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Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas


Postby Huff_n_Puff » Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:04 pm

Route description: Loch Lochy Munros from Kilfinnan

Munros included on this walk: Meall na Teanga, Sròn a' Choire Ghairbh

Date walked: 22/04/2012

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 19 km

Ascent: 1258m

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Saturday night found us humming and hawing about the weather forecast for the next day – eventually the humming won out and we set off – not too early 'cos the forecast was for the day to improve as it went on, with low cloud lifting from the summits. And, yet again, MWIS was spot on. :)

We arrived at Kilfinnan about 10:15 and eventually got going about 11:00 after I'd taken photos at the start – set off – remembered I'd left the camera behind - trogged back to get it – and set off again. :oops:

01 South Laggan Loch.jpg
Looking towards the South Laggan lock


The start is part of the Great Glen way – easy track and well signposted.
05 Have dogs will walk.jpg
Variation on the Startrite advert?


We found the famous shoe post (toe post??) and set off into the woods.
06 Boot post and walkers.jpg
The way to go


This bit is steep – stopping to photograph flowers, waterfalls (anything that takes your fancy really) is necessary to keep the huff n puff count under control.
07 Flower break.jpg
Flower break

09 Large waterfall.jpg


Once out of the woods the track eases off, but by the time we reached bealach another of MWIS's predications had been realised – hail showers.
12 Hail coming this way.jpg
All Hail Macbeth??

Still we did get some brilliant views – I think I spotted Sgurr na Ciche between the showers – a joy to come!
10 View west.jpg
View west


The path up Sron a'Choire Ghairbh makes short work of the steep hillside
27 Path up Stron a' Choire Gharbh.jpg
Stalkers' path


and the view from the top – yes between yet more hail showers – were fantastic,
13 View through the gap.jpg

15 Ben Nevis behind Meal na Teanga.jpg

14 Looking up the great glen.jpg
The great glen

22 South east across the great glen.jpg


enough to make me contemplate doing this again on a really clear day. I don't think I've seen Ben Nevis looking so commanding, but the whole collection of mountains from Ben Nevis to the Grey Corries were great from this vantage point.

19 Renewables.jpg
Renewables

20 Meall Fuar-mhonaidh from Stron a' Choire Gharbh.jpg
Meall Fuar-mhonaidh from Stron a' Choire Gharbh

16 Biccies.jpg
Jumping for biccies


After photos stops, dog treats and debates about which mountain was which we headed back to the bealach and some lunch – eaten in yet another hail shower.

The path up to Mealll na Teanga is clear enough (when there's no snow) but very boggy until the ground starts to rise after the bealach between Meall Dubh and Meall na Teanga. From then on it's steepish but straightforward. The views form the top are even more breathtaking than on Sron a'Choire Ghairbh – good enough to come back on a clear day and really see them.
24 Meall an Teng summit.jpg
Meall na Teanga summit


Heading back down the route we'd come we mused on the fact that we'd had the hills to ourselves this day – an increasingly rare occurrence in the Scottish mountains. The WH stats show these hills rank 169 and 170 out of the 283 in terms of frequency climbed – yet they provide two of the best vantage points for viewing much more popular hills, whether that is the giants of the Nevis and Aonach ranges or the beautiful remote hills of Lochs Quoich and Arkaig and out to the Rough Bounds.

On the final walk back we walked into a serious downpour but even that was not without its splendours.
29 Rainbow.jpg
Farewell gesture
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Huff_n_Puff
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Re: Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Postby dogplodder » Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:15 pm

Loved this report and the dogs are beauties! :D Your photos are great - what camera have you? I'm about to upgrade but finding the huge choice a bit overwheming. I need something small enough not to go in rucksack, that can do point and shoot if I need it to, produces great images and preferably with an optical view finder - not that I'm asking for much! :lol:
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Re: Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Postby Huff_n_Puff » Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:31 pm

Thanks for the warm words - writing the reports is taking me as long as doing the walks :shock: Still it does reinforce things I really enjoyed in the day - and gets me to own up to the huffin side of it too.

The camera is a Pentax K200 with a Tamron 18-250 zoom lens - it gives a good zoom length for the mountains and sufficient wide angle for my needs in 1 lens, so it's great from that point of view - but there's a downside - its heavy.

Good luck with your choice of upgrade - although your current camera is serving you well.
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Re: Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Postby Vick1 » Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:59 pm

Great photo of the Ben :)
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Re: Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Postby Lenore » Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:23 pm

Oooh love the double rainbow!
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Re: Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Postby dogplodder » Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:01 am

Huff_n_Puff wrote:The camera is a Pentax K200 with a Tamron 18-250 zoom lens - it gives a good zoom length for the mountains and sufficient wide angle for my needs in 1 lens, so it's great from that point of view - but there's a downside - its heavy.


You assess me well..... I want the perfect camera which is also light! :lol: :D
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Re: Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Postby 2dalmatians » Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:52 pm

Loved the rainbow picture and the pups look like they are having the best time! which one is huff and which one puff?? :lol:
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Re: Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Postby Huff_n_Puff » Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:01 pm

2dalmatians wrote:Loved the rainbow picture and the pups look like they are having the best time! which one is huff and which one puff?? :lol:


Ha Ha... I guess you realise that they dogs are just the cover for the name - their names are Biggles and Bertie - Huff_n_Puff being human :shock: :lol:
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Re: Solitude, hailstones and stunning vistas

Postby ScottishLeaf » Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:10 pm

Stunning photos. The first one is picture postcard quality as is the double rainbow. Think you could get a job on the tourist board for these mountains :lol:
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