A different route back from Criese and Meall a'Bhuiridh

[clivew]

Had a bit of a late start from Edinburgh this morning; too much travelling this week I needed the extra hour in bed. By the time I had stopped off at the Green Welly for coffee and a bacon roll it was almost 10.00 before I reached the Ski Centre car park near the Kinghouse Hotel. The car park was fairly deserted and most of the activity was mountain bikers risking life and limb on the downhill run from the Ski station above the car park. Managed to get booted up quickly and what a pleasure it was to be walking in shorts and a tee shirt, it certainly beats having to get the waterproofs on. The route is very easy to follow from the car park, just head towards the ski lift pylons and the footpath heads up immediately beside the pylons to the top of the ridge. Take care not to choose the wrong path though as the mountain bike track runs parallel to the footpath and the speed those guys come down the mountain you wouldn't want to be in their way.
I followed the pylons to just before the ski building on the ridge and then headed in a westerly direction towards the ridge leading to the summit of Meall a'Bhhuiridh; the walking is fairly easy going most of the way with a bit of a rocky scarmble near the top, I reached the summit at about 11.15. By now the temperature was really starting to rise and the sun cream I had put on my face was running into my eyes with the sweat.

The start point at the ski centre car park

The path following the ski lift pylons

The views from the summit are great looking across to to last weeks walk on Stob Ghabhar and directly down into the Loch an Easain, it was while I was looking at the herd of deer in the Loch far below I bumped into Dave (the Rave), Julie and the two dogs, Wilson and Jake, good to see you all hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip. Wilson was on best behaviour and just lay in the sunshine whilst we had a long chat; decided to have a lunch break here as well and it was getting on for Midday before I started walking again.

The deer in the Loch an Easain far below the summit

The route from Meall a'Bhuiridh to the ridge leading to Creise

The climb up onto the ridge leading to Creise from the Bealach looks worse than it actually is and I was soon up on the ridge and heading for the summit of my second Munro, Criese. I had decided that instead of retracing my footsteps back over the summit of Meall a'Bhuiridh I would find an alternative route back.

The summit of Meall a'Bhuiridh from Creise

The summit of Creise

Looking down into Glen Etive from Creise

My return route was via the ridge that runs north from Creise, follow the ridge along to Stob a'Ghlais Choire and then at the low point on the ridge leading to Sron na Criese head in an easterly direction straight down to the Allt cam Ghlinne far below.

The route from the ridge down to the Allt cam Ghlinne

Its a bit steep in places and probably best tackled on a dry day but it was fairly easy going most of the way down. I stayed on the north bank of the burn until I reached the Allt cam Ghlinne near the waterfall, from here I followed the burn north until it comes out of the gorge and you are able to cross easily over to the far bank. My route from here skirted around Creag Dhubh and then dropped down to the moor leading back to the car park at the ski centre. It was a good alternative route and meant I didn't have to retrace my steps.

The waterfall on the Allt cam Ghlinne

The crossing point

I reached the car park at the Ski Centre at 2.45 and enjoyed a bottle of cider poured over a pint glass full of ice in the ski centre restaurant before heading back home, the cider went down a treat.

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[davetherave]

CliveW

Nice to have met you on sarurday. Glad you got down ok. I remember looking over to your descent route as we were heading for Cam Ghleann from Meall a Bhuiridh and thinking it looks rather steep in bits Suppose that was a better choice than trying to descend by the Sron

We got back to our pitch just before 2pm and had a wee rest before heading up to do the Aonach Eagach ridge, eventually finished that at 10,30pm.

[clivew]

CliveW

Nice to have met you on sarurday. Glad you got down ok. I remember looking over to your descent route as we were heading for Cam Ghleann from Meall a Bhuiridh and thinking it looks rather steep in bits Suppose that was a better choice than trying to descend by the Sron

We got back to our pitch just before 2pm and had a wee rest before heading up to do the Aonach Eagach ridge, eventually finished that at 10,30pm.

Hi Dave, likewise it was good to have a chat; the route actually looked worse than it was, it turned out to be a good route back. Sounds like you made the most of the long daylight hours I take it Julies leg held up for the rest of the day or did you get a tow from Wilson.