Two routes in one: Big Day from Beinn Dearg to Seana Bhraigh

[Petr Dakota]

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Finally weekend free I was looking forward to do some bigger One Day trip The weather forecast did not look so bad either for saturday or sunday, maybe on sunday looked a little bit better, but I always prefer the first day off to use for a trip if the weather condition is not much different
It was a few days after our big mountains adventure with my Brother in the North and since the time I had in my thoughts the 4 Munros route near Ullapool - Beinn Dearg + 3 and also the remoted one - Seana Bhraigh. By the WH website it's one day route for the remoted Seana Bhraigh and also long day route for the Beinn Dearg circuit, but I wanted to do all of them together in one day as they both have the same start point and initial part of the way so make it as a circle can save the distance and time than do it separately ... Because of the shorter daylight every day now and my next free weekend far away ahead, it was probably last the chance to do it this year I counted the estimate walking time for all of them looked in maps for any possibilities to connect them together and I was happy to see that it's doable as a big opportunity for great effective day in the mountains before the Winter with a short daylight come.
My plan was to start in the darkness for the initial walk on the wide road in the Forest and have some spare time in the daylight for the finish to get back safely. I estimated my start time of the walk between 06:00-06:30 and finish between 18:00-18:30.
Determined and looking forward I did set my alarm for 01:00 am, started at 02:15 am heading to the North id the silent night without any usual busy traffic on A9, just used Cruise Control to keep my speed acceptable for all the ****** speed cameras
I arrived in the Inverlael car park at 06:14 am in the darkness and I was surprised there was one car already because It's me usually who is first at any car park as there is not much mad people like me to use this crazy early starts Then I saw there is someone sleeping in the car and probably want to start in the daylight like the normal people usually do
I prepared all my walking stuff and started my walk at 06:28 with a torch in my hand
Below is the photo story, hope you will enjoy:

Nice car park, signed for Walkers. Arrived at 06:14 in the darkness

Started my walk at 06:28, this gate is just next to the car park. My torch was very useful in the beginning

Hope I does not look like a Deer from a distance, especially very early morning ! No worries, no stalking on weekends as I found out in the website

The Junction: Beinn Dearg on the right ( straight on ), Seana Braigh on the left up hill without a sign...

End of the wide road, nice long path behind the gate...and daylight starting slowly. The Mountains distanced in the background.

Looking back from the path...

Closer to the Mountains finally. Beinn Dearg on the right, Meall nan Ceapraichean on the left.

Meall nan Ceapraichean and Eididh nan Clach Geala ( distanced on the left )

Looking back towards North-West from the higher level

Meall nan Ceapraichean from South-East

My first target: Beinn Dearg, there is a path along the stony fence

Towards North to Meall nan Ceapraichean from a higher level

Beinn Dearg summit, 1st Munro done. Mist on the topn only, but no views.

2nd target: Cona' Mheall is clear now on the top...

Nice view between the 1st two Munros towards South

2nd Munro done, but mist again...now on the summit of Cona' Mheall

Misty all tops around now when descending Cona' Mheall

...but clear in a few minutes again, Beinn Deargh opposite

Towards South again...I loved this view

I was watched...and watching too

The South view once again with the sun struggling to go through the clouds

Continuing my way to the next Munro Meall nan Ceapraichean and looking back the long Glen I came from...

Looking back to the South with a part of Beinn Dearg on the right

...and South-East to the Cona' Mheall which is all clear now

Photo story of the route continues in the post below

[Petr Dakota]

Near the summit of Meall nan Ceapraichean

...and the nice summit view towards West. Munro no. 3 done, clear views finally !!! Great memories from An Teallach in the background

the wider view again

Both the previous Munros...and both of them clear now. So at least from distance I can see how is it around the summits

Towards North: Eidith nan Clach Geala opposite and Seana Bhraigh distanced and clear in the background

The next target Eidith nan Clach Geala just over the Glen

...and now opposite: looking back over the Glen from Eidith nan Clach Geala

...and the summit of the Munro no. 4 Here I met a couple who started the Circuit in opposite direction, so it was the no.1 for them. Hope you had a better views from the last two as the weather and then visibility was still changing...It was nice to met you there if you are reading this...

Towards North, getting misty...There is not any path as I wanted to connect the two different routes so the visibility for this part of my way was most important. Unfortunately in this part of my way after leaving the summit I got the worse weather condition, strong wind, drizzle and fog - no visibility. No any path to follow I used my map and GPS to keep the right direction.

Closer to Seana, getting clear again...I walked through rough mostly grassy and boggy terrain until I joined the path to Seana Bhraigh, but the path disappeared shortly after

Visibility good now, not the terrain

Seana Bhraigh just over the Valley opposite on the left, I hoped it will stay clear

From the edge around the Glen...

Looking back to the South-East

Seana Bhraigh finaly closer, but what happend with the clag again ?

No views from Siena Bhraigh...just the summit shelter...disappointed as I was looking forward the views from here...

Shortly after I left the summit I met one walker - a man who was doing the Seana Bhraigh from the north side, also he was disappointed by the fog around...Nice to met you there if you are reading this and hope you got some views there if you stayed on the summit for a break as the visibility got better again when I was on my walk back in the distance...

Seana clear again when I'm on the opposite side on my way back

Remoted...part of the endless way back ahead

The final descend offered this great view

Looking to the Beinn Dearg from a distance while descending...

...and again from lower level

Near the car park

The road, the gate and the nice car park

The car park is really nice and well maintened, big enough and protected by the fence.

I finished my walk at 17:34 - still daylight. It was a great day out, despite the bad luck by the "views" from some summits...always clear before or after I fully enjoyed the walk as I guesed that it was one of the last opportunities for a biger day this year.
70 Munros done meantime this year since January and hope some more to do until end of the Year. Looking forward for the winter adventures now as I love winter walks in snow if freezy, clean in sunny days

[simon-b]

That's a big route for this time of year, Petr. lt looks like you were on those hills a day after Fife Flyer. I'm looking forward to your photos from Seanna Bhraigh. That is a great area.

[jamesb63]

Another BIG day Petr you are really knocking them off in quick time now
you do belive in an early start

[martin.h]

It is a nice long day Petr, well done, when we were doing the four in July we looked at Seanna Bhraigh and wondered if it would be possible to do as well, unfortunately, with my legs being old and decrepid we decided to leave it for another year
Great report and great photo's.
Cheers.

[Fife Flyer]

Enjoyed that Petr, that was one long day and even more challenging at this time of year

As Simon says I was up that way during the week, I had a bit of clag on the approach to Seana Bhraigh, shame you didn't get the views - you can see what you missed by looking at my WR

[dooterbang]

Nice one Petr. Surprised you didn't add the other munro and hitch a lift back to the car . Well done on another smash and grab

[Beaner001]

That's quite a walk Petr, well done

[Petr Dakota]

That's a big route for this time of year, Petr. lt looks like you were on those hills a day after Fife Flyer. I'm looking forward to your photos from Seanna Bhraigh. That is a great area.

I agree Simon, great area and big interesting route. Sorry, no views from Seana Bhraigh in the time I was there...

[Petr Dakota]

Another BIG day Petr you are really knocking them off in quick time now
you do belive in an early start

Thanks James and Yes, I believe

[Petr Dakota]

It is a nice long day Petr, well done, when we were doing the four in July we looked at Seanna Bhraigh and wondered if it would be possible to do as well, unfortunately, with my legs being old and decrepid we decided to leave it for another year
Great report and great photo's.
Cheers.

Thank you Martin Hope you will get a better views from Seana Bhraigh when you will get there as it's a long , but interesting walk for the one Mountain.

[Petr Dakota]

Enjoyed that Petr, that was one long day and even more challenging at this time of year

As Simon says I was up that way during the week, I had a bit of clag on the approach to Seana Bhraigh, shame you didn't get the views - you can see what you missed by looking at my WR

Thanks Martin at least I saw the missed views from Seana Bhraigh by your report Glad you got the good weather and visibility there

[rockhopper]

Big day in a great set of hills
Good memories of these hills - had one of my favourite trips up here - cheers

[Petr Dakota]

Nice one Petr. Surprised you didn't add the other munro and hitch a lift back to the car . Well done on another smash and grab

Thanks Paul I was thinking about the other one, but I was limited by the time to get back home around 22:00 the same day, also the extremely boggy bottom there and not any lift back arranged was a good reason to leave it for next Need 2 days and a tent or at least longer daylight in a Summer to do all of them together...

[Petr Dakota]

That's quite a walk Petr, well done

thanks Matt