Creag Meagaidh circuit and a free lift home

[Johnny Corbett]

We left the Meagaidh car park at 08.15 making our way up the path. At the point where the path splits you take the right path with the left path being the circular walk round the nature reserve. You carry on this path where a small cairn indicates where you leave the path to head upto Carn Liath via , you can continue on this path if you wished to do the route in reverse or would make a lovely walk for a low level walker with superb views of Creag Meagaidh crags.Initially the path you take for the Munro is very boggy but also rocky so you can avoid getting wet boots. The path again splits at Na Cnapanan, here we took the left one which took us over Na Cnapanan and up to Carn Liaths rocky summit. From the summit you return in the direction you came, continueing along the ridge over a series of tops to the double cairned summit of Poite Coire Ardair. It is a bit of an anti climax reaching this summit as you suddenly appear on it without doing any real hard work. So far the walk was in clear conditions with Creag Megaidh being under a cloud all through the walk, it was no differant from here on so we dropped down from Stob Poite Coire Ardair to the bealach to get shelter from the wind and to have some lunch. After lunch we headed back up to the path and made our way in the cloud to Creag Megaidh passing the large cairn enroute. We then returned to the bealach to head back down the path to the start of the walk although the other option we considered was to return via Puist Coire Adair and Sron a' Ghoir but opted for the longer path route rather than down the ridge. We arrived back at the car at 16.20. Now for the free lift home. After getting a puncture last week in Glen Etive, it was now time for the wheel baring to go on my trusty old Audi just as we were arriving at Dalwhinnie. So after 1hour waiting on the rescue service arriving the car was quickly on the back of the truck and we were in the back enjoying the free trip home.

Todays destination

Alan on way up

Stob Poite Coire Adair

Loch Laggan

Carn Liath

SPCA

On way up from Na Cnapanan

Myself & Alan on Carn Liath

Kim leads the way to Munro no2

The 2 Binnein Grahams & Creag Pitridh

Kim races on as we try to keep up

Loch Laggan

Alan on the ridge from Carn Liath

The ridge to SPCA

Loch Laggan

SPCA north cairn

On way to Creag Meagaidh

Alan approaching the summit

Summit photo

Stopping off at the huge cairn on way down

The way down

A look back

The Crags

The Lochan

Loch Laggan & Binnein Shios

[Bod]

Well done Johnny, Kim and Alan! A fine walk round and with the nights drawing in you did very well. Love the lochan and Coire there....one of Ritchie's finest swimming spots

[Johnny Corbett]

Cheers Bod, it's a case of getting them in while the weathers been ok and before the dark nights arrive. I think on a warm day i'd be jumping into that Lochan as well

[pollyh33]

Looks like a fantastic day out!

Some amazing photos there! Great to see Kim escaping work for once and joining you boys on the hills

[Johnny Corbett]

Thanks Polly, it's a great walk this one and not much effort involved to get three Munros done. If i do the walk again i'd do it it in reverse as i think the view to the Lochan and the crags are superb

[Steve B]

Hi JC,
Did these the other way round last week. The crags are great although the cloud was nearly halfway down them when I went up there.
Had similar windy conditions. Would like to do these again in clear weather.
Good report.

[rockhopper]

Very nice johnny - good to see what I missed in the clag Not sure about "a free lift" though - fixing the wheel bearing may turn out to be more expensive

[Johnny Corbett]

Thanks Steve, i think the route you took is more scenic.

Rockhopper, you are spot though it turned out it was the springs that went causing over £800 of damage so the trusty old car is now in a scrapyard