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With Iain and I heading up to Kintail to join MountainThyme and friends for a Corbett Compleation, we decided it would be a shame to drive all the way up there and not take advantage of the chance to climb a warm-up hill en route.
With a big day and early start ahead of us the following morning we decided it would be best to keep a lid on it and do something fairly easy. I had been wanting to visit Meall Mor of Rannoch Moor for a while now since it ticks all of the boxes for a quick hill-pit-stop on the way up north (or south) and as it was tiny and would only take an hour up and down Iain happily agreed with this choice as he was still recovering from an ankle injury and didn't want to aggravate it.
Preferring a loop than an out and back we parked at the small lay-by at the 313m mark on the OS map and started heading across the tussocks towards Meall Mor. Luckily the ground wasn't too bad and a fair few quad tracks would come in and out of view:
Meall Mor (2) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
On our left was Glas Bheinn, neighbouring Sub2000 Marilyn and one you can easily add to this walk:
Meall Mor (3) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Over at the mast and building is a track that we planned on returning down then finishing with a short walk along the road. Glen Orchy hills in the distance:
Meall Mor (4) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
A cloud topped Beinn an Dothaidh:
Meall Mor (5) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Making our way along a faint track and deciding on our route of ascent. We would follow the line just above Iain's head going diagonally up to the middle of the photo:
Meall Mor (7) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Lochan na h-Achlaise and Loch Ba coming into view:
Meall Mor (8) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The view south towards Bridge of Orchy:
Meall Mor (9) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
A quick and easy hike:
Meall Mor (10) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Our route up with Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a' Chreachain in the background:
Meall Mor (12) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
It gets rocky quite quickly:
Meall Mor (14) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Rannoch Moor lochs again:
Meall Mor (16) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Our route up and down and the long ridge summit of Glas Bheinn:
Meall Mor (17) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The sun was trying hard to break through over Loch Tulla:
Meall Mor (19) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
We soon reach cairn one which is not the summit:
Meall Mor (21) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Although the view of Am Monadh Dubh, Stob a' Choire Odhair and more is stunning:
Meall Mor (24) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Ben Cruachan way out west:
Meall Mor (25) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
There's the summit:
Meall Mor (26) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Iain heading over captured in video -
https://flic.kr/p/2hMo1TRClach Leathad and Meall a' Bhuiridh cloud covered:
Meall Mor (27) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Iain and Coireach a' Ba:
Meall Mor (29) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The Black Mount Munros and ridges, Meall Mor is a quality viewpoint for them and Rannoch Moor:
Meall Mor (32) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Looking north and the Memorial Cairn that we never visited:
Meall Mor (35) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Meall Mor (36) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Looking east from the summit:
Meall Mor (38) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I really should get myself up these Munros at some point:
Meall Mor (40) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Loch Tulla, Ben Invereigh, Meall Tairbh and Ben Lui trying to peek out:
Meall Mor (41) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
South west towards Glen Strae, Beinn Mhic-Mhonaidh sticking out in the middle:
Meall Mor (42) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Ben Eunaich, Ben Cruachan and co. behind Beinn Suidhe:
Meall Mor (43) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
We've had our fill of views and the cold breeze by now and decide to head back down. Iain at the non-summit cairn looking over to the Great Wall of Rannoch Moor:
Meall Mor (45) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I quite fancied adding in Meall Beag but conscious of time and Iain's ankle decided to leave it for another day. Clach Leathad, Meall a' Bhuiridh and Creag an Fhirich were looking good behind it:
Meall Mor (47) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Clach Leathad:
Meall Mor (48) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Iain and I set off downhill towards the mast and road:
Meall Mor (49) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Looking back at our route down, we soon found the track:
Meall Mor (51) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Past the mast we were soon at the road and it was just a quick walk back to the van. Looking back at Meall Mor, another brilliant wee Sub2000 hill with great views and a very easy walk:
Meall Mor (52) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Warm-up walk done we then had an enjoyable drive north and were the first to arrive at Ratagan as others like Derek were busy spending their day climbing bigger hills. We were more than happy with our choice however, both agreeing that Meall Mor is another cracking little hill that is well worth exploring as you drive through Rannoch Moor. Most people probably won't bother, enticed by the bigger hills all around, but if you do it's well worth it and will only take you an hour or less.