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A year ago to the day I was having my coccyx removed and I was in an incredible amount of pain. This walk turned out to be a pain-giver albeit of a different kind.
- Dad and daughter at the start of the walk in Glen Feshie
Started off to vast blue skies with a fairly keen (but manageable) wind. As we ascended the side of Carn Ban Mor it got wilder but quite bearable.
- Carn Ban Mor (just realised how fat the dog is here. He is now a lot slimmer)
- Threatening black skies behind me and Nudge
- Ferns and brackens look quite beautiful against the dark skies
Continued up the clear, straightforward path to a rather smart path being constructed alongside the existing one. A couple of diggers sat forlornly at the point where e crested the rise of the hill and beyond that the vast expanse of the Moine Mhor plateau. At this point the views really opened up with the very distinctive flat topped cone of Cairn Toul dominating.
- The flat-topped cone of Cairn Toul on the horizon
Did a minor detour to Top, Tom Dubh and then back on track.
- Remote top of Tom Dubh
As Chief Route Reader, Alice came to "Stage 4" she read "substantial burn...often requires a paddle". Peachy. The challenge was laid ...and we were going to cross that burn without a single toe setting foot in water.
- Moine Mhor. A lot colder now and given the vastness, it's easy to forget just how high up we are.
To be fair it didn't turn out to be that much of a challenge and we found a good crossing point with only one tricky balancing act to perform at a place not far from the main path. Only the dog waded through and the rest of us kept our feet toasty-warm.
At this point the wind (predictably) ramped it up another notch or three and then came the driving rain (the sort that actually hurts as it hits you). This meant that there was no chance of a photo-pose by the time we reached Monadh Mor summit.
By now we were all seriously frozen, even with all our layers (however there was a shameful shortage of hats, gloves and scarves from Team Railton). Even our doggyboy was shivering (granted he'd had his "specsavers" cut from me only a few weeks earlier). It was touch and go as to whether or not to continue on to Beinn Bhrotain. "It's only 1.5 miles" said the Hubs.......and with those words forward we went.
Dropping down the far side of Monadh Mor the views were pretty awesome but it was too cold and wet for me to hoick the camera from its snug resting place in my rucksack.
The low rain clouds cleared for a while to give a good view of the imposing bulk of Beinn Bhrotain up ahead and the steep drop (and climb) ahead gave a whole new meaning to "one and a half miles". At the saddle point it became so blowy that I got knocked clean off my feet only to pick myself up for it to happen again.......and that set the tone for the next section of the walk.
It was tough, really tough, climbering up the boulder-field on the near side of Beinn Bhrotain, not least because of the incessant driving wind. It's tricky enough to traverse shin splitters in clement weather let alone a force-nasty.
On the plus-side, the desire to be clear of the boulders put a spring in our step and in no time the welcome sight of the summit trig and three lovely wind shelters to choose from came into view. Yehhaay!!!
- The Rev makes it to Beinn Bhrotain summit cairn. It's cold.
- Grimacing against the freezing wind. Beinn Bhrotain summit cairn.
- Alice on Beinn Bhrotain. Too cold and windswept to be bothered with proper photo posing
Hunkered down for a very damp, cold and pretty miserable lunch stop and ate the bare minimum as we were keen to be on our way given the next wave of ominous dark cloud speeding it's way towards us.
- Carn a' Mhaim as seen from Beinn Bhrotain
- Devil's Point as seen from Beinn Bhrotain
The descent was considerably worse than than our ascent given that we were full on facing the wind. By some miracle the three of us made it down to the bottom of the boulder-field with intact limbs. However, Nudge ended up with three bleeding paws and had to be coaxed down.
- Devil's Point and Carn a' Mhaim behind Nudge but he couldn't care less. His paws were hurting.
This was a first for our dog as he is the absolute definition of crazy and had up until this point in his life had always possessed a seemingly endless supply of full-on energy.
Posed for photos on the return journey at Monadh Mor.
- Monadh Mor. Second time around
- Yup still windy on Monadh Mor but at least the rain has gone
- I think we've done for Alice and Nudge. This is their summit pose on Monadh Mor!!!
The weather was truly unkind as we continued our long return, finding our crossing points on both burns and dreaming of that lovely Shepherd's Pie that the Hubs had made for what was going to be a very late tea for us.
With the boulder fields all far behind us, Nudge's energy levels rose and he was off out front again, leading us in the direction of the very tiny diggers sat on the top of Carn Ban Mor. It took an age to reach this point but knowing that it would be all downhill from the point was encouragement enough.
By the time was crested the hill the clouds cleared and Glen Feshie opened up beautifully below us. We had a fuel stop and got clipped by the edge of the last downpour of the day.
Back at the car we noted the stats and then put the pedal to the metal with the promise of a lovely hot bath and that Shepherd's pie.
A really challenging walk and we certainly felt like we earned these two Munros . Walked by Sarah, David, Alice and Nudge (who also had a nice warm bath and "orgasmatron" a hair dryer blow dry)
