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After a couple of evenings off, it was time to conclude my week alone with a final fling in the hills before having to return to Prestwick the following day to collect my wife, daughter and mother-in-law on their return from France.
Initially my mind had run wild with plans for a Friday night wild camp somewhere followed by a big huge day in the hills on the Saturday before limping back to Prestwick. Oddly enough, after a week of evening smash and grab raids on more local hills, the thought of a long drive north followed by a walk in and tent pitch in the dark left me rather cold, so the plans for the Beinn Dearg group near Ullapool were hastily put on hold.
Cue the Creag Meagaidh trio, which had been floating around the periphery of my radar for a number of years now.
Anyway, a fairly straightforward and uneventful foray - the forecast was for severe gales and rain to move in late Saturday and into Sunday. All started promisingly, but on the approach to the second Munro, it looked like it would become a race against time as the storms threatened to move in earlier than expected. However, despite the third Munro being rather clag bound, things cleared up again on the descent down through the Window into Coire Ardair for the long walk back to the car.
I met a lovely elderly couple from Thurso on the walk out and in the course of spending 5 minutes or so chatting to them I told them that I knew a bloke from Thurso called Charlie and asked if they knew him too.........
.......... only kidding Charlie! Calm down!!!!!!!
Binnein Shuas from the entrance to the car parkAberarderCloud swirling around in Coire ArdairZoomed on the headwall cliffs, the Window and the flanks of SPCAEast from near Na CnapananCreag Pitridh and the Loch Laggan Grahams from just above Na CnapananA clear view up the coire to the WindowCarn LiathBinnein Shuas, Loch Laggan and the gate to nowhereThe full extent of Coire Ardair now opening upArriving at the summit of Carn LiathSummit portrait #1Loch Laggan from the summitLeaving Carn Liath and the route aheadFi
rst glimpse of Lochan a' ChoireBack to Carn LiathAcross Coire a' ChriochaireanBack once again to Carn LiathClosing in on SPCA in more ways than one!Birds eye view of Lochan a' ChoireNearly at number 2Summit portrait #2The Window from aboveLochain UaineDown Coire Ardair from the edge of the cliffsSPCAMad Meg's CairnFigures at the summitSummit portrait #3Lochan Uaine and Carn Dearg from near Mad Meg's CairnAlmost back at the Window - Mad Meg's Cairn visible up on the skylineDescending through the WindowBack up from just above the lochanLochan and cliffs - what a place!A last look backLower Coire Ardair - looking across Loch Laggan to Binnein ShiosMeall nan Eagan and The Fara across Loch Laggan (Ardverickie Lodge just visible on the far shore)