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Corbetts: Sgorr Craobh a' Chaorainn, Sgurr Ghiubhsachain, Druim Tarsuinn.
Grahams: Meall nan Damh, Glas Bheinn.
Date: 09/01/2013.
Distance: 4 km (cycling), 21 km (walking).
Ascent: 135m (cycling), 2000m (walking).
Time taken: 8 hours.
Weather: Cold, grey and windy. Summits clear of cloud.
The weather looked better for Sunday than today, but I had managed to get the car for the whole day, so I dropped Gill off at Inverness station at 7am and drove down to Callop. I had brought the bike along to do the first couple of miles past Callop. This would normally seem more hassle than it was worth, but I had strict instructions to be back in Inverness at 7:40 pm, so anything to shorten the time was a bonus.
It was a steep climb up to the top of the hydro scheme track, where I left the bike. The stalker's path beyond was pretty good, and I spotted a couple of other walkers ahead. I caught them up for a brief chat - they were also headed for Sgurr Craobh a' Chaorainn, with plans being flexible beyond that. I left the path here to gain the NE ridge.
Sgorr a' Craobh Chaorainn and Meall nan Damh from Callop:
Looking back towards Callop and Gulvain:
On the ridge up to Sgorr a' Craobh Chaorainn:
Steep in places, but the going was OK underfoot. The direct route took me over the minor summit of Meall na Cuartaige. The final ascent onto the main summit was steep with some hard snow patches. The wind rose rather dramatically on the top, so I didn't hang about.
Approaching the final ascent:
Loch Shiel from the summit:
The initial drop off the summit was steep with a couple of scrambly moves, but after that, the ridge walk along to Sgurr Ghiubhsachain was lovely and easy, with short grass.
Steep section on the descent of Sgorr a' Craobh Chaorainn:
Sgurr Ghiubsachain:
Looking back to Sgorr a' Craobh Chaorainn:
Heading up again towards Sgurr Ghiubhsachain was easy walking until the last 150m, which was steep and scrambly again. This ended satisfyingly right at the cairn.
Steep rocky ascent to Sgurr Ghiubhsachain:
Quite an enjoyable route up, although not as good as the one up from Guesachan on the shores of Loch Shiel. I had done this route with my dad and sister when I was 15, but for some reason we had missed out Sgurr Craobh a' Chaorainn. Probably because my sister was only 12 at the time and getting quite tired!
This visit was a lot colder with less in the way of views, but I still managed a quick stop. I was moving again fairly sharpish to try and get out of the wind.
The top:
I took a short detour to the cairn of Meall nan Creag Leac for the views up and down Loch Shiel. Despite the greyness, it was still worth a look. However the higher hills to the east could barely be seen, and there was little in the way of coastal scenery. I had probably picked the best place in the highlands to avoid the cloud.
NE along Loch Shiel:
SW down Loch Shiel:
Bheinn Odhar Bheag:
Croit Bheinn, with the vague outline of the Rois-Bheinn horseshoe beyond:
Next I turned SE toward Druim Tarsuinn. I hadn't paid much attention to the map and there was more descent here than I expected.
Meall Mor and Druim Tarsuinn:
Meall nan Damh from the foot of Druim Tarsuinn:
It was a shame to turn away from Loch Shiel, but views into central Ardgour were opening up. Druim Tarsuinn had a rough and remote feel to it that I liked. It was also bloody freezing, so after a quick stop, I decided to miss out Meall Mor and drop down into Cona Glen slightly earlier than planned. Without a time limit on the day, I might have been tempted to keep going to Stob Mhic Bheathain. Would have been a long walk though!
Druim Tarsuinn and Carn na Nathrach (with Sgurr Dhomhnuill poking out behind):
Central Ardgour: Beinn na h-Uamha, Carn na Nathrach and Sgurr Dhomhnuill from Druim Tarsuinn:
Looking back to the summit of Druim Tarsuinn:
Lochan Dubh and Druim na Sgriodan:
Carn na Nathrach and Lochan Dubh:
My chosen route down followed a low profile rib right to the floor of the glen, which was fairly dry and easy to follow. It was much warmer down here, so I had a longer break and topped up with water.
Meall nan Damh from the head of Cona Glen:
Down Cona Glen:
On the way up Sgorr Craobh a' Chaorainn I had spotted an unmarked stalker's path up the west ridge of Sgurr nan Damh. I could see that this started from the track out of Cona Glen, so I climbed up and used it. It missed out a scramble section on the ridge, but I was getting tired by now, so I didn't mind too much. An hour saw me on the western summit, from where there was a nice grassy stroll to the higher eastern one.
Sgurr Ghiubsachain and the head of Cona Glen from the ascent of Meall nan Damh:
Meall Mor and Druim Tarsuinn:
Down Cona Glen:
Across Stob Mhic Bheathain to Garbh Bheinn and Sgur Dhomhnuill:
The weather hadn't changed a great deal where I was (apart from the odd glimpse of sunshine), but over to the east, Ben Nevis and the Aonachs had cleared of cloud.
Ben Nevis finally comes clear:
Glas Bheinn and Loch Eil from Meall nan Damh:
The final walk onto Glas Bheinn was fairly smooth and straightforward - at odds with most of this area. I was glad as this was the hardest walk I had done in a few months.
Looking back up the west ridge of Meall nan Damh:
Meall nan Damh from Glas Bheinn:
Sgurr Ghiubsachain, Sgorr a' Craobh Chaorainn and Bheinn Odhar Bheag from Glas Bheinn:
From near the summit, I could see the unmarked track from the hydro intake back to my bike. I had found out about this from another report - cheers foggieclimber! It saved a load of crashing through coniferous forest and I got to see some nice Caledonian pines. Prior to that there was a good 400m of descent down heathery slopes.
Descending Glas Bheinn:
Sgurr a' Craobh Caorainn:
Descending into the glen:
Back on the bike, it took about 3 minutes to reach the car, where I was an hour earlier than my cut-off time for getting back to Inverness. This was one of the driest walks I had done in recent times, most likely due to the 2 weeks of cold, sunny, dry weather that I'd squandered at work.
