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Ever since I did the Glen Lyon horseshoe, and saw those tempting paths zig-zagging up the opposite side of the glen, going up some of the Lawers lot from Glen Lyon has been on the list, but there always seems to be somewhere more exciting to go.. This weekend looked like some good weather round there, and Dougie still had a few hills to bag up there, so it looked like a goer. it is more of a long day trip, but we thought if we left late enough on Saturday, we could turn it into an overnighter, so about 2PM, we found ourselves snaking through McGregors Leap - always a treat, Glen Lyon being filled with such delights
We got to the car park at Invervar, and managed to get the last space. Looked like perfect walking weather with a chill breeze, but gorgeous sunshine. The weatherman's showers felt a long way off.
We set off down the track, through bonny woodland, and across the bridge
It wasn't far to dericambus, where I stopped to ask the farmer, the way through to the path up the hill. Of course the way was obvious, but farmers generally appreciate a chat if you are walking through their yard..
So the real uphill began, the zigzags rather an easy start.
As we got up to the heather line though, the going got tougher, both steeper and more vegitated, until we had lost the path and were wading up steep knee deep heather. Hot work sheltered from the breeze with the sun beating down..
We got up to where the path supposedly finished on our map, and picked our way through the bog, to the fenceline, taking a sharp left there. between the deep heather, spongey ground, and ample blueberry patches distracting us, it was a long slog up to the ridge.
Once up, we felt the full force of the wind, and every 50 feet gained in height, seemed to double the wind speed. It was freezing in the wind and became difficult to make progress
we staggered on, still following the fence.
The ridge got flatter, with some undulation and some boggy bits. Wind was getting ridiculous now, so we ditched plans of heading up to the main ridge today and camped up only 3 hours in, at about 850 metres.
Not long after we got inside, the drizzle started, getting heavy at some points. The clag was really thick, and I almost lost the tent when I did venture out. In the morning though, I was awoken by the searing heat that can only be generated by sunshine on a fly sheet. It was 9AM already - must of needed a good sleep!
We were all packed and away by 10.30, just a short steep slog up to the summit of Meall Greigh. We were there before 11
We stopped there for breakfast, then headed back the way we came, Meall Garbh in our sights. Looked a steep hot slog, the day was turning into a scorcher
Dougie wasn't feeling that well, so we stopped a couple of times, and the masses caught up with us.. Busy place these hills
We made it up, just a grassy hill with no difficulties, except loss of fluids. The pace slowed in the swelter, and we let lots of folks past, but they had all moved on by the time we got to the top
We stopped for snack, and the next walkers along were Tomsie and Gill
Always nice to bump into folk you know
The ridge down toward An stuc is a lot more fun (there were bound to be some rough bits with garbh in the title) and it passed in a flash. We stopped to strip down to minimum clothing for the steep bit up An Stuc, which took a little longer then it would of otherwise because my backpack kept on pulling me off balance in a manner it doesn't usually
Good thing about An Stuc though, is that it is so steep, you get to the top very fast
We had another stop and eyeballed our route down. Looked good on the map, but a mite steep in real life
We set off, getting funny looks from some of the throng at the summit for going the wrong way. It was very steep for a time, some flatter patches lower down a relief.
Even downhill was really hot, so we sat for a long while, enjoying the solitude after the business of the ridge, what little breeze that there was and not really wanting to drop down and lose the views
Eventually we had to get going though, still a few miles back to the car, and a drive thereafter
At the end of the ridge, we went down rightward, trying to avoid crags that were marked on the map. Managed down fine to the burn, that fell rather steeply, a mind boggling array of bonny wee waterfalls (and a mini hydro scheme or something) giving plenty of interest. Would make a really fun scramble up the burn if you are coming up this way
We steeply ascended on spongey ground down to the glen floor. A great many old shielings to explore.
The old track crosses the river a couple of times, but we stuck to the right hand bank, across rough ground, to the track marked on the map. Its quite a bulldosed affair which wasn't very pretty, but the surroundings were, and I had that jammy feeling you get from being in a bonny place no-one else is enjoying. A bit of a foot bruising back down to Glen Lyon
We were expecting more of the untarmacced roads, head down, full speed to the car stuff.. but we were pleasantly surprised to find the track absolutely beautiful, almost the best part of the walk. Unusual sheep breeds, Wade bridges, beautiful native forests and the river - just sublime in the sunshine. We took our time and thoroughly enjoyed the last few miles.
So a weekend far better than expected. nice weather, and some really beautiful places. Not sure if its an overnighter trip - Times on GPS 6h20m moving 4h14mins stopped
Wouldn't of done it any other way in that heat though
