Wet wet and wetter part 2
Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 12:18 pmSo, having done Mullach Clach a Blair the day before, we aimed to do the shortest walk that we could noting the weather was still mince. Headed over from Aviemore (where the 5 we have left there are all big days) and parked at Fersit. Last time here we walked the two on the east side of Loch Treig, icy, snowy and sunny, nice.
Was raining but not battering down so on with full kit and set off. Bad start to the day when grumpy farmer took offence to us having dogs. His idea is that we should have them on leads if the cattle charged us - as I pointed out if that happened we'd drop the leads and leave the dogs to their own good luck. Big dog is at 160+ munros and well trained, never a single problem with him. Farmer sent us off track and told us "no path or nuthin" - ********. Books on this walk point out that it's a long walk if your pathfinding is bad, straightforward if you find the path. So we had to traverse over to the path (basically it's just off the hairpin bend after a wee FB on the main track. Then it's easy to follow pretty much the whole way up going anti clockwise. It was a saviour because it **** down the whole day and to take maps and phones (OS Maps app) in and out of pockets would have been an absolute scunner. So, follow the track up to SCR, and off the other side, no issues except no visibility so here the path is a bit sketchy and you do need your hands in and out etc, bearings, to get across the towards Chno Dearg. We had been contemplating the walk over to Corrour to get the 1524hrs train back to Tulloch but just not worth it.
Getting up CD is fine as long as you keep your bearings (noting 100m visibility).
Now the big learning point - we did pass the ATV track that is on some reports and Storer's book, back at the main bealach that is. The reports say down off CD through boulders and bear West, which we did. We then found an ATV track that seemed to head slightly East so we went with that for 0.5km or so before deciding that something was amiss. Back to maps, compass and worked out the detour back to where we should have been, hence the extra distance. Eventually found the right ATV track and bashed down - it was basically a burn in its own right.
Highlight, getting some dry socks and footwear on then coffee at Wolftrax on way home.
Suggest take great care in low visibility coming off CD if you want to keep the walk short and simple ! My watch ran out of battery, first part of walk accurate though !
Was raining but not battering down so on with full kit and set off. Bad start to the day when grumpy farmer took offence to us having dogs. His idea is that we should have them on leads if the cattle charged us - as I pointed out if that happened we'd drop the leads and leave the dogs to their own good luck. Big dog is at 160+ munros and well trained, never a single problem with him. Farmer sent us off track and told us "no path or nuthin" - ********. Books on this walk point out that it's a long walk if your pathfinding is bad, straightforward if you find the path. So we had to traverse over to the path (basically it's just off the hairpin bend after a wee FB on the main track. Then it's easy to follow pretty much the whole way up going anti clockwise. It was a saviour because it **** down the whole day and to take maps and phones (OS Maps app) in and out of pockets would have been an absolute scunner. So, follow the track up to SCR, and off the other side, no issues except no visibility so here the path is a bit sketchy and you do need your hands in and out etc, bearings, to get across the towards Chno Dearg. We had been contemplating the walk over to Corrour to get the 1524hrs train back to Tulloch but just not worth it.
Getting up CD is fine as long as you keep your bearings (noting 100m visibility).
Now the big learning point - we did pass the ATV track that is on some reports and Storer's book, back at the main bealach that is. The reports say down off CD through boulders and bear West, which we did. We then found an ATV track that seemed to head slightly East so we went with that for 0.5km or so before deciding that something was amiss. Back to maps, compass and worked out the detour back to where we should have been, hence the extra distance. Eventually found the right ATV track and bashed down - it was basically a burn in its own right.
Highlight, getting some dry socks and footwear on then coffee at Wolftrax on way home.
Suggest take great care in low visibility coming off CD if you want to keep the walk short and simple ! My watch ran out of battery, first part of walk accurate though !