A Fair old heat on the Carn Mairg Circuit

[fingeez]

Well friday came payday and day off all in one, a good day it was gonna be

So quick look over routes and and the Carn Mairg circuit was decided upon. So i was up and off at 8.30am travelling on familiar roads towards Aberfeldy and heading past Weem and seen a sign saying Dull 3/4, hmmm i think i'll avoid that promise lol.

Got into the car park with a fair few cars already there and boots on, suncream on and was ready to go within 5 mins. Left the carpark at 9.40am

Made my way up the track and into the small section of forest and my oh my was it hot a humid in there!!! Think i must have sweated all my sun cream off within 30 mins of the walk as i ended up burnt anyway lol.

Small waterfall amongst the forest

Anyway out of the forest and up the track passing 2 single walkers that left as i got to the car park. Really sweating on this initial walk, more than i had in ages lol.

View onwards

Came to a small stream crossing and carried on unaware of my impending mistake, even after turning and taking a pic. Hmm im sure i remember something about a lil bridge in the route description and in others reports!!!

Note! That bridge there!! CROSS THE DAM THING LOL

So onwards passing the old shielings and following the nice track i noticed the other 2 walkers following me aswell. I carried on a little further and starting really looking at the route ahead and position of the mountains. So out with my map and compass. Ohhh! OHHHH. Dammmmmm i really should have checked my map long before now!!! I noticed i was a fair bit of course and heading the wrong way. Now i remember reading about this in others reports and sore i wouldnt follow suit. So slight adjustment and off the track and down to the stream and across then steeply back up the slopes towards Carn Gorm.

White route i took. Black route i should have took.

This part was a killer in the heat and taxed alot of my energy. Finally made it to the track and carried on upwards towards the summit reaching it at 12pm alot later than i planned thanks to my detour. On the way up i noticed one of the walkers following me up the slopes and the other continued along the path.

Beetle Dude

Carn Gorm summit

Stopped here for a quick bite to eat and soaked in the views

The Tarmachan Ridge

Anyway no time to linger i had time to make up, so off at a good pace and ate up the ground between the seconf summit getting there at 12.55pm

Meall Garbh Summit

Quick stop for pics and onwards. kept up my pace and really enjoyed the boulder section, bringing abit of variety to walk and i had a great time hopping and jumping over the boulders
Noticed this cracking bit of random art type work which made me smile

Someone had too much time on there hands while walking lol

Arrived at the 3rd summit at 2.05pm just behind 2 walkers. Also noticing this familiar looking rock
10 points to the person who knows where from

Hmm ive seen this on a report before haha

Carn Mairg Summit with Schiehallion and the Cairngorms in the background

Followed the route as most people advised and headed east off the summit, some care would be advised in the wet as this is fairly steep loose rock. The other 2 walkers opted for heading straight south towards the 4th summit. Once i was down and at the bealach i looked back and noticed them gingerly picking there way slowly down about halfway and from the looks it wouldnt be an advised route at all.

My legs were starting to ache a little by now and my jumping and skipping amongst the boulders earlier seemed like a daft idea haha. Got to the summit and decided the mountain looked rather regal with a crown of rocks atop its balding dome stopped here for a bite to eat and some pics.

Schiehallion in all its grey glory

Meall Na Aighean Summit with the Lawers in the background

Off i went again and headed down the spur back towards the forest and car park being quickly overtaken by 2 runners who id noticed earlier and thought were a young pair going strong, but when they passed looking fresh faced and not phased by the run at all i realised they were a couple that both were older shall i say hmmm now i do feel unfit haha

Back to the valley i go

well got back to the car eventually at 4.20pm having really enjoyed my walk and another 4 in the bag

[Derek T]

Great report - thanks.

billymck and I done this same route a couple of weeks ago and made exactly the same mistake as you did

We carried on a bit further before turning left towards the south ridge of Carn Gorm. It was tough on the day we did it so I can only imagine what it would have been like in the heat of this weekend!

I remember seeing that big white rock but can't think what it is reminding you of.

Derek

[monty]

Well done Fingeez,another 4 bagged. Nice pictures

I, like you and Stretch before us, missed the river crossing and wrote about it in our reports. Here is what stretch says,

I think that those of us who have recently done this circuit should meet up at the edge of the forest and place some flashing signs to indicate where the hell the actual trail is up to Carn Gorm

Don't you agree

As for the big rock, are you following me,

[Stretch]

Did I mention that getting up to the first munro was very frustrating?

[retrogear]

Looks like that bit of random art type work is constantly evolving. Lots of artists/art critics on the hills these days

[fingeez]

Hey thanks for the comments.

Hey derek yeah i read on the reports that most of us made theat mistake hahaha
and yup as Monty showed the rock reminded me of his report so i thought a bit of copycat picture taking was in order

Hey Monty
Borrowed my gf's DSLR to take some pics this time, have'nt got round to messing with them yet lol.
Yeah i had read that in your reports and swore id keep my eye out for the branching path lol and a nice flashing sign would be a fab idea haha
As for following you not me no never now where is it your going next?!

haha Stretch was def a little frustrating but spose let me get a little cross country in there instead of track the whole way lol

Yead id say retro, looks like someone puts abit of thought into it, def brought a laugh from myself tho