Gregor had done the walk about 7 or so times before and jumped at the chance to return with a good day forecast and to also impart his hillwalking knowledge and spend time with Stu and Laura for the first time since their wedding on Arran last month. A few months before that I had dragged Stef and Stuart on a walk from Lamlash to Brodick via Dun Fionn and Clauchland Hills. The newlyweds had climbed Goatfell before and had expressed an interest in returning to the hills to escape the matrix and return to nature.
For me it was another hill to explore and enjoy and it looked like a cracker, no wonder Gregor had done it so many times before. Meall nan Tarmachan South Top first followed by Meall nan Tarmachan, the pointy Meall Garbh and Beinn nan Eachan with the possibility of adding on Corbett top Creag na Caillich if we had time.
Reading up on some of the excellent walk reports and choosing the route was done during the week and with the newlyweds confirming attendance on Friday and the gig going down a storm we set off on saturday morning up the M80 and M9 to Callander where we stopped to get supplies. From there we drove north, with Ben Ledi and the other Strathyre hills towering above and Gregor was loving me driving him to a walk for the first time as he soaked in the scenery with the youngsters in the back seat doing the same. This is going to be a grand day out!
We reached Ben Lawers car park and set off up the hill following the clear path:

Beinn Ghlas & Beinn Corranaich of the Lawers group on the right on the way up:


The path continues twisting up the hill but even before we reach the fence Stu has to have several breaks in his attempts to break through the wall of the initial hour of pain...

Lochan na Lairige Dam:


Nice views to the right and to the south the view opens up to show Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin looking grand:

Inbetween Beinn Corranaich & Beinn Ghlas, An Stuc makes an appearance along with a few people on the summit:


As we reach the shoulder to start climbing up towards the South East Top the view over Loch Tay and Killn to the South is stunning...

...while Ben More, Stob Binnein and part of the ridge on Meall Garbh also come into view:





Meall Garbh summit, looks cosy!

One of Stu's many early breaks, don't worry he would break through the wall eventually... and at least with the scenery this good I don't mind stopping for pics:

Killin down below:

Pressing on we head towards the SE top, with Meall nan Tarmachan summit on the left:

On the right Ben Lawers pops it's summit into view at last with the "Dam built by Dwarves" one of many Lord of the Rings references Stu and Laura would make, hinting that they were quite enjoying the scenery already:


Another breather on the way just before the SE top summit, we tried our best to make this walk appear difficult but it was very straightforward with a perfect blend of gradient and twisty paths with varying views for the whole walk, ideal and definitely a great choice of first Munro for our two novices to start on:

And again...



You can doo eet...

Success, Munro top #1 bagged!

Meall Garbh summit again:

We still have a Munro to ascend as Gregor looks ahead to the next phase...

I thought at this point that Stu may give up at the sight of the path to the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan:

As often happens, a path/hill viewed from a distance can look intimidatingly steep but on closer inspection it's usually always much easier than it initially appeared:

Looking back on Meall nan Tarmachan South top:

We passed the girl from Crieff who had parked next to us and started a little after but overtook us during one of Stu's many early breaks, followed by a family coming down the path who excitedly told us how much fun the ridge was, don't worry, already on our agenda!
The path does have a tiny steep section but it's very straightforward:

It quickly levels off as Gregor and I pop up next to the summit and are rewarded with the view opening out to the north with many many jagged peaks now in view, from the Crianlarich hills to Ben Cruachan and Mull, Glen Coe, Ben Nevis, the Mamores....

...wow!

Apart from the perma-white sky the visibility and view is excellent:

Looking back on Ben Lawers and co:

Meall nan Tarmachan summit with Ben Vorlich behind to the south:

The unmistakable bulk of Ben Nevis to the north west:

Meall Garbh with Ben More and Stob Binnein behind:

Beinn nan Eachan with Ben Challum to the right (climbed last year for charity) and Ben Lui behind it, next months planned charity walk:

Summit cairn and Munro number 7 for me with the view south behind:

Gregor on the summit for roughly the 8th time, looking smug at doing his favourite walk yet again:


At last the rookies join us and at last Stu seems to have broken through the wall, a smile appearing on his face:


Congrats! A first Munro for Stuart and Laura and possibly the first of many...


After a brief break to soak in the view and take photos we head off along the ridge towards Meall Garbh:

What a shapely summit and background:

Not wanting to stop at the Munro summit for lunch we decide to head down to one of the wee lochans on route to top #2:

This is going to be fun!


At this point we realised just how quiet and still it was, perfect conditions for walking, warm but with a tiny cool breeze. The silence was brilliant, broken only by the occasional roar of a Bumblebee as it flew past or the local Raven shrieking hello! We settle down for lunch and enjoy a well earned break and Stu tells us how much better he feels now he a) has working lungs again and b) is up on the ridge with very little ascent left!
We enjoy the surroundings of our lochan lunch spot while refueling:




Onward we go towards Munro top number 2 for the day, Meall Garbh it's another easy stroll along the path:

Looking back at Meall nan Tarmachan summit and the local Raven swoops down to greet the rookies:


Final ascent:

Meall nan Tarmachan behind us:

Cracking wee summit, Meall Garbh:

The four of us relax at summit number 3 for the day, soaking in the amazing surroundings:

Having lots of fun, no more moany face from Stu...


Clan Donald summit shot:

The view back toward Meall nan Tarmachan with Ben Lawers towering above in the background:

Happy with another Munro top in the bag I take more photos while the gang head off the summit towards Beinn nan Eachan. This pic sums up this walk quite nicely:

Despite planning on taking more, I only remember to do this summit video from Meall Garbh.
As I catch up the others are at the top of the down-scramble path but aren't keen on it...

...so I suggest taking the bypass on the right which we do and I think that it's probably the best choice in order to remove any remote possibility of having to explain to my mother and new mother in law how I got Stuart and Laura killed on their first Munro...


We follow the path and I take a slight detour to bag Beinn nan Eachan's east top then look back at Meall Garbh summit and the wee scramble which, as always, looks much worse from a different angle:



Beinn nan Eachan summit up ahead:

We follow the twisty path over more mounds and past some boggy ground...

...looking back at the east top and Meall Garbh:

The professional for our route claws his way up the final ascent:

Not long to go, come on you two...


Success! Laura adds to the cairn and we stop atop Beinn nan Eachan summit to bask in the glory of our walk and 360 degree vista:

I can't recommend the view from here enough...


Glen Lochay looks brilliant with it's crown of peaks all around including some hills i've previously climbed and others on the list, such as Ben Challum and Ben Lui:

Distant Ben Cruachan summits look particulary enticing:

Ben More and Stob Binnein with Creag na Caillich in front of us:

As it was getting on a bit and the legs of the rookies were a little weary we decide that "if in doubt, dingy the Corbett top" to quote Stuart (he seems to be getting into this) and decide to head down from the bealach towards the quarry track and back to the car.
But first, some more of that view:

And a a few panorama's (many more photos are on Flickr for those that want the full walk experience)....
South:

West:

North west:

North east:

East:

Satisfied with our day of adventuring on the hills, we decide to call it a day and head off, Stu and Laura positively beaming due to their enjoyment of the day and new found freedom on the hills, all thoughts of the initial pain at the start of the walk now a distant memory.... for some!



I demand one more photo with Glen Lochay in the background before we begin the descent...


Two happy hillwalkers:

Ever get that feeling... like we're being watched...



Gregor meanwhile looks like he has been shepherding on these hills for his whole life... a Collie helps though!


We descend from the bealach, now for some "off piste" walking over grassy hillocks and boggy peat hags, now this will be the TRUE test of character for the rookies!

The "path" through the bog...

Laura didn't enjoy this part...

Using my viewranger app and OS map we make out a fairly straight path towards our objective, the track at the quarry:

Stu posing for a Simba monent:


Creag na Caillich behind us as we head down:

After some minor bog hopping we quickly find the track and I come close to sitting on a big frog that luckily I saw at the last second giving it time to jump down behind a rock!


We make our way along and enjoy a good blether about how much fun we've just had while discussing plans for dinner...

Quarry and summits behind us:

A distant Ben More and Stob Binnein as we hurdle the last stile...

...passing a nice gorge on the way:

Soon be at the car... cue Stuart and classic "are we there yet" quotes:

In no time at all the track takes us round the hillside and the Lawers hills come into view again:

It was roughly 45 minutes from the start of the track to the car park so a rapid walk out compared to 3 hours in Blair Atholl recently!

Not the best track but still a lot better than any off piste bog walking:

The track comes around to meet the first path we walked up:

With the car in sight, this will no doubt be the part of the walk where we doubled our average walking speed!

On returning to a now almost empty car park, the Midges that have been hiding this entire time decide to come out and attack us with ravenous vengeance and swarm around as we attempt to peel off boots and socks while zipping on trouser legs and swearing a lot.... yes I forgot to pack my Avon for this trip, dammit!!




One very quick sorting out later and we're soon driving downhill to stop off at the Old Smiddy for dinner having seen the fish n chips there vouched for on another walk report. The grub hit the spot for us all and we then set off back home to Glasgow which would only take an hour and a half.
Stuart and Laura thoroughly enjoyed their first Munro experience and like Gregor I think we all fell in love with Tarmachan Ridge on this day, it would be hard not too! The now non-rookies are already wanting to return to the hills with me so we should be able to get out for another excursion in a couple of weeks and i'm already thinking that a trip to Arrochar could be on the agenda for this one, watch this space...