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Having read other reports of wet feet I feared the worst when I started out on this walk. The outward path is boggy in bits especially as it gets up to the moor but I managed to get round it all. Bracken is quite high in bits too.
Sgiath Chuil by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
At the end of the deer fence it is pretty much every man for himself, not much of a path worn here yet. I crossed the burn well before the dam and headed straight at the hill, crossing the service track half way to the bottom of the slope. Heather, blaeberry and grass pretty much. The first serious climb took the wind out of my sails but got there eventually.
Sgiath Chuil view of Glen Dochart by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Too cold (summer time ??) to hang about up top, but walked along to Meall a'Churain for a look down Glen Lochay. Walked back and looked for the least steep way down. I picked the slope that I could see all the way to the bottom and headed over to the Lochay side of the Lairig to climb up to Beinn Cheathaich via the northern ridge. Stopped half way to have my lunch in the shelter of some boulders. Great views from the Beinn and a clear path to Meall Glas.
Beinn Cheathaich top by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Quickly got across it and up to top. Bit tired now, but amazed at how quickly I'd gone from one munro top to the other.
Meall Glas top by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
View west from Meall Glas by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Still cold in the wind so didn't really hang about. Took my photos and dropped straight down trying to follow the route guide. The crags were fairly easy to avoid, but steep drops again to get off the hill. Still a patch of snow left lower down. Saw a faint path and headed over. It took me to a ford over the burn and disappeared.
Profile of Sgiath Chuil by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Crags of Meall Glas by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Just walked straight down till I saw the big barn at Auchessan and knew I was too far east so drifted west to eventually pick up a path beside another burn. This was through heather and grass with wet bits easy to avoid. The sun came out and it warmed up a bit. Reached and followed the fence down to bigger burn, crossed the style and the path became almost a carbon copy of the one I went up on. Boggy bits, bracken up to my shoulders, deer fence and burn.
Returning to Auchessan by
Joe Kincaid, on Flickr
Glad to make the farm and the final trudge back to the car. I parked on verge beside the farm road entrance, it is wide enough and firm enough for cars. My feet were miraculously dry.