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So my last day and after the Drumochter and Monadhliath rounds the previous two days, my leg was rather sore. The bruising hadn't gotten any worse, but my word it was still stiff and achy. I'd finally succumbed to the pain and decided to put on a knee support and some of that hamstring strapping to see if it would help on today's plod.
The plan was to split this into two sections today - the regular Creag Meagaidh circuit of three Munros and then to drive down the A86 and do the circuit of Beinn a'Chaorainn and Beinn Teallach. I'd mapped out that doing it this way, rather than a full circuit of the five was actually a couple miles shorter, with only a few hundred metres ascent difference - but more importantly, gave me the chance to back out after the first circuit if needed... which, spoiler alert, it was most certainly was needed! By the end of the Creag Meagaidh circuit, I could barely even bend my leg without a real sharp pain - so guess will have to visit the other two another time...
I think if I did have my bike with me, I’d have fancied doing a traverse of the five with the cycle back along the A86, but seeing as though I would had to have walked (limped) along the A86, I didn’t fancy it. If only I had a walking partner and we could have two cars...
This regular circuit was the exact route outlined already on WH (
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/creagmeagaidh.shtml), so this report is really just to add some photos to show just how little snow existed up here at the end of February! (Of course since walking this route, a little bit of snow has come back this past week...)
The title of the report relates to two chaps from Edinburgh and Gateshead I met on the walk up. From the summit of Creag Meagaidh, I took the regular route down through Coire Ardair, whereas they took a shorter and straighter route down across Puist Coire Ardair and Sron a Ghoire, before taking the slope back down to the start. It was going to be rougher ground for them, so was keen to try and beat them, even with a gammy leg... which I did, by about 5 minutes!
I was keen to walk through Coire Ardair and the Lochan too, so I was always going to go this way.
I think if I were able to jog between Carn Liath and Stob Poite Coire Ardair and then jog back along the excellent path through Corrie Ardair - and get a proper stomp on going uphill... then this could have probably been done in four hours... but I think I made good time on the day anyhoo...
Plus, added bonus, this took me to 141 Munros, so half way!
route starts at the Aberdare car park
some nice hairy coos on the farm
views back down to Loch Laggan on the walk up Carn Liath
views back down to Loch Laggan on the walk up Carn Liath
Carn Liath summit
Heading from Carn Liath summit towards Stob Poite Coire Ardair
heading to Stob Poite Coire Ardair
looking back to Carn Liath
heading up Stob Poite Coire Ardair
views down to Corie Ardair
looking back along the ridge all the way to Carn Liath
Stob Poite Coire Ardair summit... although I now know the first cairn you meet is the true summit 
down from Stob Poite Coire Ardair about to head up Creag Meagaidh
Mad Meg's cairn on the way up Creag Meagaidh
views back to Stob Poite Coire Ardair and Carn Liath
climb up to Creag Meagaidh summit
Creag Meagaidh summit
views from the summit to the Grey Corries and Ben Nevis
Heading back down through 'The Window'
looking up in Corie Ardair
Corie Ardair and the Lochan
Corie Ardair and the Lochan
the path back to the start