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Wanting to get my tally up the Glen Lyon four seemed like good value.
The drive into Glen Lyon is scenic in itself with a nice single track road at places cut into a steep hillside and the river Lyon deep in the Gorge.
Got to Invervar and there is a reasonable size hydro project underway with a field full of plant and more construction activity just down from the car park and also as I headed up the walk
The usual entry point is closed off and access to the path is just beyond the houses.
Undeterred I set off up the track into the woods, lots of evidence of the strong wind of a few months ago with blown down trees.
Spent some time chasing some butterflies around trying to get a decent photo, they weren't very cooperative and I was astonished to get the photos I did
There is a path down to the Invervar burn in the woods for a close up look of the water cascading down, quite nice, although I suspect there were some much better view points further up before the hydro project got underway
Exited the woods onto the excavator track which I crossed onto the fern covered hillside. Got a bit confused as the ferns are covering some of the paths and there is a diversion due to the construction. Debated the correct path with a hydro worker who was on watch duty for the big excavator taking chunks out of the hillside slightly further up. he wasn't unhappy that I was there, but I could tell he would rather I wasn't anywhere near.
Managed to get a path to follow and the views started to become a bit more interesting although the heavy engineering was kinda in my face for a while
Bumped into BP & Co's caterpiller on it's hols I guess
Shortly afterwards the views started to open up with Carn Mairg
and what for me will be the final Munro Carn Gorm, slightly zoomed
The path undulates its way up with some steeper parts and then leveling out; a runner approached at pace on a steep bit
I wasn't going to even say hi thinking that he would be out of breath and concentrating, but he said hello first as he sped past.
A nice view down the Glen
Aware of the time I sped up a bit and was soon at the Meal na Aighean with great panoramic views, this past the carin to Lawers and Tarmachan
It was around 5pm at this point, so really wanted to push on. Got a bit confused as to the exact path to Carn Mairg, but it's a clear day and the terrain although a bit squidgy in places isn't dangerous, so took a more or less straight line to the bealach where I picked up the path again.
Thinking the most likely route the path would take would be up the ridge and then up the rocky right hand side I donned gloves for a scramble
but the path actually and very surprisingly goes straight up through the middle of the larger rocky mound. I popped out on the rocky summit area at around 6pm. Views are likewise panoramic with Shiehallion being very dominant
Thinking I was now doing ok for time I mooched around for a few minutes before setting off along the broad ridge towards Meall a Bharr
which as you can see is easy quick walking along what Fife Flyer euphemistically calls the modern art installation, the line of old tall metal deer fence posts presumably.
Nice views all the way along, this one down Loch Rannoch with some ominous dark clouds in the distance
It did get pretty breezy and the clouds darkened somewhat especially on the ascent up to Carn Gorm, but I was lucky the whole way round and it never actually rained.
Some old art, Shiehallion as a backdrop
Down to the next bealach and up to Meall Garbh. Nice mini drumlins and rocks in the corrie. I detoured slightly to get a closer look at the snow patch as well
Got to the summit which is also the climax of the modern art installation. A view looking back Shiehallion on the left, Meall na Aighean back right
Only one to go now and I am on time. Bit of a boulder hop for a few metres, but it is soon on a reasonable path. Great views all round
Think I took a sheep track around An Sgorr, although it did also have boot marks in it. There's definitely a slightly higher path, take it would be my advice. The sheep track was very narrow although not especially difficult, more just irritating
Last slog up to the summit of Carn Gorm is quite steep. Great view west and it looks like developing into a nice sunset
There's a couple of cairns at the summit, very close to each other and they're both on the beaten track. It's about 9:15pm, and rather than stop for something to eat I decided to keep going and make sure I am back at the car before dark. Head torches have their limitations and unlike some of my other recent walks I'd be covering a fair amount of unknown track on the way back.
Views are more than making up for the hunger pangs especially across to the Loch Tay Munros with the sun casting water colour shadows for effect
There are some steep sections on the way down and although I was thankful for the lack of bog factor so far, this final section was very squidgy in places. On the steep sections the path traverses and takes the severity out of the descent.
The Hydro construction looks like spanning a couple of the deep v shaped gulleys
Got to the forest and the nice track down the burn
and I would imagine before the construction started this would have been a very beautiful and pleasant final return section across the bridge which has seen better days
Shuttering for concrete pours
It's a difficult one for me, I did renewable energy as an OU module, and am generally more in favor of it rather than fossil fuels, I also worked offshore in the oil industry. I guess in a few years this hydro scheme won't be that noticeable and certainly I'm more in favor of small scale hydro than wind farms. Can't help thinking that if they made solar panels more aesthetically pleasing it would be the way forward and be more financially beneficial to the home owners as well.
Anyway on with the walk
now down the excavator track, the hydro workers have gone home and there isn't any danger from being squished by their plant. I was in two minds whether to follow the excavator track all the way down, thinking there would probably be some padlocked gate at the end or back through the woods which would now be a bit dark in the fading light. Opted for the woods and ended up following the track down to the original entrance which is high padlocked railing, getting stung by a stinging nettle on the way, bring back the midges any day or evening
Finally found my way out and back to the car.
A very worthwhile and interesting walk with great views
