hot, Hot, HOT in Glen Lyon

[Frigate]

Great ideas of a circular walk from Pubil taking in Maell Buidhe, Sron a'Choire Cnapanich and Stuchd an Lochain.
MWIS gave the temperature as max 14C with light winds - ideal, reality was 25C and melt down.

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Left the car at 08.20 and decided to climb via Meall Phubuill from the lochside track, quite steep on soft tussock grass until the upper slopes towards spot height 796 where there were lots of pools and moss hags to cross.

Loch Lyon dam

Loch Lyon

796 spot with Meall Buidhe behind

Meall Buidhe

Sron a'Choire Cnapanich

The top of Coire nam Aighean bealach at 709m has a few hags to negotiate but nothing too much.
Steady climb to the top of MB in 2hrs 20mins but the light breeze had dropped away and the small stones at the summit started to reflect the heat. Stopped for elevenses and the view, which stretched around from the back door of Beinn a Chreachain, the black mount, big bookle, mamores, the Ben, Ben Alder et al.

Meall Buidhe from 796 spot height

Back door to Beinn a Chreachain

Meal Buidhe summit

To avoid the hags in the bealach I traversed round ridge to come off the shoulder of the hill below them, slowly loosing height then dropping off to the Feith Thulam stream. I followed a faint path above the stream on right bank which peterd out in rough ground. I should have crossed to left bank for better path as height loss to aviod hags at the bottom of Cnapanich was minimal,

Feith Thalain route down to and climb up Creag Doire nam Nathrach

Looking back up passed Creag a Chaorainn

Following the stream was like being in a furnace, no breeze, dircet strong sunlight and high hummidity. Kept stopping to soak the hat in water from the side streams but it did not take long for it to dry out. It was a slow climb up Creag Doire nam Nathrach with plenty of stops Took just under two hours to top out on Sron Cnapanich at 12.48.

Summit of Sron a'Choire Cnapanich with Stuchd an Lochain behind

Loch an Daimh

Very nearly trod on this wee mite

By the time I reached the top of Cnapanich it was no longer fun so I decided to call it a day and head out. The climb to Stuchd an Lochain via Meallan Odhar would have been relatively gentle but not for today, I was wiped out.

Turning for home I was to descent to Bealach a'Maim then to the Alt Phulbuill track but stretched over the hags and pools in the bealach was a herd of about 80 cows. So to give them a wide berth I went downhill towards the Feith a'Bhealaich. Walking past them at about 400mtrs distance when up came one head, two, three and more; then the running started.
Oh dear, I thought I had left my 'ugly face' at home as they all galloped away from me. Thought I was going to get done for cruelty to animals as they did not stop for about 1/2km.

Back up to Sa'CC from the dam on the Alt Phubuill

Meall Ghaordaidh

Arrived back at the car at 14.20, six hours dead and I felt like it.

Lodge gates where you exit out onto the road

Loch lyon dam

Pubil Glen Lyon

I had weighed myself on Saturday morning at 13st 7lbs, I took 3 ltrs of liquids with me (6.6 lbs) and weighed myself on return 13st 4lbs. A loss of 10lbs counting the liquid intake, even had the wife weigh herself incase the scales were out - but no they were OK.
Think I'll be back up there next weekend - slimming club anybody?

[GillC]

haha my kind of weight loss regimen . Keep meaning to get back up this way to do an Lochain, hopefully sometime in August when Im in the area.

Well done on getting around in that heat.

[malky_c]

Great views over Rannoch Moor from Meall Buidhe . By coincidence, I did exactly this route today in identical weather

[Malckyb]

we did this one yesterday too..we probably passed you. was a great day for it!!

[Frigate]

haha my kind of weight loss regimen . Keep meaning to get back up this way to do an Lochain, hopefully sometime in August when Im in the area.

Well done on getting around in that heat.

Not quite the round I had intended but enough for me. Looks like you had an epic day on Goatfell.

[Frigate]

Great views over Rannoch Moor from Meall Buidhe . By coincidence, I did exactly this route today in identical weather

Both Glens Lochy and Lyon have some great 'wee' hills around them and until you see the tops of the establishment hills to the west its hard to imagine you are almost in Tyndrum's backyard.

[Frigate]

we did this one yesterday too..we probably passed you. was a great day for it!!

Rare as it is I was all alone for this one and was suprised to find half a dozen cars next to mine when I got back.
Did speak briefly to a couple who came back down the loch track and stopped on the river bank for a picnic

[pigeon]

You were 13st 7lbs when you started?,think you should get a third opinion on those scales Only kiddin Been looking at these 2 for a wee while now,best done in a dry spell me thinks,well done Kev

[Ian Bayne]

Aye have to agree with you there pigeon . I must be adonis on them scales. Good report Kev you should have given me a shout . I opted for Glen Devon. Thought it would have been a wee bit warm for big hills .

[Frigate]

You were 13st 7lbs when you started?,think you should get a third opinion on those scales Only kiddin Been looking at these 2 for a wee while now,best done in a dry spell me thinks,well done Kev

That's it I'm back to comfort eating! BooHoo. Still have to go back for an Lochain, would be nice to walk over to Gorton bothy and out by Achaladair.

[Frigate]

Aye have to agree with you there pigeon . I must be adonis on them scales. Good report Kev you should have given me a shout . I opted for Glen Devon. Thought it would have been a wee bit warm for big hills .

I followed the weather, didn't think and so got boiled.
Sent you a PM with an date outline on it especially a possible for Starav again.

[rockhopper]

It's not often we complain about MWIS being on the pessimistic side but it did look hot ! Great day for it and a good job you managed to avoid the chick - cheers

[past my sell by date]

Did this walk yesterday hot - but not That hot! Fantastic views from both summits - The Ben really stands out . At least be glad the Cows ran away from, and not towards you. They're still there