Golden Autumn at Monadhliath...until boggy, foggy, boggy

[Petr Dakota]

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This Autumn looks much better than the unusually bad Summer by the weather and I was looking forward to go to the Mountains again as the forecast for my day off on tuesday was promising for some areas in Scotland. Very nice forecast with a sunshine for the North, but because of a week day my time was limited...no time enough to get far away. The area around Cairngorms looked good for a clear day without any rain so I decided to try the 3 Munros near Newtonmore. Decision made, prepared all my stuff I set alarm for 03:00 am as I wanted to use the advantage of one extra hour for earlier daylight as the clock was just turned back from the Summer Time

Sunrise over Newtonmore...promising start of the day

I arrived just before 6:50 am and parked here at Glen Banchor, nobody else there in the early morning time. It's a smaller carpark ( 10-12 cars capacity ), the last one at the end of the road from Newtonmore. I started my walk at 7:01 am continuing the road downhill just behind the car park. There is a bridge over the Allt a Chaorain.

Shortly after the bridge the road is leading along the River Calder. I jumped closer to the river to snap the colours from the sunrise in the water

Silent morning's walk.......

After 1 mile from the car park, I turned right, just before the another bridge and house and followed the track towards North-North-West to the Mountains

The Mountains ahead...not any of my targets visible yet, still hidden behind them

The view towards West

Looking back to the sunrise...

Still following the path along the stream in the Glen

...then turned left and used the smaller path leading to the footbridge via short boggy ground

Shortly after the footbridge the ground is really boggy, but the sign of the path is still visible. After split of the track, followed the one in the right to the big open grassy area. First sign of the 1st Munro - Carn Dearg. I probably missed a plate "Welcome to the boggy land" but even without I was sure that I'm there.

Because all the boggy places around, I decided to follow the track in the grass which was ascending gently on the opposite side of Carn Dearg ( Meall na Ceardaich ) and then get the summit from upper level rather than going straight to climb the Munro. Carn Dearg summit ahead in the right...notice the boggy area in the bottom

The summit of Carn Dearg

Some nice views from the summit, just limited by the oncoming clouds. I started my walk to the second Munro, looked back towards the Carn Dearg again...

The endless view from the plateau, walking between the Munro no.1 and Munro no.2. The terrain was hard...grass and stones, but much better than the boggy area in the bottom

Long walk on the plateau, his is what means clouds free tops...you can't see any cloud as they are hidden in the mist

...and this is what means boggy land. Surprisingly I got through just with some mud on my sole only as I was stepping very carefully

The featureless summit of Carn Sgulain, still misty...no views

After long time in the fog, finally clear view so I was able to see where I am going to... A' Chailleach ahead, need just walk through the pathless boggy grass and chose any way up

Munro no.3 - the summit of A' Chailleach, misty...without views again.

Clear views again while descending from A' Chailleach. A wee bothy in the distance...

...a long way through the rough terrain

Finally joined this wider and more comfortable road

Near to the car park...looking towards West and enjoying the Autumn colours

I got back to the car park at 13:37, a lot of cars there already in the time. Afternoon just started and I felt great after the refreshment in the hills...ready to drive back home

[jamesb63]

Well done Petr Boggy is an understatement in some of your pics
But I do love the colours of Autumn in the hill

[PerthAlly]

Well done once more Petr

Lousy views . But at least you're getting out and about. I'm bogged down with work

Any free time for me is on the golf course

[dogplodder]

Gorgeous sunrise.... and a lot of mud!

[Petr Dakota]

Well done Petr Boggy is an understatement in some of your pics
But I do love the colours of Autumn in the hill

Thanks James Fortunately I avoided most of the mud - by slalom
I love Autumn in the mountains because of the colours, also Winter in the mountains if clear blue sky, white snow, grey rock , freeze...

[Petr Dakota]

Well done once more Petr

Lousy views . But at least you're getting out and about. I'm bogged down with work

Any free time for me is on the golf course

Thanks Ally I have a busy time by work now as well so happy for the tuesday in the mountains - great refreshment from all...

[Petr Dakota]

Gorgeous sunrise.... and a lot of mud!

Thanks, I love sunrise and preferably without the mud

[spiderwebb]

Nice report Petr, enjoyed these, mostly some wee a wee bit damp

Shame I didn't know in advance we could have met up after your walk as I was working in Kingussie that day

[Mountainlove]

I really enjoyed that walk when I did it a few weeks ago. Like you...yes the bog is pretty bad! You did some really good time on these hills!! Getting up at 3am

[Petr Dakota]

Nice report Petr, enjoyed these, mostly some wee a wee bit damp

Shame I didn't know in advance we could have met up after your walk as I was working in Kingussie that day

Thanks Dave Fortunately the damp was not so bad like it looks
Sorry we did not meet I would turn to Kingussie as I had left some spare ( even little ) time, if I knew about.
Hope some day in the future...thanks again

I really enjoyed that walk when I did it a few weeks ago. Like you...yes the bog is pretty bad! You did some really good time on these hills!! Getting up at 3am

I agree, despite how it looks the walk is really enjoyable...especially in the early morning's silence and the Autumn colours. Great refreshment there !
I just looked at your report and I see we had a lot of pics from the same places
apart from these in my report also some more:

[Silverhill]

Shame about the fog. This is big sky country on a clear day.
I’m very envious that you manage to get out on the hills virtually every week.

[Petr Dakota]

Shame about the fog. This is big sky country on a clear day.
I’m very envious that you manage to get out on the hills virtually every week.

Thank you every second week...mostly, if I'm lucky Missed some views, but fortunately on the wide endless plateau...hills around not visible for navigation, but the fence track and GPS made it
Looking forward to see your next report...hope you will pack your rucksack soon...don't miss the Autumn colours

[ancancha]

Another great report Petr and three Munros closer to your completion
Wasn't a great summer, but if the weather in Scotland has been anything like here in Ireland, then the last five weeks will have been fabulously calm sunny days

[Petr Dakota]

Another great report Petr and three Munros closer to your completion
Wasn't a great summer, but if the weather in Scotland has been anything like here in Ireland, then the last five weeks will have been fabulously calm sunny days

Thanks Craig Completion still far away, if will be any...It's not my goal to complete all, I'm keeping it open if yes or not But definitely I want to explore more and more mountains, all the most known and all the most challenging, then repeat the favourites with my family and my friends or any visitors or just alone like I mostly do...the mountains which I will feel connected to my heart and my soul ( planning Ben Nevis via CMD in November again - my Ben Nevis trip no.17 ! )
As the summer was not so good by the weather, the autumn started great in September and October

[ancancha]

Another great report Petr and three Munros closer to your completion
Wasn't a great summer, but if the weather in Scotland has been anything like here in Ireland, then the last five weeks will have been fabulously calm sunny days

Thanks Craig Completion still far away, if will be any...It's not my goal to complete all, I'm keeping it open if yes or not But definitely I want to explore more and more mountains, all the most known and all the most challenging, then repeat the favourites with my family and my friends or any visitors or just alone like I mostly do...the mountains which I will feel connected to my heart and my soul ( planning Ben Nevis via CMD in November again - my Ben Nevis trip no.17 ! )
As the summer was not so good by the weather, the autumn started great in September and October

A bit of me in their as well; I'd have liked to have done them all, but in my mind was looking forward to returning to the one's I liked for a second look at the views I missed in the clag for some , although for others the fond memories.
Your one with the steep zig zags looked like great fun as well

Guess if I make it back over the Ben will have to be done, but like you it will be via the CMD