free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Corbetts: Sgurr a Mhuilinn, Meallan nan Uan, Bac an Eich.
Date: 11 and 12/08/2018.
Distance: 13km + 6km + 20km.
Ascent: 1220m + 340m + 780m.
Time: 5 hours + 1 hour, 15 minutes + 5 hours, 10 minutes.
Weather: Still, grey and clear on Saturday, breezy and claggier with eventual rain on Sunday.
We had been trying to come up with some routes around Kingussie and Glen Feshie for this weekend, but without bikes, we just couldn't settle on something which suited us. Instead, I suggested Strathconon which ended up working out way better. Jackie was driving again, and we headed off late on Saturday morning, parked up and ready to walk at Strathanmore shortly before midday. Today's route would mostly be one I have been around a number of times before, but we would also include the summits of Sgurr a' Choire-rainich and Sgurr a' Ghlas Leathaid, which overlook the Achnasheen road up Strathbran. These have been in my sights for ages but keep getting left out as Strathconon is often somewhere I come when I only have a small window to go walking in.
Carn na Coinnich We opted to go anti-clockwise. A lack of breeze meant that even though it was overcast, it was warm and clammy, and there were lots of bitey things out including flies and midges. Even reaching the summit of Sgurr a' Mhuilinn barely helped with getting rid of these.
Heading up Sgurr a' Mhuilinn NE to Ben Wyvis. Sample torture in foreground Fannaichs Driven insane by bugs, we carried on easily to Sgurr a' Choire-rainich, which we agreed would make a brilliant spot for a summit camp. There was a little more breeze here, so we had a break and admired the Torridon and Fisherfield hills, which were close by.
Approaching Sgurr a' Choire-rainich Loch a' Chroisg and Torridon NE from Sgurr a' Choire-rainich Sgurr a' Ghlas Leathaid presented a similar vista, before we traversed back around the flank of Sgurr a' Mhuilinn to Meallan nan Uan. While this doesn't have such wide-ranging views, it is probably my favourite summit in the range. Still I was glad to have finally visited the outlying tops, as they definitely add something worthwhile to the usual walk
.
Northern Monar hills Meallan nan Uan Torridon Then down and along to Creag Ruadh before descending pathlessly back to the car (I'm convinced there is a bit of a path somewhere on this hillside, but I haven't found it yet!)
Strathconon from Meallan nan Uan Sgurr a' Mhuillin from Meallan nan Uan Meallan nan Uan from Creag Ruadh Strathfarrar hills from Creag Ruadh East down Strathconon Bac an Eich That had been a nice easy day (which we had both wanted), but we weren't quite done. It was time to load up the heavy bags and wander over to a convenient abode....somewhere.
A fire, somewhere The next morning, the wind was up a little more and the cloud was down. The plan was to cross over into Glen Orrin and take a long low level wander westwards before looping back over Bac an Eich. This was a good use of a day which wasn't overly inspiring on the summits.
Approaching Creag a' Ghlastail Creag a' Ghlastail East down Glen Orrin Having passed Creag a' Ghlastail, Am Fiar-loch and the eastern end of Loch na Caoidhe, it was time to climb upwards to Torran Ceann Liath. The paths were good in the area, which would allow for a pleasant low-level circuit.
Am Fiar-loch Loch na Caoidhe At the top of the pass, we opted to dump our bags and do a quick out-and-back to Bac an Eich as the weather wasn't looking that exciting. There is a stalkers path up the southern flank of the hill - un-marked on the 1:50k map and only hinted at on the 1:25k map - in fact it takes you quite nicely up to around 670m (although it becomes a bit indistinct in a couple of places). Nothing to see at the top, so we didn't hang around.
Bac an Eich summitBack at the bags, it was an easy tramp down Gleann Chorainn, where the cloud lifted a bit but the rain also came on lightly. The last obstruction to navigate is the cattle grid between Inverchoran and the road, which has gaps which drop right into the river below the bridge. Not great for dogs crossing, and Jackie seemed to find something unsettling about it too
Gleann Chorainn Cattle grid of doom We made the car before the rain became too heavy. Not a weekend that can really match up to Rum and Eigg a couple of weeks earlier, but a nice trip out nonetheless