Edge of the (permitted) Universe 3 Creag Each
Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 4:54 pm
I've climbed Creag Each a few times, but I needed somewhere to go, and while walking up the W side of Glen Tarken I'd noticed a new track heading off Left and I decided to see where it went.
I took my usual route through Glen Tarken woods, past Jerusalem , across the bridge over the Glen Tarken burn and up the main track.
Jerusalem: the flag that guides lost souls through the reeds here finally gave up the ghost this winter but has been replaced
Looking up the glen towards the end of the lateral moraine
Start of the new track - with the burn curving round to the R
After only a couple of hundred metres it stopped at yet another "humane " trap - this area is full of them, but I've never seen anything inside
a bit further on a viewing platform - for what I have no idea
I carried on up to a fence and followed it North across the burn to a corner where I was able to get over quite easily.
I was in no hurry, so what do next? I decided to follow the burn and explore the little gorge ahead - maybe there would be some scrambling or interesting plants.
Once upon a time I might have tried to force a way up here - but not any more I bailed out up vegetated ledges on the R
There were no more difficulties, but I was happy just to potter
At the top of the (not very exciting) gorge, I continued up the burn.
This was the one that I warned was full of mossy boulders https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=95256&p=416123#p416123 but it seemed the obvious way up
A wider view
Getting close to the foot of the boulder field
As I had found previously the boulders were very mossy, but in this dry weather easily negotiated
At the top I headed Right: it's a very elegant cairn - but it's not the top - in fact it isn't even on the right hill - I'd forgotten
However i made my way back across the flat area at the top of the gully and soon reached the real top.
Looking West, but the views were hazy
Zoomed
I decided to head due South dropping only about 100m to Meall Reamhar and descend the slopes from there that I had observed previously
Looking back towards the top
There were a few peat hags on the easy angled part , but it was not too bad. However I had stopped to adjust my boot when a person appeared below me - almost unheard of here - also heading towards Meall Reamhar. I shouted but he didn't hear and by the time I had reached the sharp drop-off he had disappeared.
I descended a short way SE down a bit of a ridge to a cairn and saw him crossing the burn towards Jerusalem - he was obviously a lot faster than me
The descent from here was quite steep, but on a wide open slope of short grass throughout. Part way down I followed a bit of a track E to reach the fence, descended beside it and managed to cross the big wall - even though the gap I had used just a few weeks earlier had been patched up. I headed straight towards the derelict cottages, crossed another fence by a rather awkward stile and headed back home along the cycle path/old railway.
Looking back from the bottom to the "big" wall and Meall Reamhar above - the total descent is about 400metres
On the railway - the cutting leading to the new bridge
Looking back across the bridge
At this time of the year the railway is an absolute delight - a kaleidoscope of different greens with primroses and bluebells in abundance. here are some pics - but they don't really do it justice
I took my usual route through Glen Tarken woods, past Jerusalem , across the bridge over the Glen Tarken burn and up the main track.
Jerusalem: the flag that guides lost souls through the reeds here finally gave up the ghost this winter but has been replaced
Looking up the glen towards the end of the lateral moraine
Start of the new track - with the burn curving round to the R
After only a couple of hundred metres it stopped at yet another "humane " trap - this area is full of them, but I've never seen anything inside
a bit further on a viewing platform - for what I have no idea
I carried on up to a fence and followed it North across the burn to a corner where I was able to get over quite easily.
I was in no hurry, so what do next? I decided to follow the burn and explore the little gorge ahead - maybe there would be some scrambling or interesting plants.
Once upon a time I might have tried to force a way up here - but not any more I bailed out up vegetated ledges on the R
There were no more difficulties, but I was happy just to potter
At the top of the (not very exciting) gorge, I continued up the burn.
This was the one that I warned was full of mossy boulders https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=95256&p=416123#p416123 but it seemed the obvious way up
A wider view
Getting close to the foot of the boulder field
As I had found previously the boulders were very mossy, but in this dry weather easily negotiated
At the top I headed Right: it's a very elegant cairn - but it's not the top - in fact it isn't even on the right hill - I'd forgotten
However i made my way back across the flat area at the top of the gully and soon reached the real top.
Looking West, but the views were hazy
Zoomed
I decided to head due South dropping only about 100m to Meall Reamhar and descend the slopes from there that I had observed previously
Looking back towards the top
There were a few peat hags on the easy angled part , but it was not too bad. However I had stopped to adjust my boot when a person appeared below me - almost unheard of here - also heading towards Meall Reamhar. I shouted but he didn't hear and by the time I had reached the sharp drop-off he had disappeared.
I descended a short way SE down a bit of a ridge to a cairn and saw him crossing the burn towards Jerusalem - he was obviously a lot faster than me
The descent from here was quite steep, but on a wide open slope of short grass throughout. Part way down I followed a bit of a track E to reach the fence, descended beside it and managed to cross the big wall - even though the gap I had used just a few weeks earlier had been patched up. I headed straight towards the derelict cottages, crossed another fence by a rather awkward stile and headed back home along the cycle path/old railway.
Looking back from the bottom to the "big" wall and Meall Reamhar above - the total descent is about 400metres
On the railway - the cutting leading to the new bridge
Looking back across the bridge
At this time of the year the railway is an absolute delight - a kaleidoscope of different greens with primroses and bluebells in abundance. here are some pics - but they don't really do it justice