As it was, the roads were reasonable apart from some awful drivers tootling along at 35-40mph in 60 zones. For miles

Setting off




Uisge Dhubh

Stats for the walk in

A peaceful night, some rain on the windows and roof but no other noises to interrupt slumbers. Managed to get away before 8am, past the lurking midges and across the stile onto the track. We had planned to do Cheesecake first so followed the track down to the footbridge, along to the right for a little then up the grassy flanks of Sail Riabhach. Easy. When we reached the plateau there were good views over to Fuar Tholl and Beinn Liath Mor in Torridon, and to the dark crest of Bidean a'Choire Sheasgaich itself. A gentle stroll took us up to the narrow summit ridge of Cheesecake - I couldn't believe how easy ascent is from this side compared to coming up the scrambly gully from Tarsuinn.
This is the room that would later hold a dozen people


Bothy, with the Lodge behind

Bridge

Up to Sail Riabhaich

North to Fuar Tholl

Cheesecake

Cheesecake/Lurg Mhor

The long sinuous back of Beinn Tarsuinn

Across to Beinn Dronaig

Lurg Mhor

Summit Bidean a'Choire Sheasgaich

Now all eyes were on the sister hill of Lurg Mhor. A short trip down to the bealach and then up over the stony slopes to the top of Lurg Mhor took about 50 minutes. However the weather had closed in quite substantially. We decided to drop our packs at the summit cairn of Lurg and press on to the desired object of Meall Mor unladen. I'd read about the slippy slabs crossing over here and it didn't help that the rain was pelting down and the clag had descended. Although I was enjoying losing the weight of my pack, I realised very soon that I should have taken gloves, as my hands started to freeze in the miserable conditions. We dropped down from the summit area of Lurg onto a sharp rocky step that needed an edge along it. It didn't help that the clag prevented you seeing downwards - the hillside seemed to drop off vertically on both sides. Then onwards to a couple of pinnacles. Getting over the first was tricky but manageable, however getting up the second in these conditions with wet rock, clag and high winds was not. Allison decided to wait behind while I went down to look for a bypass. Dropping down about 30m to the right allows one to pass below the obstruction and continue on to the flat grassy top of Meall Mor. I went across myself then returned to try and find Allison. The clag had cleared somewhat by this time and I suggested she come over to the Top as well. She was absolutely frozen, having sat waiting for me for 15 minutes or so in the dreich weather, so was glad to get back to the main summit, get a few layers on and some hot coffee.
Weather worsening up on Lurg


Out to Meall Mor

Hands frozen

A wee bit hypothermic

Heading back to Lurg Mhor


The clag began to clear as we walked down the southern shoulder of Lurg Mhor, with views over Loch Calavie. I had swithered about extending the trip to include the Graham An Cruachan, but it would mean some very wet terrain to cross and would probably add a couple of hours to the trip. With the weather being so unsettled I decided to leave this for another day, maybe using the other bothy in this area, Maol Bhuidhe, as a base - a good excuse to come back. We got to the track that runs along the base of the mountain and comes to the head of Loch Calavie, then progressed in a generally squelchy manner over the river and onto the stalkers' track that leads up the SE shoulder of Beinn Dronaig.
View down the S shoulder of Lurg

Beinn Dronaig

I think this is Aonach Buidhe - one still on the list

An Cruachan to the L

View back up to the ridge to Meall Mor


Beinn Dronaig, Loch Calavie

The boggy land over to the base of Dronaig

Loch Calavie

Loch Monar and beyond

Maol Bhuide bothy

As we climbed the weather went from sunshine to clag to rain and it was pretty miserable when we finally reached the top. I was glad that we had not dallied on An Cruachan. We made our way to the bealach with Carn Poll-eisg then just made a beeline for the bothy down the NW slopes. Wet, boggy but quicker than traversing the length of the hill. As we descended through rain and clag we could see some figures wandering around the bothy door and when we reached sanctuary found a couple of English families had taken up residence. We didn't actually manage to work out how many were there as people kept appearing and disapperaing, but there were at least 10 and perhaps 12. We chatted and they'd walked in from Achintee to spend the night and maybe do Dronaig in the morning. Had some serious cooking going on too. We were joined by a couple of WH hillwalkers (I forgot to confirm identities but one may have been Laconic Surf) who'd been doing Dronaig after walking in and would do the 2 Munros on Sunday.
Up Dronaig

Cheesecake/Lurg

Fuar Tholl

Towards Loch Monar in steps of blue



You can just make out the bothy in the clag

Stats

Food was well received, as was a fire to help dry off the clothes that had suffered the day's soaking. There are some advantages to not always being in a tent. Unfortunately I managed to melt the fuel line of my stove, so had to boil the kettle in the fireplace


You can't do this in a tent!

Away just before seven for the walk back to Attadale. Met a couple of guys on bikes and another pair walking in with their dog - they must have started out early! A beautiful morning, mackeral sky over yesterday's hills. Looked like it was going to be a fine day. My wee mind was whirring...if we got back to the car before 10 then that would give us almost a full day to do another hill...we'd be ahead of schedule

Leaving the bothy


Uisge Dhubh



A peek into Attadale gardens

Drove down to Morvich and set off just before 11. We'd both had the temerity to change into shorts (for the first time this year) and also put trainers on as feet were a little sore after the weekend's walking - however I decided I wanted boots for the scrabbly bit of the ridge so popped both pairs in the rucksack. A very lovely walk up Gleann Choinneachain, profusion of wild flowers, butterflies and grasses. Met not a soul, surprisingly. I'd been up Beinn Fhada twice before, once from this direction including A'Ghlas Bheinn on the walk and once over the whole back of the mountain from Affric. On neither occasion had I been over to the western Top of Meall an Fhurain Mhoir, so that was our agenda today. We then had the option of returning by our out route or continuing along over Hunter's Ridge.
Hunter's Ridge from the car park at Morvich

Summer finally here! Shorts on!!


Looking up into Coire an Sgairne


The sky started to cloud over as we sat on the track just before the turn off into the vast amphitheatre of Coire an Sgairne. The path up into the coire is a good one, with only a few patches of soggy bog. Soon we were on the flattish top of the mountain and went across to the Munro summit. Views over to Affric - Ceathreamnhan standing proud, Mullach Coire Fraoch pointing to the skies and beyond them the hills of Torridon. To our right the Sisters cut a pose against a darkening sky and it looked like some bad stuff was on its way over. Picking up speed incase the heavens opened we trotted across the grassy plateau to Meall an Fhurain Mhoir. Yay - another Top!



Ceathreamnhan with Sgurr Ghaorsaic in front

A'Ghlas Bheinn

Towards Meall an Fhurain Mhoir

Fhada summit

Towards Sisters

Towards Meall an Fhurain Mhoir


Now decision time. The wind was getting up and it was smirring with rain. The ridge or the way we'd come? I knew if we didn't do the ridge we'd both regret it, plus it was less kilometres back to the car. So we switched trainers for boots and with a little trepidation set off. I remembered reading something about a slabby section to Sgurr a Choire Ghairbh and that wet weather would make this unpleasant. i hoped the rain would stay off til we got to it

Start of the ridge

Ceum na h-Aon Choise

The tricky bit onto Sgurr a Choire Ghairbh





Rough going

Stats
