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This was an early afternoon walk, following a wander up Meall nam Maigheach in the morning. I refuelled with coffee and soup at the Bridge of Balgie café, then headed further up Glen Lyon to settle unfinished business there. Having walked Meall Buidhe on its own back in September, I wanted to catch up with its steeper neighbour across the way.
The car park below the dam had several cars when I arrived and I met a few folk while on the hill; not crowds, but fairly popular for a Monday. I found some of the signing worrying; was this a safe time to be out on the hill? And wearing red?
- Glen Lyon sign
After a stretch of track by the dam, I turned left onto eroded paths heading upwards. These started out gradually (this may be an older stretch), but the slope to my right was steep enough to demand attention where I put my feet. The worn paths, in places made up a little with loose rock, soon turn southwards up the slope and zig-zag around over some small burns. Those were OK at the time, but I can see how the route could become very wet and slippery in worse weather.
There's a couple of hundred metres of this before the path eases slightly, then becomes much gentler onto a shoulder of the 888 metre top. There's also a fence line to help guide up to that top, where I paused for a snack, a breather and some snaps, including of the treat ahead.
- Ridge walk
The fence line and a path lead down across a gentle bealach, then up a modest climb to Sron Chona Chorein. I diverted slightly from the path to visit that munro top, though it isn't dramatic (and the previous top to the north is probably a better viewpoint for the Stuchd). Meall Ghaordaidh shows off its rugged northern side from this direction.
The ridge around to the main Munro top is easy going, with a slight descent before a modestly steep climb for the final peak. This offers views down to the lochan in the corrie below:
- Lochan nan Cat
And across to Rannoch moor, with a glimpse of Glen Coe beyond.
- Rannoch Moor
After a brief break, I returned by more or less the same route. The steep eroded section demands caution and attention to descend, but I found my way back uneventfully.
My map is, as ever, from memory and so approximate.