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Corbetts: Creag Mac Ranaich, Meall an t-Seallaidh
Date: Sunday 12 May 2013
Time taken: 4hrs 30mins (incl stops 35mins) - bike and walk
Distance: 21.4km
Ascent: 1,051m
Attendees: me
Suffering from a long layoff for various reasons incl family commitments and a recently developed aversion to walking in clag and rain with no views. Had hoped to resume this weekend but the weather forecast was far from encouraging – certainly not good enough to justify driving 300 – 400 miles for what would be a wet day with no views on the munros.
However, the Sunday forecast for Lochearnhead suggested dry and maybe bright until mid morning when the rain was due. So, got up [very] early on Sunday morning, had breakfast and drove up to the car park in Lochearnhead as there’s no parking nearer the start of the walk. On the M9, just before the Craigforth turnoff, a small animal dashed across the carriageway in front of me. Managed to catch a glimpse of it at the side of the road before it disappeared – first time I’d seen a badger in the wild.
Set off from the car by bike at just after 5.30am.
Back down the A84 then up the side road past the church. The next bit was a wee bit confusing so I took some photos on the way back down but included them here for info.
Continue up the road until just before a bridge. Don’t go over it, go down to the left.
Meet the cycle path, turn right, go under that bridge.
Continue up the cycle path on the zigzags. Get to the top of the zigzags, turn left and through a gate.
Keep going through more gates until coming close to a bridge. Don’t go under it – go through a gate to the left, up a grassy track and over the bridge to get on to the main Glen Kendrum track.
Cycled up this track. Hard going and slow in places until I got to around 400m when I stopped, hid the bike behind some grass and rock and locked it up.
Getting higher and looking ahead, the start of Creag Mac Ranaich looked steep.
Over to Meall an t-Seallaidh
Back to Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin
Continued the walk up until reaching the bealach between the two hills. Then headed NW up the steep hillside – couldn’t see a track. Got up to the top then headed over to the summit with a small cairn.
There was another wee cairn further over so walked over to it. Then headed back via a wee top to the SW.
Slippery descent as I looked over to Meall an t-Seallaidh to work out the ascent route. Straight up to the right of Cam Chreag.
Found a wee loch up there before continuing over Cam Chreag and on to the summit.
Trig point and cairn at the top.
Back to Creag Mac Ranaich
Then headed SE to another cairn with what wood have been a good view in better weather.
Then a heathery descent NE to get back to the main track. Very brief spell of light rain when I got back to the track but nothing much.
Waterfall
Walked back down to find the bike and then cycled back to the car park arriving a few minutes after 10am. The rain came on lightly toward the end of the cycle but was safely back in the car and heading off before it came on heavily. Mission accomplished and no need for waterproofs – early starts have their advantages.
