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Coire Odhair is a place that has fascinated me for long as I can remember.
- Coire Odhair Steisan
In Gaidhealtachd terms it formed part of a boundary between the Clan Cameron and Clan Robertson lands , roughly where the West Highland Railway now makes its way from Rannoch Station to Corrour.
Tradition states that there were frequent clashes between the Cameron's and their Robertson neighbour's over the grazings in this now empty quarter , indeed Atholl's claymore still lies in the peat at the bottom of Lochan a Claidheimh between Rannoch and Coire Odhair .
A' rainig sinn aig ochd air leth uairean sa'mhadainn ...we arrived at 8.30am on the train from the black garrison to a very Wintery scene .
- An rathad sios
Our idea was to tackle Carn Dearg and Sgor na Gaibhre and be back for the train at 3.21pm ..... grand idea .....what could possible go wrong
My first inkling of doubt came as we trudged around Meall na Lice the snow was deep and tiring me out already !
- Meall Leitire Duibhe
Bha an iarmailt liath is dubh ca 'bheil na Grian ? ... the sky was very grey and dark with the summit fairly shrouded in thick white cloud as we crawled up Meall an Leitre Duibhe
- Sealltainn air cuil
We then hit a bit of luck there was a solitary figure about 20mins ahead of us ..breaking the trail
- lorg coise
Bha na sneadhda gle doimhneachd fhathast agus bha mi a fas sgith ..... still the going was very tough every time you lifted the foot a wee gamble ..knee deep or thigh deep !
Still an cu was making light work of it
- An Ghille Dubh
We reached the druim ...knackered and every step was hard work still maybe on the ridge the snow would firm up ?
- Sealltainn beaga
As we got higher the wind picked up and the atmosphere came to that white out without the snow kinda deal , very difficult to see so a good bearing and careful eye on the ground under your feet !
Air a mhullach aig ..... we reached the summit at 11.20am no views and a quick picture ,bearing to Sgor na Gaibhre and a thank you to the trail breaker who arrived just ahead of us
- Carn
I was beginning to question if I had time to capture the second of the day but only one way to find out ....off to the Mam Ban following the bearing directly so poor was the vision
We dropped down to the bealach by 12.00 and I started up the remaining 200mtrs to the summit of Gaibhre before reality dropped on me
I was never going to make this and catch the 3.21pm train was I ?
The alternative was summit and go for the 9.15pm train ,hang about for 4hrs or so at Corrour in January ,miss the last ferry and get home around midnight with work the following day ... no
We took an escape route down Coire Creagaich ,safe and not steep but boy the snow was deep
- Coire Creagaich
By this time it was clearing and the sun began to burn away the white as I stumbled ,sunk and swam my way down the coire and its copious amounts of the white stuff ...jeezo it was tiring !
- Na grian
- Boidheachd
- Air cuil
We eventually reached the tree line around 1.30pm hard, hard shift that was .....
- Sgith cuideachd
De a'nis ? ...... the long walk back up Loch Oisin to the station and boy is it a haul ,again ankle deep snow made it tedious going
- An rathad air a Lochan
Eventually we reached the top end of the Loch and time well it was very tight , I can hear that train a rolling down the track !
- An latha boideachd an drasda
Air direadh ...... at long last we made it with 6mins to spare
- Dhachaidh !
Co dhui bha sin a latha againnsa ..... so that was our day , interesting to say the least and to be honest a complete rush !
I learned two things .. I'm over ambitious in snow and should have gone for Beinn na Lap but greed always gets the better of me , hills is like the booze always wanting one more
Bith mi air ais ... I ll be back !
- An cu