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After heavy snow cut short our double attempt at Sgiath Chuil and Meall Glas the previous weekend, Jamie and I decided the only right thing to do was come back and complete the double. Last week was Sgiath Chuil, this week was Meall Glas.
The conditions had eased off quite a bit compared to the previous week which gave a good contrast in views and kept things fresh. There was still snow lying around but only in patches on the steeper sections so naturally we aimed for them the higher up we got. First though, we had to reach the higher slopes. We followed the same path we had walked on before so we were in familiar territory and a bit more careful on the river crossings as we both had close calls the last time thanks to the snow and ice!
Carefully Crossing The River by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Ben More (1174m) by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Meall Glas (959m) by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Another Easy River Crossing by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
The sky was bright and clear just like the previous week so we stopped often to admire the views all around us - Ben More looking majestic as ever - and also to plan our route ahead. No harm in lying back on a rock for ten minutes every now and then to soak up the sun in the middle of January!
Sgiath Chuil on our right now looked tame and welcoming compared to the wild beast we had conquered just 8 days previously. Long gone was the rocky slopes covered in snow. There were no more flat plateaus sheeted with ice and guarded by gale force winds. And the hard slog of a final ascent where we had to take turns kicking steps into the thick snow looked like an easy saunter now.
Relaxing In The Sun by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Icicles on Meall Glas (959m) by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Sgiath Chuil (921m) by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Up ahead of us though, Meall Glas looked much the same. There were still a few patches of snow for us to aim for though so when we reached them we made sure we enjoyed the brief time it took to ascend and of course got some great photo opportunities against the clear blue sky. We spotted a large steep section of snow which we would descend down and planned for a bit of fun there. We still had to reach the summit of my 25th Munro though so we got our heads down and up we went!
Ascending The Snow by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Footsteps In The Snow by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Taking A Break by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
The Crianlarich Munros by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
When we reached the summit, the weather was calm with very little wind. This was a good change compared to being blown about and having to head for cover behind some rocks. It also gave us time to take in the views which again were brilliant. A clear winters day in the hills is arguably the best time to go. Everyone likes the heat of the summer but you can see for miles on days like this so we got some brilliant views of Ben Vorlich south east of us.
So Munro number 25 was reached and an enjoyable day was about to get even better on the descent. It was time to wrap up first though. As usual, body temperatures dropped dramatically when stopped at the top so the full regalia of jackets, gloves, hats and snoods were quickly thrown on and we were soon on our way again.
Made It To The Summit of Meall Glas (959m) by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Meall Glas (959m) - Munro #25 by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Ready For The Descent by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
We headed for the steep section of snow we spotted on the way up and thought what better a place to practice self-arresting techniques with the ice axe. We had loved the winter conditions of this and the previous Munro; walking in the snow and ice had been thoroughly enjoyable and if we were going to do it more then we should practice staying safe. After much running up and sliding down we decided to ditch and axes and just have a bit of fun! I will be honest and say I was apprehensive at first but Jamie literally threw himself head first down the slope without much of a second thought.
After I seen him come out the other end alive and with a huge grin on his face I decided to give it a go too. We then must have made another dozen trips up and down the slope doing our best Klinsmann impersonations!
By this time though the sun was starting to get low to the west above Crianlarich so we brushed off the snow and made for the foot of the hill.
Sliding In The Snow by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Beinn nan Imirean (849m) by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Ben More (1174m) by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
The rest of the walk back was free from much incident as we enjoyed the views. With the sun setting on our right and Ben More straight ahead of us, we recalled Jamie’s first trip in the hills up there on an extremely windy day just a few months earlier. We then came across a huge rock maybe 20ft high and as usual we couldn’t pass up the chance for a quick photo opportunity! That was us nearing the end of the walk back and as we finally crossed the bridge over the River Dochart the sun was all but gone.
Obligatory Plank by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Obligatory Plank by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
Darkness Falls Over The River Dochart by
Rossco 7, on Flickr
This ended a brilliant two trips to what would normally be two quite tame and possibly dull Munros. A few inches of snow can give any hill a lot of character so I plan to continue this method by saving the best hills for the summer and the easier, less exciting ones to brighten up a cold winter’s day.
25 down, 257 to go...