Last day of winter
Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 1:23 pmI'm finally getting round to uploading a few TRs from a week's holiday in Fort Augustus and Carbost, Skye, at the end of March. Some of these walks are already covered on WH by Beery Hiker, but as this is my own record I'm adding these, which some of you may also enjoy as a second perspective on these routes. Also, this first walk was a solo effort, before my friends arrived in the Highlands.
My first day in the Highlands had an exotic flavour. After leaving the airport at Inverness and picking up my hire car, my first stop was the magical Inverness Floral Hall, where I had a very pleasant afternoon. It's free, and I highly recommend it if you're in the area and are taking a day off from the hills.
IMG_4535 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I was staying in Fort Augustus, with a range of possible walks on offer in all directions. The forecast for the next day was generally for a blanket of low cloud north and west, but with a possible gap "inland from the west coast". So a walk near Loch Lochy seemed a good idea. It was now officially spring, but a fresh fall of snow gave an impression of winter. However, as I set off for Meall na Teanga and walked along the pleasant forest track from Kilfinnan Farm, the slopes below the trees were starred with primroses.
IMG_5992 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I had done the first part of this walk last year, when three of us walked up to the Cam Bealach en route to Sron a'Choire Ghairbh. Then, we had some stunning views -https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=60964. This time I was alone, and it was a quiet walk in sombre weather up from the forest below the flanks of Meall Dubh.
IMG_4719 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Looking west from the Cam Bealach.
IMG_4717 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
As I plodded up the steep slopes above the bealach and contoured round the flanks of Meall Dubh, a beautiful but austere view opened out to the west into upper Glen Cia-aig. The prominent hill on the right is Meall an Tagraidh.
IMG_4715 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I trudged through deep untrodden snow to the saddle between Meall Dubh and Meall na Teanga. From here the upper slopes of Teanga loomed steeply above.
IMG_4684 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The snow was clearly already melting fast. I followed the edge of a collapsing cornice up to the summit ridge.
IMG_4679 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Looking back down the corniced edge to Sron a'Choire Ghairbh, from the north end of Teanga's summit ridge. The zig-zag stalker's path up from the Cam Bealach is obvious: last year it made the Sron a very easy and pleasant hill for us to climb.
IMG_4660 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A view north-east to Meall Dubh and Sean Mheall.
IMG_4640 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Looking back northwards along my footsteps on the summit ridge. Ben Tee is visible on the right-hand skyline.
IMG_4622 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The cairn, with Meall Coire Lochain beyond.
IMG_4613 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
From the summit there was a fleeting glimpse of Ben Nevis in a swirl of cloud. But at all points of the compass every other Munro summit apart from the nearby Sron was, as the forecast predicted, shrouded in thick clag.
It was a pleasant walk back down: following my own footsteps in the snow was a lot easier than trail-breaking on the way up. This is looking back along the line of my footprints to Meall na Teanga from the slopes of Meall Dubh.
IMG_4699 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
From the Cam Bealach downwards, much of the snow had already melted, the air felt warm, and I stowed my coat in my rucksack for the stroll back through the forest to the car.
IMG_4716 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
My first day in the Highlands had an exotic flavour. After leaving the airport at Inverness and picking up my hire car, my first stop was the magical Inverness Floral Hall, where I had a very pleasant afternoon. It's free, and I highly recommend it if you're in the area and are taking a day off from the hills.
IMG_4535 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrI was staying in Fort Augustus, with a range of possible walks on offer in all directions. The forecast for the next day was generally for a blanket of low cloud north and west, but with a possible gap "inland from the west coast". So a walk near Loch Lochy seemed a good idea. It was now officially spring, but a fresh fall of snow gave an impression of winter. However, as I set off for Meall na Teanga and walked along the pleasant forest track from Kilfinnan Farm, the slopes below the trees were starred with primroses.
IMG_5992 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrI had done the first part of this walk last year, when three of us walked up to the Cam Bealach en route to Sron a'Choire Ghairbh. Then, we had some stunning views -https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=60964. This time I was alone, and it was a quiet walk in sombre weather up from the forest below the flanks of Meall Dubh.
IMG_4719 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr Looking west from the Cam Bealach.
IMG_4717 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrAs I plodded up the steep slopes above the bealach and contoured round the flanks of Meall Dubh, a beautiful but austere view opened out to the west into upper Glen Cia-aig. The prominent hill on the right is Meall an Tagraidh.
IMG_4715 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrI trudged through deep untrodden snow to the saddle between Meall Dubh and Meall na Teanga. From here the upper slopes of Teanga loomed steeply above.
IMG_4684 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrThe snow was clearly already melting fast. I followed the edge of a collapsing cornice up to the summit ridge.
IMG_4679 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrLooking back down the corniced edge to Sron a'Choire Ghairbh, from the north end of Teanga's summit ridge. The zig-zag stalker's path up from the Cam Bealach is obvious: last year it made the Sron a very easy and pleasant hill for us to climb.
IMG_4660 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrA view north-east to Meall Dubh and Sean Mheall.
IMG_4640 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrLooking back northwards along my footsteps on the summit ridge. Ben Tee is visible on the right-hand skyline.
IMG_4622 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrThe cairn, with Meall Coire Lochain beyond.
IMG_4613 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr From the summit there was a fleeting glimpse of Ben Nevis in a swirl of cloud. But at all points of the compass every other Munro summit apart from the nearby Sron was, as the forecast predicted, shrouded in thick clag.
It was a pleasant walk back down: following my own footsteps in the snow was a lot easier than trail-breaking on the way up. This is looking back along the line of my footprints to Meall na Teanga from the slopes of Meall Dubh.
IMG_4699 by Half Man Half Titanium, on FlickrFrom the Cam Bealach downwards, much of the snow had already melted, the air felt warm, and I stowed my coat in my rucksack for the stroll back through the forest to the car.
IMG_4716 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr