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Mid week sneaky peak time again & this week I was joined by my friend Andy. Weather was looking best east. So east it was & off to Drumochter to see of the two munro’s I had not done.
Easy drive up, choosing lay-by 88. Now just for point of clarity the lay-by that the route here starts at, is 87, but 88 is just past the start & on the east side of the road. Drove past it & used the Dalwinnie turn off to turn around.
The track up to the quarry is easily followed, but as tracks go is quite steep in places to get the blood pumping. As the notes say the quarry isn’t really, you just find yourself standing on lots of little bits of quartz. Headed for Carn na Caim first following fence posts & track. Not much snow left up there but a lot of ice & the wind was whipping across the flattish moorland making progress quite slow at times. At one point as Andy was crossing a large patch of ice a sudden gusts made him slide gracefully backwards.
Quick stop at the summit. The cloud was hanging just above us all day so we could see a fair way but no great views.
Back the way we came to the quarry where we met a couple who had just come up the track. Quick chat & off. We went to the minor top of A Bhuidheanach rather than going around we then dropped down the steep side to the stream, this being quite sheltered we had our lunch before heading for A Bhuidheanach Bheag again not much snow but a lot of ice & frozen bog & peat hags.
Whilst heading back I realised that I had dropped a pole somewhere, so if anyone comes across one please pm me. On the return we took the track around the bottom off the minor top rather than re ascend it.
We tried sledging back down the track but either, a) the snow was too soft, or b) I’m too heavy, as we just couldn’t get going.
- Geal Charn & A'M
- Carn na Caim
- A'Bhuidheanach Bheag