(One Hundred and) Fifty Shades of Graham

[weaselmaster]

Sorry about recycling that title yet again.
Well it was a snowy and cold weekend in prospect for us. The forecast had suggested 6mm snow on Thursday night on Ben Vorlich and none for the rest of the weekend, so I didn't reckon we would have much to bother about at Graham height. Plans were to camp at Comrie Croft and tackle Beinn Dearg and Mor Bheinn in Glen Artney on Friday, Creag Ruadh and Creag Each (with a variable number of Simms) in Glen Tarken on Saturday and Beinn na Gainimh in Glen Quaich on Sunday. It was a horrid drive up, in rain, sleet and freezing fog but fortunately the heavens dried by the time we came to pitch at Comrie. Arriving in the dark, it's a challenging place to find and pitch your tent - fortunately we'd stayed there a couple times before and were gladdened to see some improvements to the site like partial board walkways into the trees and a wheelbarrow to truckle your stuff along. A cold night was in prospect - ice thick on the tent's inside when we woke. But a beautiful morning nonetheless. We checked into the reception/shop, then set off the few miles to Glen Artney.

artney2.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Parking up by the Church, we set off back along the road towards Dalchruin, walked through the farmstead and down to the riverside to the bridge at Dalclathick. Lots of welcoming signs like "Dogs on lead" "Stalking today" etc. Must be in Perthshire. We continued on the track for a little then followed a deerfence line north to the lower slopes of Dun Dubh. Boggy in places, and as we rose to the base of the hill, defended by a deer fence, a wall then a barbed wire fence all in the space of 50 metres. Really . Beinn Dearg across the glen was looking superb in its winter coat. As we gained height to around 450m the snow underfoot became a permanent fixture and deep in places. We walked up the rough terrain to Ben Halton, past the old quarry to the west. Allison was struggling quite a bit - I waited for her at the summit and enjoyed the beautiful day.

The hills ahead
DSC02000 by Al, on Flickr

Dun Dubh
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Beinn Dearg
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The Dearg Ridge
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Ben Halton
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Beinn Dearg
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Ben Halton to Mor Bheinn
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From here we descended quite steeply north towards a fence line and started up the meringue slopes of Mor Bheinn. We paused for lunch - by this time quarter to one and still a long way to go. I was concerned at Allison's struggles - knees and back were hurting. I had fears that she'd have to abandon the second part of the day and return along by the Allt Glas instead of up Beinn Dearg. Fortunately she picked up a second wind as we dropped down, following the deer fence past Tom a'Choin. We faced a full 400m re-ascent up Beinn Dearg - one of those ones that leaves you feeling you are never getting any closer to the top. It was after 3 by the time we got to the top marked on the map. I couldn't remember if this was to true top or if it was that marked at 705m further along the ridge - not paying attention in preparation, was I? I had planned for us to go along the ridge anyway, but this would add 5km to our day over untrodden deep powder snow...probably 2 hours or more...Still something pushed me to go on, I had a niggle that the further away top was the Graham summit. [as indeed it was - the SMC Grahams book is wrong in this respect].

Fence line - Halton to Mor Bheinn
DSC02013 by Al, on Flickr

Mor Bheinn summit
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DSC02017 by Al, on Flickr

The way ahead - Beinn Dearg
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Creag na h-Eararuidh (the Graham)
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DSC02023 by Al, on Flickr

Still a long way to go - getting dark
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Allison wasn't exactly chuffed when she saw how much further there still was to go, but she didn't complain. We upped and downed over humps and bumps, finally making the (true) summit at 4pm. My 150th Graham, although I didn't remember that til later. We pressed on over Sron nam Broighleag and over the Simm Sron na Maoile. It was now twighlight at best, but the snow assisted vision considerably. I checked the map - we needed to follow the line of the Allt Coire Choire back along to Dalclathick. I could see the cleft of the river stretching along to our right. At this point my GPS chose to freeze, necessitating a battery change and more daylight lost. Once we got to the base of the hill it was a walk over tussocks and numerous streams to cross, virtually in the dark - I wanted to leave the headtorch as long as possible before I committed to a small patch of visibility with zero peripheral vision. There were some stumbles but fortunately no large holes opened before us. Eventually we came to a plantation which we headed round to the north then came to Dalclathick Farm. I put my torch on here - we were almost at a track, which we followed gratefully back to our outward route. The track was slippy with frost and ice - the car told me it was -2.5 when we got back just after 6pm.

DSC02025 by Al, on Flickr

DSC02026 by Al, on Flickr

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Summit Creag na h-Eararuidh
DSC02028 by Al, on Flickr

The time and distance are wrong (malfunction), but the ascent is correct
DSC02030 by Al, on Flickr

After some minutes de-icing the car we set off back to Comrie Croft. First thing on the agenda was a hot shower, which fortunately Comrie excels in. The some food which was scoffed double quick. Another cold night, with a visit from a deer/stag - we heard it just outside the tent, then barking for a while in the vicinity. Saturday mornign brought another fine one, sun rising through the forest as we ate breakfast. After the exertions of yesterday we needed a change of plan - 15-25km doing another pair of Grahams was not what the doctor ordered! So we chose to do Beinn na Gainimh, around 10km, probably a wise move

gainimh..gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

We drove back up to last weekend's haunt at Amulree and onto the single track road heading up Glen Quaich. We parked a few hundred metres before Glenquaich Lodge and set off up the track past Croftmill Cottage (available as self-catering hire for shooting parties, with its own Bothy out the back) and along the Rob Roy way to Loch a'Mhuillin. More friendly notices "Stalking today" on a sign that appears to be put up every day. We turned off just before the north end of the loch, down a track to an outlet, thence on towards the steep slopes of Meall Mor. Having begun at 300m, height was gained satisfyingly quickly. Up ahead the peaked top of Creag Grianain (the "sunny cliff") looked superb, as did the steep snowy semi-circular walls of Coire a'Chearcall.

Today's hills on the left
DSC02032 by Al, on Flickr

Meall Mor, Creag Grianain
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Ascent up Meall Mor
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Loch a'Mhuillin
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??wildcat prints?
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Loch Freuchie
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Creag Grianain, Gainimh beyond on L
DSC02043 by Al, on Flickr

We reached the summit plateau of Meall Mor and padded about in soft snow over to the summit, past an area of snowy peat hags that were obviously Hare Central, judging by the footprints and number of hares that popped up and flew off as we walked by. We came to the famed double electric fence at the summit, which we were to follow (and to cross several times). We also picked up a human trail, which made going through the snow substantially easier, although their owner didn't go up Creag Grianain, but we met them again ascending Beinn an Gainimh. Every little helps. We paused at the top of Creag Grianain for lunch, enjoying fine views. We continued to follow the fence down to the bealach with Gainimh then met with our shadow's footprints again and continued up deep snowy slopes to the summit.

The fence!
DSC02045 by Al, on Flickr

Meall Mor
DSC02046 by Al, on Flickr

Gainimh
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Top of Grianain
DSC02050 by Al, on Flickr


Hare prints
DSC02051 by Al, on Flickr

Gainimh
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DSC02053 by Al, on Flickr



Descent from Gainimh was supposedly a bit tricky due to crags and hidden holes, always fun in deep snow We were therefore glad to have our shadow's trail down to follow - either he got out safely, or we'd find him in a snowhole and be heroic rescuers We passed what appeared to be a landslip, a sheep balanced quizzically on a rock, staring at us with tilted head, and were safely down at the head of Lochain Uaine, where we picked up the Rob Roy Trail once more and back to the road. A fine day out, just a good length for a winter's afternoon. We stopped in Crieff but could not find a shop selling hot vegan sausage rolls, a great disappointment as we'd been talking about them on the descent

DSC02055 by Al, on Flickr

Landslip
DSC02056 by Al, on Flickr

DSC02058 by Al, on Flickr

DSC02059 by Al, on Flickr

Grianain
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Return to Loch a'Mhuillin
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DSC02064 by Al, on Flickr

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Comrie Croft
DSC02066 by Al, on Flickr

Another cold night, with a spell of rain (more snow up high then). We had chosen Meall Buidhe in Glen Ogle as it was a) short and b) on our road home. I wasn't sure what the weather was going to do - we had some lovely views to Meall Mor as we drove past St Fillans, wreathed in mist. It grew duller and cloudier as we neared Lochearnhead. I drove into a parking place on the left side of the road in Glen Ogle, thinking this was the start point for the walk. No, that's on the right. I guessed I was on an old road that would no doubt join up with the main raod again in a wee bit. Hmmm. A drove quite a bit down a narrow track before it dawned on me that this was indeed an old railway line. And there were no places to turn around So getting out involved a very lengthy reverse, with significant drops down each side in places. I wasn't very happy, I can tell you. Back near the start I was able to get turned at the cottages and park in the correct spot. There were at least 8 other cars there and it became clear, from the bootprints in the snow, that there was a group walking up our hill. Not what you expect on a Graham! - well seen it's winter conditions.

buidhe..gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

We ascended the forestry zigzags in thick cold mist, getting near to the transmitter mast. I could see a glimmer-ball of sun deep in the mist - could we get an inversion? Yes, that was the order of the day. Glorious blue sky, crisp white snow, mountain tops appearing over the bank of rather dirty grey cloud - fantastic. And we had a trail ready-made to follow through the knee-deep snow Of course, Simms meant a divergence from the path - we would go up Beinn Leabhainn, an undistinguished bump in the snow to the east of our trail, then back down to join the trail which headed to Meall Buidhe. Arriving at lunchtime we enjoyed the glacial views all around, arguing over which snowy peak was which.

Mor Bheinn from St Fillans
DSC02067 by Al, on Flickr

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Promising...
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Behold - blue sky
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Stob Binnien, Ben More
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Tarmachan Ridge
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Lawers
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DSC02084 by Al, on Flickr

Summit Meall Buidhe
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DSC02086 by Al, on Flickr


I had intended to visit the remaining Simm in the area, Meall na Cloiche which would involve about 1.5km's wade through the snow, with no ready made path to assist. we did set off down the steep eastern crags of Meall Buidhe but rather quickly decided no, a Simm for another day Relieved, we retraced our own tracks back to the top of Meall Buidhe and trotted back the way we'd come. As we descended past the mast we could see the mist still below us - it was difficult to imagine the beautiful sunny day we'd left was just a hundred or so metres above as we walked back to the car in the cold dull drab mist.

DSC02087 by Al, on Flickr

DSC02088 by Al, on Flickr

My remaining Simm was somewhere there...
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On the way home the sun blessed the mountaintops around Crianlarich. We pulled in at Inveruglas to take some snaps of Ben Lomond. A fitting end to a grand weekend. But a reminder that snow brings a substantial reduction in what can be achieved in a day. And to put the snow-shoes in the car next week

Ben Lomond
DSC02099 by Al, on Flickr

DSC02102 by Al, on Flickr

[Collaciotach]

I think you did nó to bad at all

[BlackPanther]

Wow, fantastic, what a weekend it was. I think everybody was out enjoying the snow! Congrats on the 150th, not far now to the final hurdle!

[malky_c]

Some pretty impressive conditions throughout. An advert for the Perthshire Grahams if ever there was one .

I see you've stumbled over the SMC's fake Grahams guide
http://www.rhb.org.uk/grahams/unofficialgrahams.htm

[weaselmaster]

Some pretty impressive conditions throughout. An advert for the Perthshire Grahams if ever there was one .

I see you've stumbled over the SMC's fake Grahams guide
http://www.rhb.org.uk/grahams/unofficialgrahams.htm

Yeah - it doesn't sound like Alan Dawson is bitter in the least
Quite a damning review of the book on the pages there. I can sympathise having read the accounts in the RHB pages.
I do find the SMC book quite handy though

[Cairngorm creeper]

A great report and superb pictures but my you are tough camping in those conditions