I have seen the future...and it's Grahams

[weaselmaster]

OK, it's the morning after Compleation, we've enjoyed a pint in the pub and another bottle of beer with our noodles - not exactly pushing the boat out. What happens now Well - more hills, that's the first thing. I had entertained a vague idea of doing the Beinn Deargs over in Fisherfield until I looked at the distance involved - 42 Km - hmmm not something to tackle on a Sunday when one has to get back down the road before midnight. Beinn Enaglair, down at Braemore Junction looked a much more reasonable bet - and hey - we could tag a Graham onto it The weather wasn't particularly good - clag and drizzle so a nice short walk would fit the bill for today. The WH route takes you around the houses, which might be fine on a day of great views, but with the likelihood of mist obscuring all of the Beinn Dearg group we'd just go up a shorter route, thanks all the same. A leisurely start, nice hot shower at the campsite then tootling down the road to the Junction and getting there around 11.15. Unfortunately it was waterproofs on from the start

Campsite
P1020437 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Get off the bliddy road!
P1020444 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Well, what else?
P1020445 by 23weasels, on Flickr

The path leads through a gate, helpfully directing "hillwalkers" to "the hill" - in case hillwalkers might decide to go somewhere else like "the valley" or "the loch" I suppose. The path starts promisingly, with wooden direction signs every few metres then deteriorates into a bit of a bog. We walked up to Home Loch then turned right along the Allt a'Chumhainn. We passed some extraordinary sheep, the likes of which I haven't seen before - big brutes, spotted and speckled. On past some waterfalls, the track passed between Enaiglair and the Graham, Meall Doire Faid. We were supposed to go along to the east of the hill and ascend from there, but we came to a huge boulder lying almost directly below the summit and I thought - why don't we head straight up from here - only about 350m and didn't look like there were any crags or stuff. So up we go - steeply at first, holding onto the heather, then over easier ground. I can make out the cairn and plonk myself beside it for a snap, Allison catches up mumbling something about "hating Corbetts - is this what I've got to look forward to now, troghling up pathless hillsides on your bloody routes" or some such. I assured her that's exactly what it would be like, Corbetts being less frequently provided with motorway-style tracks in comparison to the Munros.

Home Loch
P1020447 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Big sheep - or maybe sheep/goat crosses - Geep? Shoats??
P1020450 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1020451 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1020452 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Big boulder
P1020453 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Steep start
P1020455 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Summit Enaiglair
P1020457 by 23weasels, on Flickr

We headed off, meaning to follow the SE shoulder down, but being a little NE instead, and had a bit of contouring over boulders to do. Mist hampered direction finding, but we could see the stalker's path below us and made for that. We continued down to the inverted T junction in the paths and took the west arm towards Loch Feith nan Cleireach. We dipped down towards the eastern end of the loch and made our way across peat hags and one river crossing, fortunately provided with some stepping stones. Next we made for an obvious col on Meall Doire Faid, between its two summits. Mist still enshrouded everything. A plover stood on a nearby rock, its plaintive cry piercing the desolate landscape. A walk over about a dozen false summits eventually brought us to our desired top. My seventh Graham - woohoo! Have to start taking these more seriously now

Veined rock
P1020459 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Loch Feith
P1020461 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Crossing
P1020463 by 23weasels, on Flickr

MDF summit
P1020465 by 23weasels, on Flickr

Allison loving the Grahams
P1020466 by 23weasels, on Flickr

We descended WSW down the shoulder, making for the track we'd taken on the way in. This was steep in places, we passed groups of deer hidden in quiet places and what appeared to be the remains of a chambered cairn. We made it back to the path, the walk having taken somewhat longer than I'd originally intended. However it was drying up and the meander back down the A9 wasn't that bad. A fine weekend, all things considered.

?Chambered cairn
P1020467 by 23weasels, on Flickr

P1020468 by 23weasels, on Flickr

enaiglair.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[Johnny Corbett]

Aye you better brace yourself for them, they're no as easy as these Munros you know

[rockhopper]

what's the world coming to eh? OK, so you may be entitled to take it a little easier today after Saturday's high point but resorting to hills with signposts seems to be taking it too far
....you'll be getting a bike next before we know it - cheers

[weaselmaster]

....you'll be getting a bike next before we know it - cheers

Now that will be taking it too far
Got something long and walky planned for the weekend, no bikes in sight

[BoyVertiginous]

The car is the star, WM!

Believe we passed it on our way back from Assynt, probably not long after you'd set off, having camped below the bealach on Cul Mor and wandered up to a wet and claggy summit about 8am...miserable.

Congratulations, both, on your compleation.

[AnnieMacD]

Oooh, looking forward to your Corbett/Graham routes. I much prefer them because there are no super-highways. A bit like the single-track roads

[scoob999]

Fantastic idea! get bagging those Grahams