Five from Glen Ey
Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 10:23 pmThis is my first walk report on walk highlands. I've been interested to read many reports and have found some of them very useful, so i thought it was about time i chipped in.
I've been eyeing (no pun intended) up these 5 hills for a while, but wasn't confident I could do them all in a day, however kennyg's report gave me some hope that it was achievable, and the forecast was fairly bombproof, so i gave it a go. Here's the route:
I set off from Inverey at 7.22am and it took about 75 minutes of ever so slightly uphill trundling on my cheap, two ton mountain bike to reach the ruined lodge at Altanour. I found this hard work, but it's months since i was last on a bike. Ditched the bike, bike repair kit and emergency twix etc here to collect later.
I couldn't see much of a path so i climbed W and then NW over shallow heathery slopes, (scaring off many red deer in the process) to the col between Carn Bhac and Carn Creagach, where a path materialized and took me easily to the first munro of the day, getting there at 09.55:
From here it looked a long way to Beinn Iutharn Mhor, and the going really wasn't made any easier by these horrible peat hags:
But it was worth the effort (eventually) and after a steep climb up the side of BIM's northern ridge there were splendid views northwards to the Cairngorms;
Got to the top of BIM at around 11.34am, but didn't hang about. Headed south and traversed SW around Mam nan Carn's northwestern slopes to reach the path at the foot of Carn an Righ. Stashed the pack and slogged up to the summit cairn, great views from the summit cairn to the next hill; Glas Tulaichen:
Retraced my steps, picked up the pack at the col and the pretty good path Eastish for about a mile before crossing the burn southwards and picking up GT's north ridge. (I must confess that at this point i was in two minds about bagging this one today - feeling a bit pooped). However, it only took half an hour or so (crossing one patch of snow):
The GT summit trig, was reached at 2.15pm, where i was welcomed by Mr & Mrs Ptarmigan:
All that remained now was to collect my pack from the handy pack-hook (see image below), and walk back to the bike - but this looked like a mind-alteringly long way - the bike being on the far side of An Socach, which is the grey capped hill beyond and to the right of Loch nan Eun, seen here:
Over an hour later I was slogging up the final ascent of the day, An Socach's steep southern slope, and i do believe I actually swore once or twice:
Reached the top of An Socach at about 3.45pm, and had a long look at the way out, as seen here:
Then followed a very steep but fast heathery descent to the river, and in the absence of any decent stepping stones i got sodden feet, but didn't really care by then. I reached the Lodge / bike at 4.39pm, scoffed the twix, glugged the sprite, and got on the bike. The cycle out was mostly a freewheel, just occasional pedalling required - a real joy at the end of a demanding but very rewarding day out. Got back to the car at 5.18pm.
If you have lots of daylight, lots of stamina, start early and don't care when you finish, give it a go. Tremendous day out.
I've been eyeing (no pun intended) up these 5 hills for a while, but wasn't confident I could do them all in a day, however kennyg's report gave me some hope that it was achievable, and the forecast was fairly bombproof, so i gave it a go. Here's the route:
I set off from Inverey at 7.22am and it took about 75 minutes of ever so slightly uphill trundling on my cheap, two ton mountain bike to reach the ruined lodge at Altanour. I found this hard work, but it's months since i was last on a bike. Ditched the bike, bike repair kit and emergency twix etc here to collect later.
I couldn't see much of a path so i climbed W and then NW over shallow heathery slopes, (scaring off many red deer in the process) to the col between Carn Bhac and Carn Creagach, where a path materialized and took me easily to the first munro of the day, getting there at 09.55:
From here it looked a long way to Beinn Iutharn Mhor, and the going really wasn't made any easier by these horrible peat hags:
But it was worth the effort (eventually) and after a steep climb up the side of BIM's northern ridge there were splendid views northwards to the Cairngorms;
Got to the top of BIM at around 11.34am, but didn't hang about. Headed south and traversed SW around Mam nan Carn's northwestern slopes to reach the path at the foot of Carn an Righ. Stashed the pack and slogged up to the summit cairn, great views from the summit cairn to the next hill; Glas Tulaichen:
Retraced my steps, picked up the pack at the col and the pretty good path Eastish for about a mile before crossing the burn southwards and picking up GT's north ridge. (I must confess that at this point i was in two minds about bagging this one today - feeling a bit pooped). However, it only took half an hour or so (crossing one patch of snow):
The GT summit trig, was reached at 2.15pm, where i was welcomed by Mr & Mrs Ptarmigan:
All that remained now was to collect my pack from the handy pack-hook (see image below), and walk back to the bike - but this looked like a mind-alteringly long way - the bike being on the far side of An Socach, which is the grey capped hill beyond and to the right of Loch nan Eun, seen here:
Over an hour later I was slogging up the final ascent of the day, An Socach's steep southern slope, and i do believe I actually swore once or twice:
Reached the top of An Socach at about 3.45pm, and had a long look at the way out, as seen here:
Then followed a very steep but fast heathery descent to the river, and in the absence of any decent stepping stones i got sodden feet, but didn't really care by then. I reached the Lodge / bike at 4.39pm, scoffed the twix, glugged the sprite, and got on the bike. The cycle out was mostly a freewheel, just occasional pedalling required - a real joy at the end of a demanding but very rewarding day out. Got back to the car at 5.18pm.
If you have lots of daylight, lots of stamina, start early and don't care when you finish, give it a go. Tremendous day out.
