free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
A rare Wednesday excursion courtesy of my attempt to use all my annual leave allocation.
Bagged 3 of the western Drumochter Munros with Morecamb Monkey a fortnight before, though I might as well finish them off while the snow and ice was still around.
Not too long a route and lengthening days allowed me to set off from Dalnaspidal at about 11:15. A positive forecast from MWIS and things were looking okay. A short plod along the road to the track cut-off before the second bridge and it was up towards the sun to kick off the day's summits.
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- The Sow
Increasing snow underfoot as I ascended. Cloud in the sky but patches of blue to be seen.
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- Meall na Leitreach
Plenty hares to be seen bounding about. Some of them prepared to let you fairly close before speeding off across the powder.
Looking good approaching the Sow's summit plateau and Sgairneach Mhor looking appealing in the distance.
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- Sgairneach Mhor and Beinn Udlamain
Summit one plodded to just before 1pm. Good visibility but some cloud approaching me from the west.
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- Sow of Atholl summit and A Mhairconaich beyond.
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- Meall na Leitreach under blue
Made my descent towards Sgairneach Mhor to find a spot to shelter from the coming snow and cloud and enjoy a spot of lunch. Found a convenient boulder to perch against.
Had conditions looked like they were just going to deteriorate I'd be turning back at this point but the clouds were parting nicely and I'd claim the Munro too today.
Mostly hard packed snow on the pull up to SM. Rarely were my boots sinking more than an inch or two into it. Some older tracks higher up, but unblemished, untouched snow for a good section.
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- The pull up to Sgairnech Mhor
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- Almost there
A few false summits but it didn't bother me too much.
Is that the real summit I see? Rather unassuming I thought to myself, but it was only when i got up to it that I saw that the majority of the trig point and the shelter were under a good bit of the white stuff.
There were 2 other cars parked by the level crossing at the start, but I hadn't seen hide nor hair of any other human until I saw a lonely figure coming towards me. Stopped to chat and take a pic for him. He'd done the 4 Munros from Balsporran. He looked a heck of a lot colder than I felt. We bid each other goodby and a safe descent and I headed back towards the Sow, sadly into the icy wind now but towards lovely blue sky.
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- Schiehallion looking tasty from afar. Wonder if anyone was up there.
Roughly followed my ascent tracks down, though the wind and snow had done a good job of filling them in. Continually looking back towards the sun to appreciate the view
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- The face of a man doing exactly what he wants to be doing exactly where he wants to be on a day like this. Apologies to all of you who were stuck at work.
Tried to catch a good pic of the fine powder being blown along, wish I hadn't left the bigger camera in the car.
Clouding over and some gentle snow in the air as I made the easy descent back to the track and soon enough I was back down, hopping the level crossing and taking the boots off after another fun Drumochter day.
I really pity anyone who's had to do these hills in boggy, soggy, grey days. I've had two days of absolute joy on the west side of the A9 this month. Now the only question is do I try and squeeze in the ones on the east side now or leave them until next winter?
