There was a bit of low cloud around but it was looking promising for a good day.
Followed the track that runs parallel with the road as it passes the large whitewashed building and I seem to be following the red pine martin track for the first part of the walk.
At an obvious junction I took a right turn and started heading uphill towards Carn Liath.
- Leaving the red track
It didn't take long to reach the cairn marking the point where a narrow track heads off uphill as the climb starts to get steeper. The track was a bit boggy as it headed up Na Cnapanan (it probably wasn't that damp, it's been such a dry summer I've forgotten what some of these tracks are normally like). I found this climb to be the hardest of the day, it was good to get out of the trees and on to the open hill as it felt like I was finally starting to make some progress.
- Looking down to Loch Laggan
- Looking over to Munro's 2 & 3 with the Window in between
- A bit of low cloud blowing through
- An iced up cairn on Carn Liath
- Loch Laggan
The views from the top of Carn Liath were really good so I hung around for 5 minutes before heading West towards Stob Poite a'Choire Ardair. The summit of the next two Munros still had the summits covered in low cloud but it seemed to be slowly lifting.
- Cloud lifting
I wasn't sure how to tackle Uinneas Min Choire, I knew WH recommends following the fence posts but I preferred the far left hand side as the climb up the other side looked easier. Not sure if my choice was correct or not, either way it's a short sharp climb.
- Sron Coire a'Chriochairein
- Munro 2 getting closer
The last section to the summit of Stob Poite a'Choire Ardair is an easy gentle climb, a nice break after Unnneas Min Choire.
- A bit of snow on the ground near the summit
- Summit
With the cloud clearing, the views are fantastic.
- Looking over to Creag Meagaidh
- Summit cairns
Looking over to Creag Meagaidh with the snow on it and the rock faces, it looks really fierce and imposing. I was half way down from the summit towards the Window when I finally could see the route I would be following.
- Wow..........more snow on this hill
Another steep climb as the track zigzags up Creag Meagaidh but it doesn't take very long before the slope levels off a bit and Mad Meg's cairn could be seen. There's a couple of inches of snow underfoot and it feels a bit weird to be walking in the white stuff again.
- Mad Meg's cairn looking towards the summit of Creag Meagaidh
From the cairn it's a short 5 minute walk and the third and final Munro of the day is bagged.
- Summit
This is the first time I have been walking west of the A9 (except for the Munros immediately to the West of the A9 - if that makes sense?) and so most of what I was looking at was unfamiliar to me. The views from this summit especially on a clear crisp day like this one are just staggering. I pointed the camera in loads of different directions with absolutely no idea what I was photographing, all I knew was that I was so lucky to be on this hill on this day.
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Sadly, it was time to leave the summit and retrace my steps back down to the window.
- Mad Meg's cairn again, this time looking East towards Munro's 1 & 2
Once on the downslope of the Window I was pleased to see that the boulders weren't frozen but that feeling was short lived when I realised how tricky this boulder section is. I took a couple of dives on the way down but both had good landings so no damage done. It was a slow descent and if I return to this area I'd probably prefer to climb the Window. It was good to get clear of the Window and I celebrated with a drink of freezing cold water out of the burn running down next to the track.
- Cliffs above the Window
- Lochan Coire Ardair with Loch Laggan in the distance
Lochan Coire Ardair with the dramatic cliffs circling high above is just a special place but the angle of the sun made it impossible to get any decent shots. There followed an easy walk down the glen and with the cover of the hills and the sun on my back it felt quite warm in the afternoon sun. The track is good underfoot making for a fairly quick walk out.
- Heading down the glen
- Heading down the glen (2)
Suddenly I was back at the cairn marking the track leading up to the first Munro of the day and in another 15 minutes I was back at the car.
This has to be just about the best six and a half hours I have ever spent in the hills. Wonderful, just bloomin wonderful
