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I love it when a plan comes together! Easier said than done, specially after my last nightmare on the hills, but then there are the days when the hills make up for it.
Well at least that's what I keep on telling me anyway.
4 Munros away from my 'Halfway' mark, made my feet even more itchy than usual. The Drumochter 4 sounded like a good plan to get the missing 4 under my belt.
The weather did not look that promising, but at least dry and 30% of cloud free Munros was at least a 30% chance to get some views.
I did not fancy much doing the whole trip alone, but as luck had it, everyone I asked to come alone was off sick or busy.
I had managed to leave the house just after 7am (I am not one for getting up early) and after a 3h drive I finally arrived to a beautiful cloud free day (the weather forecast could not have been any more wrong). Setting off I crossed the railway line and made my way along the track. The ground was frosty and the lonely cries of birds of pray could be heard in the distance.. Getting deeper into the hill site, the constant hum from the A9 faded and the rutting roars of the stags broke the silence...magic sound! Deer and stags were everywhere, but the stalking season had made them cautious and trying to get pictures was difficult.
The start of the path in glorious weather
Trying to imitate the sound they make while walking along (luckily alone)
made me realize I would not attract anything but strange looks, if I would ever make that sound near friends.
Moving along I had crossed the new bridge and followed a faith path leading towards Sgairneach Mhor. The path faint in places lead me through deep heather and Ptarmigans who have the annoying habit to simultaneously shriek and fly up in the air by the time you nearly stand on them, left me with many jumpy heart stopping moments - I shall never get used to them!!!
The bridge and first Munro towards the right of it
Salt for the deer??
Having reached the top of the first Munro I met the first other hill walker of the day. After a chat I moved along towards Mam Ban and having reaches the highest point found a spot to have my lunch. I realized later that I had actually come too far, which resulted in a walk through peak bog, but time was made up quickly again and soon I stood on Beinn Udlamain. Here I met another set of hill walkers and realized that most people must do the hill from the north to the south...that explained the missing cars when I set off! Having a chat and the chance to get my summit picture taken I moved on.
The first top comes into view
The cairn
Wonder what this does up the hills?
The second Munro of the day
The area is pretty uneventful on a clear sunny day and walking briskly the Disneyland of Scotland came into view.
Two other hill walkers told me that it was build by a Swiss millionaire who build the chapel specially for his daughters wedding (great dad)
The following link will give you further information about it...including the £3000 spend for roll of wallpaper and the £8000 wooden doors.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/pounds+15m+DISNEYLAND+IN+DALWHINNIE%3B+LAVISH%3A+BILLIONAIRE+PUTS...-a060418759
Disneyland of the north...the main building
The chapel
View towards the last Munro and No 141 for me
The first snow capped mountains
My heart nearly stopped when after the third Munro I saw a LandRover and another hill vehicle on the path below me.
Having read about stalking season and grumpy landowners lately, I really hoped that they would not prevent me climbing the final Munro of the day. Approaching the vehicles the driver of the LandRover got out of the car. Mentally preparing myself for a begging session, I watched him retrieving something from the back and sitting back down in the car. By the time I approached (a bit anxious at the time) all I got was a nod and a 'Hi'. Relieved I moved on.
It made me think why encounters of stalkers and hill walkers can not always be that friendly...after all the stags tend to stay in the quiet valleys we hill walkers hardly approach.
Climbing up Munro number 141 I felt great and climbing up the cairn I shouted out a happy ' Halfway'.
I stayed for some attempt to take some photos of myself.
HALFWAY...happy times
Views from the top
Shortly after I had left the summit I heard the sound of an engine behind me?
No lift down the hill
Looking around I saw the other vehicle which had stood empty next to the LandRover and two hunters inside it. The thought to stick my thumb out to get a lift down the hill was great
It was for sure the first time I saw a vehicle up a Munro! Giving the drivers a wide beam, they dared to drive past me without offering me a lift. Lol. Maybe just a s well, as it looked like a rather bouncy ride and the only space would have been in the bath like trunk in the back. Watching it making its way towards the left hand site of the hill . I continued down towards the A9.
The last cairns of the day
Close to the bottom of the path I met 2 hillwalkers who kindly offered me a lift back to my car, but when we reached the bottom car park, we also met the group who I had met on the second Munro who equally offered me a lift....made me think that karma repaid itself for all the times in the past when I offered lifts to hill walkers.
