Creag Meagaidh circuit

[SecretSquirrel]

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Parked up at the Creag Meagaidh Nature reserve car park at 10pm. Usual routine of back seats down, sleeping mat and sleeping bag laid out with my Kindle books keeping me going until sleep. It was a very still, clear night and the stars were amazing to see.

I woke at 6am with engine noise from a nearby camper van. I assume they were using the engine to get extra heat. As I discovered, it had been a pretty cold night, I crawled out of my sleeping bag to find the car windows around me covered in ice and frost.

Having forced myself out of the warm sleeping bag, I was ready and walking by 7:30am.

Starting from the Creag Meagaidh Nature Reserve car park


The reserve buildings and facilities


A cold frosty morning


Sun rising over a misty Loch Laggan


A small cairn marks the 'path' ascending Na Cnapanan


Gaining height, looking back down on Loch Laggan


Eventually the 'Window' comes into view, giving a look at what will be todays final descent


Carn Laith summit cairn


Summit view to the days next targets, Creag Meagaidh in the center and Stob Poite Coire Ardair center right


View across Loch Laggan


Another view to Creag Meagaidh


Looking back to Carn Laith from Uinneag Coire a' Chaorainn


Stob Poite Core Ardair


Following the ridge from Coire a' Chriochairein


Carn Laith looking a long way back


The cliffs of Creag Meagaidh


Nearing the summit of Stob Poite Coire Ardair


Second summit of the day ... SPCA


Heading up Creag Meagaidh, 'Mad Megs' cairn is leading the way


Mad Meg's cairn, apparently an 18th Centuary suicide burial mound


Creag Meagaidh summit cairn


Summit views ...






Retracing my steps back past Mad Meg's cairn, its time to descend through the 'Window'


I managed to lose the path, but the boulder clambering was fun


Once through I found great views to the lochan and the path appeared again on my left


Looking back up at the Window


Lochan a' Choire


The walk back had some great scenery with native species in the Reserve


Last view back to Creag Meagaidh


Creag Meagaidh Photo Album

[litljortindan]

That does look a chilly morning frost but cracking weather, views, photos. Been round Coire Ardair but didn't quite manage the close up views I wanted because of the cornices so will have to make a return visit.

P.S. Do you have a car you can stretch out in to sleep or were you squashed up in a ball?

[SecretSquirrel]

That does look a chilly morning frost but cracking weather, views, photos. Been round Coire Ardair but didn't quite manage the close up views I wanted because of the cornices so will have to make a return visit.

P.S. Do you have a car you can stretch out in to sleep or were you squashed up in a ball?

Thanks

As for the car, its an SUV. I put the back seats down and the front passenger seat forward. That gives me enough space to almost lie straight out, but with feet firmly against the boot. It works for me as I usually sleep on my side with knees slightly bent.

Much less fuss than pitching the tent

[BlackPanther]

Frrrrosty! I like that! The landscape looks so fresh, almost crunchy!

It's been a while since we visited this trio, 2010 I think it was, a hot summer day... I'm hoping to do it again with snow on the ridge, early spring possibly. I remember we went up the window and to Megi first, then over the two other Munros, so for the repeat we might reverse the route.

[SecretSquirrel]

Frrrrosty! I like that! The landscape looks so fresh, almost crunchy!

It's been a while since we visited this trio, 2010 I think it was, a hot summer day... I'm hoping to do it again with snow on the ridge, early spring possibly. I remember we went up the window and to Megi first, then over the two other Munros, so for the repeat we might reverse the route.

Thank BP. I think we'll be getting more frosty morning like that very soon!