Carn Liath to Moruisg Ridge
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 3:58 pmI arrived back home at 17.00 on Thursday afternoon after a week in Lanzerote, collected the dogs from kennels, packed up the car, and was off in the direction of Applecross for the WH weekend meet by around 20.00. The idea was to drive until midnight or thereabouts, pull over and sleep for a few hours, and then continue on to Applecross. In the event, I pulled off at Gleneagles at around 01.00, and slept in the back of the car 'til about 07.00, and then continued onwards (no, I didn't stop for a quick round...).
My very loose plan was to spend the afternoon scrambling on a'Chioch - but it was a very loose plan, which soon came unravelled.
Bowling down the A890 an uneventful four or so hours later, I suddenly noticed a fantastic looking snow covered ridge ahead and to my left, and immediately pulled in to check what it was. It turned out to be the ridge from Carn Liath up to Moruisg (basically, the north edge of Monar), looking absolutely irresistable, not least because there seemed to be plenty of snow above about 600m.
20190405_120921(2).
A lightning quick change, and I was on the stalking path heading up towards Carn Liath
20190405_122433(2). As I progressed up the path, the slight hint of haze over the top of the ridge evaporated...
20190405_130618(2). After a while I veered off left to yomp directly for the summit of Carn Liath. Now it was just hard work flogging through the turf and heather; but slowly - oh so slowly - the ridge came nearer.
20190405_132444(2). It seemed like a long pull up with having to take things very steadily so as not to overload the old ticker; but the benefit of frequent stops is the attendant opportunity to get maximum enjoyment of the views....
20190405_134348(2). ...especially of the ridge ahead.
20190405_135334(2). The snow line started quite abruptly at around 600m elevation, and within a short time I was paddling through soft snow about 15cm or so deep. VERY nice!
20190405_141745(2). Just short of the summit, Loch Cnoc na Monteich becomes visible to the West below Moruisg.
20190405_142359. Carn Liath summit, in perfect weather!
20190405_142420. And the view of the route ahead along the ridge - easy walking.
20190405_142434. About 45 degrees clockwise, Moruisg and Coireachan Raineach.
20190405_144231. Cairn on an unnamed virtual summit providing a nice foreground for a spectacular view of the Monar hills.
20190405_144355.
20190405_144808. Can't keep my eyes of the Monar Hills - I must get round to doing these, however slowly and steadily.
20190405_144818. Again, the ridge ahead to Moruisg.
20190405_150923. Rough and gruff and wonderful!
20190405_151007.
20190405_151018. Looking along the ridge towards Moruisg.
20190405_152537.
20190405_153214. It's great to be striding through snow again!
20190405_153448. The Monar hills look absolutely sensational as a plod along the ridge.
20190405_154332.
20190405_161253. On the way to Moruisg, looking back along the ridge - pretty damned fine, I'd say.
20190405_163816. The more impressive of the two cairns on the summit plateau, but not the highest point...
20190405_163833. ...which is a few hundred metres further south west - here visible in the distance.
20190405_164543. Not as far away as it looks! Not as impressive as the non-summit cairn!
At this point I had to decide whether to include Sgurr nan Ceannaichean - which would probably add about an hour and a half to the walk with my very slow ascent rate. After a bit of thought I decided to give it a miss, not least because I felt I'd given the ticker sufficient work-out for the day.
20190405_165139. So back I headed, northwards down the shoulder to Coire na Glas-lic. The recent snow had been whipped up into some unusual formations by the wind...
20190405_165604. To the WNW Beinn Eighe and Liathach looked absolutely stunning in the afternoon light.
20190405_165604(z). Same view zoomed a bit.
20190405_165947. Ahead the shoulder I'm heading down.
20190405_170005. And the same in pano, with Carn Liath, the first point on the ridge, visible on the far RHS.
20190405_171413. Looking back eastwards along the ridge, a little way down the shoulder. This is a pretty fine view, and one that seems to be something of a well-kept secret!!
20190405_172528. The same from a little further still down the shoulder. As you can see, I was pretty taken with this view!
20190405_172539. Looking from the same viewpoint towards my start/finish point - an hour long yomp across rough ground.
Conclusion: a route very well worth doing, especially when it's snow-bedecked; and one to which Sgurr nan Ceannaichean could easily be added if you have the puff for it.
3D view of route.
My very loose plan was to spend the afternoon scrambling on a'Chioch - but it was a very loose plan, which soon came unravelled.
Bowling down the A890 an uneventful four or so hours later, I suddenly noticed a fantastic looking snow covered ridge ahead and to my left, and immediately pulled in to check what it was. It turned out to be the ridge from Carn Liath up to Moruisg (basically, the north edge of Monar), looking absolutely irresistable, not least because there seemed to be plenty of snow above about 600m.
20190405_120921(2).A lightning quick change, and I was on the stalking path heading up towards Carn Liath
20190405_122433(2). As I progressed up the path, the slight hint of haze over the top of the ridge evaporated...20190405_130618(2). After a while I veered off left to yomp directly for the summit of Carn Liath. Now it was just hard work flogging through the turf and heather; but slowly - oh so slowly - the ridge came nearer. 20190405_132444(2). It seemed like a long pull up with having to take things very steadily so as not to overload the old ticker; but the benefit of frequent stops is the attendant opportunity to get maximum enjoyment of the views....20190405_134348(2). ...especially of the ridge ahead.20190405_135334(2). The snow line started quite abruptly at around 600m elevation, and within a short time I was paddling through soft snow about 15cm or so deep. VERY nice!20190405_141745(2). Just short of the summit, Loch Cnoc na Monteich becomes visible to the West below Moruisg.20190405_142359. Carn Liath summit, in perfect weather!20190405_142420. And the view of the route ahead along the ridge - easy walking.20190405_142434. About 45 degrees clockwise, Moruisg and Coireachan Raineach.20190405_144231. Cairn on an unnamed virtual summit providing a nice foreground for a spectacular view of the Monar hills.20190405_144355.20190405_144808. Can't keep my eyes of the Monar Hills - I must get round to doing these, however slowly and steadily.20190405_144818. Again, the ridge ahead to Moruisg.20190405_150923. Rough and gruff and wonderful!20190405_151007.20190405_151018. Looking along the ridge towards Moruisg.20190405_152537.20190405_153214. It's great to be striding through snow again!20190405_153448. The Monar hills look absolutely sensational as a plod along the ridge.20190405_154332.20190405_161253. On the way to Moruisg, looking back along the ridge - pretty damned fine, I'd say.20190405_163816. The more impressive of the two cairns on the summit plateau, but not the highest point...20190405_163833. ...which is a few hundred metres further south west - here visible in the distance.20190405_164543. Not as far away as it looks! Not as impressive as the non-summit cairn!At this point I had to decide whether to include Sgurr nan Ceannaichean - which would probably add about an hour and a half to the walk with my very slow ascent rate. After a bit of thought I decided to give it a miss, not least because I felt I'd given the ticker sufficient work-out for the day.
20190405_165139. So back I headed, northwards down the shoulder to Coire na Glas-lic. The recent snow had been whipped up into some unusual formations by the wind...20190405_165604. To the WNW Beinn Eighe and Liathach looked absolutely stunning in the afternoon light.20190405_165604(z). Same view zoomed a bit.20190405_165947. Ahead the shoulder I'm heading down.20190405_170005. And the same in pano, with Carn Liath, the first point on the ridge, visible on the far RHS.20190405_171413. Looking back eastwards along the ridge, a little way down the shoulder. This is a pretty fine view, and one that seems to be something of a well-kept secret!!20190405_172528. The same from a little further still down the shoulder. As you can see, I was pretty taken with this view!20190405_172539. Looking from the same viewpoint towards my start/finish point - an hour long yomp across rough ground.Conclusion: a route very well worth doing, especially when it's snow-bedecked; and one to which Sgurr nan Ceannaichean could easily be added if you have the puff for it.
3D view of route.
