Asoda are both munros when i did them a couple of months ago ive just done the Bauchaille Etive Mor ridge and was thinking how is Stob na Doire isnt a munro if these 2 are
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby MarilynMunro » Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:47 pm

GillC wrote:Well done,,,i remember doing these 3 and being totally amazed at reaching Aosda with no effort (must be the easiest 3, (although climbing up the Cairnwell in howling wind was a bit strenuous lol . :crazy:


Thanks, have to agree about Aosda, in the clag couldn't help feeling there was further to go, luckily nae flatulence for me :lol: :lol:

hutchy1 wrote:a good report with some nice pics i couldnt believe the Cairnwell and Cairn Asoda are both munros when i did them a couple of months ago ive just done the Bauchaille Etive Mor ridge and was thinking how is Stob na Doire isnt a munro if these 2 are


Thanks, Yeah, its mystery how they categorize hills,even more baffling when they de-categorize them,Still to do the Big Bookil, saving that to do with my son.
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby GillC » Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:54 pm

ahhhh,,its all in the sea level,,,start climbing at 4-500mtrs above,,,cuts that off the hills height,,, eg Lawers, Ghlas etc,,then the killer is Nevis,,,cos you start at sea level and climb every bloomin mtr of the big bugger. :crazy:
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby dooterbang » Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:50 pm

the munro count steadily rises :)

There's 6 on the other side that are easy too :wink:
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Re: The Cairnwell 3

Postby MarilynMunro » Mon Jun 17, 2013 11:27 pm

GillC wrote:ahhhh,,its all in the sea level,,,start climbing at 4-500mtrs above,,,cuts that off the hills height,,, eg Lawers, Ghlas etc,,then the killer is Nevis,,,cos you start at sea level and climb every bloomin mtr of the big bugger. :crazy:


Yeah felt like that when I visited the Mamores

dooterbang wrote:the munro count steadily rises :)

There's 6 on the other side that are easy too :wink:


At this rate I might just run out of time :lol: , but onward and upward.
The other side of the road is on the agenda
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