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Grahams: The Stob, Sgiath a'Chaise, Meall Dearg.
Date: 25/04/2015.
Distance: 9.5km + 9.5km + 5km.
Ascent: 700m + 670m +375m.
Time taken: 2 hours, 15 minutes + 2 hours, 20 minutes + 1 hour 15 minutes.
Weather: Warm and sunny (aside from odd snow flurry), cold breeze up high, cold later on.
Wondering where to go this weekend (and also why I seemed to be out of sync with the weather forecasts
), I was informed by Gill that we would be meeting her mum for lunch on Sunday in Perth. After a bit of discussion, it was agreed that I would head off on Saturday afternoon with the car, and Gill would get the train down on Sunday morning. Brilliant - A couple of half-days to pick off some of those stragglers that don't really fit into a longer walk
The StobI left the house at 11:30 am on Saturday - time for a leisurely breakfast and no need for a rude alarm clock awakening. First port of call was to be Balqhidder. Luckily I checked a route planner first, which alerted me to the fact that the A9>Trinafour>Tummel Bridge>Killin route was a fair bit shorter than heading down the A82 to Crianlarich. Shorter time-wise too - I was parked up at the forestry track at the foot of Gleann Crotha 2 hours and 40 minutes later with the weather doing its best to put two fingers up to the forecasters.
Loch Voil and Beinn Stacath (or whatever it’s called this week):
The most obvious line of ascent was to follow the forestry track up to the edge of the trees in Gleann Crotha, which was handy as parking is in fairly short supply along this road, and there is room for 3 or 4 cars here.
Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’ Chroin:
Creag na Spearaig:
However the track didn't look like the most inspiring route, and Creag na Spearaig hovered temptingly over the far side of the burn. I decided it would be more interesting, so I left the track as the trees opened out and climbed over a fence at the crossing of the Allt Gleann Crotha.
Allt Gleann Crotha:
On the far side, there was some coniferous woodland to work my way through before reaching the open hillside. I saw this as good training for the hills of Cowal which I will no doubt be visiting soon enough. It was actually very straightforward, with fire breaks lower down and a burn to follow higher up. I climbed another deer fence at the edge of the trees and was out on the open hillside.
Ascending Creag na Spearaig:
I headed south for the views out over Loch Voil, then up an easy grassy gully through crags and onto the broad ridge. It had been well worth it as most of these views would not have been available from the forestry track. The ground was very dry underfoot as well, although this probably had a lot to do with the general lack of rain over the last couple of weeks.
Loch Voil and Ben Vorlich/Stuc a’ Chroin:
Stob Breac and Stob a’Chroin:
Stob Binnein and Ben More:
The onward route wove around outcrops and knolls with the occasional damp patch - very similar to Meall Buidhe a few ridges to the east. The summit was a little breezy, but had good views of the surrounding hills. A little far back from Loch Voil for the best outlook along the Braes of Balquidder though.
Ben Challum and the Mamlorn hills from the summit:
Stob Binnein across Meall na Dige:
Tinto, possibly:
I decided to go back down by the forestry track route. There were a couple of tiers of crags to weave around, avoiding the lower ones by a grassy gully, then a short length of wettish ground to cross to sheep pens at the edge of the forest.
Crags on the descent:
Ben Ledi and Benvane:
..then a walk (and occasional jog) back down the track to the car. The weather was even better than when I set off
Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’ Chroin:
Ben Lawers group:
Descending next to Allt Gleann Crotha:
Last look at the pair:
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Sgiath a'ChaiseA short drive led me to a layby next to Loch Lubhnaig, where I headed up the Glen Ample path through the woods. There is a small hydro scheme going in here, and the public path occasionally crossed the new access track. Soon I was out of the woods and into the sunshine with some easy walking past the path up Ben Each (indicated with a big wooden signpost). This would be a very pleasant approach to Ben Each and Stuc a' Chroin. I'd probably never considered it as it is a longer drive around if approaching from the north or east.
Loch Lubhnaig:
Creag a’ Gheata:
Back to Ben Ledi:
Ben Lawers down Glen Ample:
At the highest point in the pass, I hit the slopes of Sgiath a' Chaise. There is a large area of landslips and boulders here, quite out of character with the rest of the hill (which is rather rounded and heathery). I thought I spied a path through the boulders, but it was just an animal track, and didn't go anywhere. Never mind - despite some deep heather, the route was interesting and fairly dry.
Jumbled boulders on the ascent of Sgiath a’ Chaise:
Once on the ridge, the summit was a few minutes away over nice grass. I'd been led to believe that the top was covered in peat hags, but it was very pleasant. Maybe I'd confused it with the north summit, which I now walked out to.
Stuc a’ Chroin and Ben Each:
Stuc a’ Chroin from Sgiath a’ Chaise:
Ben Each:
There were better views of Loch Earn and Ben Vorlich from the north summit, but it was definitely rougher, with a few hags en-route. Also a large deer fence had been erected between the two tops, perpendicular to the ridge. Not sure why the landowner didn't bother to install a crossing point on the ridge line, as people inevitably end up making their own (a hole between the lower and upper tiers of the fence in this case).
Braes of Balquidder:
Meall nan Tarmachan and Ben Lawers across Loch Earn:
Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’ Chroin:
Ben Ledi:
Stuc and Each:
After a break back on the south summit, I followed a similar route down, although I stayed on the ridge a little longer this time. Probably should have followed it out to the south end for a view down Loch Lubhnaig, but would have had to retraced my steps from there due to the ridge ending in forested crags.
Landslip on east face:
Looking back towards the summit:
Loch Lubhnaig and Ardandave Hill:
Back at the car, the best part of the evening was in full swing. Sadly I used most of it up driving round to Amulree.
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Meall DeargMy next objective was going to be Uamh Bheag, but it was after 7pm by the time I got down Sgiath a' Chaise - a bit late. However Meall Dearg would be an easy quickie to round off the evening. It was a lovely drive along Loch Earn and up the Sma' Glen. By the time I parked up on the Aberfeldy road, the best light was gone and it felt way colder.
Like its Welsh namesake Foel Goch (near Bala if anyone cares), this was a fairly short, undistinguished hill that I had intended to tag onto the end of numerous other days out, but somehow never got round to it. I started off walking up General Wade's road before hitting the pathless heathery hillside. This was just as heathery as expected, but also drier and rockier.
Beinn a’ Ghlo from Meall Dearg:
The latest OS maps show a network of tracks all over this hill, some serving the nearby windfarm. The landowner seems to have cashed in on this and gone a bit mad with some newer, unmarked tracks near the summit. Given the amount of vermin control, I imagine this is grouse shooting for lazy folk.
More new tracks near the summit:
I got to the top in the last light, where the wind was really cold. Not much of a sunset, but a nice glow behind Shiehallion.
Glen Lyon Munros and Shiehallion:
Summit:
My descent route was pretty similar to the way up, although I hit the military road further north this time.
Last light on the Military Road, Meall nan Caorach in the background:
Moon up:
Then I took a quick drive back down to the Sma' Glen, where I parked up in a layby and cooked some dinner. I might have got the tent out, but remembered that it was in the cupboard under the stairs at home
. The joys of going on a spontaneous trip without really planning. The passenger seat of the car was comfortable enough though.
