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This was a standard round of the south east corrie, Coire Chaorach. Brilliant fun and ice-axe and crampons were compulsory. But I'd still like to whine. It's a few years since I did this round and yes, it's another corrie that's got a mini hydro scheme in it. That means miles of new access track bulldozed.
In this case I can't really complain it ruins the look of the place. There's industrial forestry and the tracks are just beyond its boundary. There's one here which is actually useful to get round to the ridge and that's a bit seductive. I hate the mess that's been made in every glen into Glen Falloch. This, even though they make things easy. From Derrydarroch, the track up the burn to Beinn Chabhair's really useful. The extension beyond the radio mast towards an Caisteal was a huge relief from a bog-trot. However they are visually intrusive and they're in every glen. They do not seem to be subject to the same restrictions as windfarms.
There's an obscene one at Edinample, a great place to park to get a quiet way in to Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin. There was a stunningly beautiful waterfall below the bridge at the parking place. This is what it looks like now.
Ah, screw it all. We'd a great day, this was the view from Ben More.
At the Bealach eadar Dha Bheinn we met a guy in shorts, without axe or crampons. He headed slowly up Ben More. I've my doubts about whether he got there. The snow was wonderful but rock hard and the wind was to cut you in two. Re-entering the forest there was this beast of a machine which grabbed a 40 feet tree and felled it in seconds. Seeing its
branches crash acoss the path we waited for a cheery wave from the beast's driver before heading on.
I left a favourite pair of Mountain Equipment Guide gloves in the carpark. If anyone's seen them I'd love to be reunited.
