Edge of the (perrmitted) universe 2. Ruaidh Mheall

[past my sell by date]

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I decided to tackle the second Graham top Ruaidh Mheall straight from St. Fillans keeping just East of Creag Ruadh, as I had been to the "humane" trap at NN 686 286 three times before - see https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=67172 and "optimised the route".
NB some of the early pics were taken two weeks earlier when there was more snow

The humane trap has a very comfortable bench seat in the entrance
I headed along the cycle path, up the zig-zag track to the top of the woods (45min) and on to a point just before it bears sharp left, where a rough vehicle track heads R up the hillside.

Down Loch Earn from just beyond the top of the woods

A rough vehicle track heads R

Looking back - the main track heads over into W Glen Tarken

The rough track heads past another "humane trap, and shortly further up the hill I traversed L into the this valley which provides easy going: The terrain heading directly up the valley from the main track is more difficult

Looking back to St. Fillans and Ben Vorlich

at the head of the valley there is a short climb over a heathery watershed which presents no problems

On the watershed: Creag Ruadh at the back

Looking up to the "trap" just R of a snowpatch

detail

;

Pics from the summer when the easy grassy section leading to the trap is more easily seen - the snow patch was almost exactly centre picture

I reached it in 2 hours 22 and after a rest headed somewhere up here

Looking back over the trap to the way I had come: across the heathery watershed and down the easy valley

I headed up to a 662m high spot - and WOW! what a view of the Lochan Creige Ruaidhe with the hill behind - a very underrated Grahaml I feel, if you approach it this way

further views of the lochan from different points: it lies in a fold in the hills - and is quite invisible until you are almost on top of it
I headed round to the col at its end , and on towards the 660m heathery lump that can be seen behind: I decided to traverse round the back of it.

First view of Ruaidh Mheall - on this side a patchwork quilt of muirburn

A wider view - I needed to get to the low ridge in the centreground
I traversed across and slightly down the slope: it was slow going through deep uneven heather and peat hags until i could see the col (ca. 580m) at the head of the valley

The col from the ridge - I decided to head across the two stony lumps in the middle of the valley, but actually traversed around the L side of the first and stopped for a rest on the second

Wider view with Meall Daimh on the L

Another view showing the whole of "my" hill

From the valley floor looking back the way I had come - the heathery lump is visible at the top

I headed down and slightly up the valley, but the top part of the burn was a very uninviting looking quagmire and I had to go another 100m or so to cross
There seemed be no path to the top from here so I just pushed on up through the heather which slowly reduced in height

It proved an amazingly heathery hill , but at last I reached a flat area where I could see the top - the one on the L: a tiny path led up the last steep section

I could see down to loch Lednock now

The summit cairn - I had taken around 2 hours 20 from the trap. The second top was quite a distance away, and I couldn't be bothered .

Across Glen Beich

Zoomed view West through the haze to Stobinian, Ben More and Ben Lui

I spotted a path through the heather . It led right down and across the burn where it was narrow and on to the stony lump

I stopped to take another pic down Glen Lednock

I crossed the valley flloor and climbed straight up a grassy ribbon on the far R of this pic.

At about 550m it levelled out and I was able to make an easy rising traverse L to the notch behind the heathery lump. I was back at the trap in 1 hour 30 - a vastly better route

From the notch, a last look back at Ruaidh Mheall with the Lawers group behind

Even sunshine lights up my return walk

A last look back towards the trap
I was back home just over 8 hours after starting - a REALLY enjoyable walk particularly the return

I leave you with this - perhaps the best view in my part of Perthshire

[Sgurr]

Often driven past and thought we would like to get up there. Now I know what it would be like.

[Gordie12]

Puts my 5 mile daily walk to shame

You probably couldn't have timed this better - can't see the ground being that dry very often.

Good to see Loch Lednock again, it's been about 6 years ( ) since I've been up that way (doing Creag Uchdag from Glen Lednock).

[past my sell by date]

Puts my 5 mile daily walk to shame

You probably couldn't have timed this better - can't see the ground being that dry very often.

Good to see Loch Lednock again, it's been about 6 years ( ) since I've been up that way (doing Creag Uchdag from Glen Lednock).

I think the dry weather was much more important on my previous (Meall Daimh) walk. This was mostly over heather.
From Glen Lednock there is a landrover track to within a km or so of the "humane" trap . and another to the foot of Ruaidh Mheall: you could use these to complete a much shorter circuit and also take in Creag Ruadh which is only an easy 70m from the notch behind the "heathery lump"

summit of Creag Ruadh

[past my sell by date]

Often driven past and thought we would like to get up there. Now I know what it would be like.

It's a wonderful wild area - apart from the crowds