Three from Glen Tromie

[weaselmaster]

East was to be best for weather this weekend. Allison hadn't been feeling great at the start of the week either, so two good reasons to defer our trip to Knoydart. I thought that some rounded hills, with lots of track would probably be a good idea, so set about planning those three in Glen Feshie/Glen Tromie. Last time around we'd done them in one long, long day from Achlean - however, not having been down Glen Tromie yet, I looked at doing them from the east side rather than west. And to be honest I was a little wary of leaving the car at Achlean too. We headed up by Ruthven Barracks and looked for a place to park in Drumguish - not any I could see as the houses all have rocks on their verges to prevent parking. We drove back into the woods and parked on a verge there (although I'm sure other folk wouold park near the beginning of the road down Glen Tromie).

tromiex.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

I'd originally intended to use the high path over Croidh-la and do the circuit of Meallach Mor/Carn Dearg Mor and Leathad an Taobhain in a clockwise direction. However it was quite windy and we decided that camping at lower level would be wise - hence we did the route in reverse, walking down the good track in Glen Tromie until we'd passed the estate bothy and camping on a flattish bit of grass near the track. I hadn't been prepared for how many houses are down the track.

P8220041 by Al, on Flickr

P8220042 by Al, on Flickr

Ragwort brings colour to the evening
P8220043 by Al, on Flickr


A quiet night was passed and we set off early on Friday morning. The track continues in good nick until after Gaick Lodge, where we were greeted by an adorable pair of Collies. Across at the dam to join a footpath, which wends in and out of visibility and bogginess. I saw two adders lying basking in the morning sun - the first slithered away into the heather before I got my camera out, but the second was slower to react. First snakes I've seen for a wee while.

Looking up at Meallach Mor
P8220044 by Al, on Flickr

Leathad an Taobhain is hid in the clouds
P8230045 by Al, on Flickr

P8230046 by Al, on Flickr

We made an unnecessary crossing of the Allt Bhran - my GPS playing up again, or me not reading it properly, take your pick. We crossed back. A long time to start climbing up the north flank of Leathad an Taobhain - we would head for the Minigaig pass to enable two of the many Simms in the area to be tackled. Leaving our packs at the bealach with Toabhain, we nipped across bog and heather to claim these two Simms then returned and had lunch before scaling the remaining few metres of Toabhain. Windy up top, a challenge to get the tea brewed.

Meallach Mor (left) Carn Dearg mor (right)
P8230047 by Al, on Flickr

Leathad an Taobhain from the first Simm
P8230048 by Al, on Flickr

Leathad an Taobhain summit
P8230049 by Al, on Flickr


From here, another couple of nearby Simms and onto good track all the way to Carn Dearg Mor. We passed some forestry workers planting more native trees - having walked past a large newly planted area along by the Allt Bhran in the morning, nice to see. Up the track onto the back of Carn Dearg Mor then a walk along to Carn Dearg and off the west of that hill down to the Allt an Dubh-chada. It was getting on by this time and I was weary after 10 hours with a big pack I hoped that we'd find somewhere dry and flat to pitch in the valley, but everywhere was wet and tussocky. We started up Meall an Dubh-chada, which fortunately had some flattish areas near some old gross butts - we found a suitable spot and put up for the night. We could probably have left the tent where we'd pitched the night before and continued over Meallach Mor today if we'd not been carrying the big packs, although that would have caused problems for the three Simms on the back of Meallach Mor...

Track snakes up Carn Dearg Mor
P8230050 by Al, on Flickr

CDM summit
P8230051 by Al, on Flickr


Another still and quiet night. Enough breeze to banish the midges too. A dry and clear morning on Saturday - my knee was giving me gyp - ever since the steep descent coming off the Gaick Corbett round a few weeks ago my left knee has been painful in descent. Hmmm. Anyway, we summited Meallach Mor, enjoying a good view down said Gaick Pass, and set about the line of three Simms to the north of it, picking up a clear path through more new forestry after Croidh-la. Lunch was partaken before returning to the car, just about 1pm.

Meallach Mor
P8240052 by Al, on Flickr

P8240053 by Al, on Flickr

View down the Gaick Pass
P8240054 by Al, on Flickr

View north to Croidh-la
P8240055 by Al, on Flickr

P8240056 by Al, on Flickr

P8240057 by Al, on Flickr

P8240058 by Al, on Flickr

saobhx.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

I had intended to do either Geal Charn (the Dorback one) or Creag Mhor, but given the time we had I thought we might do a bit of the walk in to Carn Saobhaidhe - another long tracked hill. We drove round to the other side of the Monadliath and parked up at the phonebox at Dunmaglass, scoffed a bit of rhubarb pie and custard and slung on the heavy packs again. Lots of barking dogs as we passed the houses, which reminded me of the twilight bark in 101 Dalmations. Onto the wind farm track and up we went. I didn't have any real idea where to camp - we passed some nice spots at the beginning of the track with trees and water (and sheep, unfortunately) but these were clearly no use as we'd still have almost all the route to do. So we pressed on, finding a gravelly spot around 600m elevation. Although it was still early - just gone five pm, we were both quite tired and decided to pitch here and have an early night.

Waterlillies near start of track
P8240059 by Al, on Flickr

Another walker on the track
P8240063 by Al, on Flickr

P8240064 by Al, on Flickr

P8240065 by Al, on Flickr

There seem to be more landslips this year than usual
P8240066 by Al, on Flickr

Not the nicest pitch ever, but functional
P8240067 by Al, on Flickr


Sitting eating our tea, Allison watched a dragonfly seize a fly mid-air and devour it. Wow! I missed that, tending the Jetboil. We had another quiet night, but had the company of midges when we woke. Many lost their way in my beard. Packing up the tent, we managed to leave them behind, as we set off for the summit. We passed the shooting party hut - which was unlocked - we could have slept there in double glazed, midge-less comfort and diverted to a Simm just before the top of Saobhaidhe. From the summit there were good views over to Wyvis, the Strathfarrar and Strathconon hills. We had another couple of Simms to do on the way back to the track, then prepared for the walk out. It was scorchio - barely a breath of wind and intense sun beating down upon us. No day for a big rucksack. We got back to the car in the early afternoon and set off down the road, hoping to be early enough to miss the scrum down the A82. We weren't quite, as there was a tailback at Luss. I've never seen so many tourist cars parked in Glencoe! Crazy mental. It was 27-28 degrees all the way down the road, too hot for me.

Morning, looking NW
P8250068 by Al, on Flickr

Carn na Saobhaidhe ahead
P8250069 by Al, on Flickr

Summit
P8250070 by Al, on Flickr

P8250073 by Al, on Flickr

Simm summit
P8250074 by Al, on Flickr

[gaffr]

Hello,
Yes the adders are now quite numerous around the Tromie. When up the Tromie on my way through on my bike recently I ran one over on the road close to the Bhran cottage....a female with the much paler colouring. Just didn't see it stretched out on the road surface like a faded length of vegetation. I went back to see what the damage was but it just slide away into the long grass.
My daughter who does bird surveys on Estates tells me that she has come across many adders during her forays around Glen Tromie.
You will have noticed that it is a Glen of change over the last few years.

[weaselmaster]

Hello,
Yes the adders are now quite numerous around the Tromie. When up the Tromie on my way through on my bike recently I ran one over on the road close to the Bhran cottage....a female with the much paler colouring. Just didn't see it stretched out on the road surface like a faded length of vegetation. I went back to see what the damage was but it just slide away into the long grass.
My daughter who does bird surveys on Estates tells me that she has come across many adders during her forays around Glen Tromie.
You will have noticed that it is a Glen of change over the last few years.

Hi Gaffr. That's the first time I've been along Glen Tromie, It does look like a lot of new stuff has been going on. I rather liked what I saw, would like to do a linear walk sometime down thru the Gaick Pass...

[gaffr]

Yes the through route to Dalnacardoch is a pleasant wee journey. I repeated this by 'extending my stride' on the bike and used the bike trail beside the A9 to get back to Kincraig.