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Dumpling on Drumochter

Dumpling on Drumochter


Postby mountain thyme » Mon Jul 28, 2014 11:14 pm

Munros included on this walk: A' Mharconaich, Beinn Udlamain, Geal-chàrn (Drumochter), Sgàirneach Mhòr

Date walked: 18/07/2014

Time taken: 5.3 hours

Distance: 19 km

Ascent: 1267m

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I remember climbing these four munros four years ago, and all I can remember about them was the climb up to the first munro was fairly quick and thinking the walk back to the car was helluva long from the last munro. So when completing these munros again I thought whilst we had the bikes for the Nethybridge weekend, we would use them for the cycle at the end of the walk back to the car.
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The Bikes !

Dropped the bikes and padlocked them at the end of the walk.
Parked at the parking spot just before Balsporran Cottages and started the walk at 930am.
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Balsporran Cottage

Crossed the bridge over towards the Cottages, over the railway and onto the good track up towards the north east ridge of Geal Charn.
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track towards Geal Charn

Stopped at the small cairn for a few minutes and then headed west to the summit of Geal Charn.
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Small Cairns

Reached the summit in 1 hour 15mins.
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Geal Charn

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Geal Charn

No views at all at the summit.
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Quick summit pic and then headed south down the broad ridge and back onto the main path and then followed a path north east towards the summit of A ‘ Mharconaich.
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towards Ben Alder Cottage

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reaching the plateau A'Mharconaich

Again no views at what we thought was the summit.
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Summit . Eh ? No

Stopped for a summit pic at a cairn and then the cloud lifted slightly and we could see the true summit behind us. Took us an hour and 15 mins from Geal Charn
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Summit number 2


Rather than retrace our steps and back to the path, which WH recommends, we headed south west down the ridge towards Glas choire and then south up to the summit of Beinn Udlamain and reached the summit in 45 minutes from summit 2. Here the clag lifted and the sun came out. We sat for some lunch for a while.
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Summit number 3. Beinn Udlamain

Once we left the 3rd summit Stevie put his head into his hands and informed me that he had left the keys to the padlock for the bikes back at the van. What a dumpling :crazy: Id never do anything like that :)
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We continued on and headed south towards Carn ‘ Ic Loumhaidh over some rocky ground and then headed east over grassy ground which seemed to take forever and ever up to the trig point of Sgairneach Mhor.
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Summit 4

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Summit 4

We followed the north east ridge down to the wee top at 758
Here Stevie decided to run up the Sow of Atholl and headed up the south ridge of it.
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Stevie heading for the Sow

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The Sow

I decided to give it a miss as id climbed it earlier this year. I headed north from the wee top and followed a goodstalkers path, although really boggy in parts and down hill and crossed the bridge to pick up the path.
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Once on the path I could see Stevie running down the north ridge of the Sow. Thinking to himself that i didnt see him :D
I couldn’t let him beat me so I made a major bee line and ran along the path to get towards the end of the walk before him. Just as he appeared and crossed the Allt Coire Dhomhain i performed a wee leisurely stroll as though i had done so all along.
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Hurry up Dumpling

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Reached the bikes after 5 hours 30 mins of walking and cycled back to the start... No we didnt ! Nae keys so Stevie jogged along to the van and was back within 20minutes. And headed to Nethybridge for the WH meet :D
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mountain thyme
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby rockhopper » Tue Jul 29, 2014 12:05 am

and there was me thinking that the main aim of covering munros again following compleation was to see the views on those which were in clag the first time round :shock: :eh: :silent: :wink: at least it improved for you later on :thumbup: - and I had a wee chuckle about the padlocks :lol: - cheers :)
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby spiderwebb » Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:45 am

Fine hills these, especially in deep powder snow :D Sorry but I also had to laugh about the keys, but we've all done it :lol:
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby mountain thyme » Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:21 pm

rockhopper wrote:and there was me thinking that the main aim of covering munros again following compleation was to see the views on those which were in clag the first time round :shock: :eh: :silent: :wink: at least it improved for you later on :thumbup: - and I had a wee chuckle about the padlocks :lol: - cheers :)


Cheers RH... It wasnt 4 munros i was looking forward to repeating, but someone was needing a guide and keen to get his tally up :lol: Much preferred these munros this time

spiderwebb wrote:Fine hills these, especially in deep powder snow :D Sorry but I also had to laugh about the keys, but we've all done it :lol:


Cheers SW .... hes a doughnut :roll:
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mountain thyme
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby gammy leg walker » Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:13 pm

Sorry MT but the blame must be split in half,you were walking as a team so share half the blame. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby simon-b » Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:02 pm

Whenever I've got a linear walk planned with friends, someone always posts a timely report reminding us what (not) to do with the keys! Thanks for that, MT. The trig column on Sgairneach Mhor was completely buried by snow when I was there in March.

A nice report and pictures; it looks like you had a good day.
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby AnnieMacD » Thu Jul 31, 2014 8:59 pm

:lol: :lol: about the keys. Been there, done that! Enjoyed reading your report.
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby Johnny Corbett » Fri Aug 01, 2014 5:49 pm

Was sounding like your first round there, summit one nae views, summit two nae views but good to see it picked up for you both. So Stevie did the Sow because he was fed up with your company eh :wink: and for once you weren't the Dumpling when it comes to keys but on the bright side Stevie was quicker jogging back than you would have been on your bike :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby Graeme D » Fri Aug 01, 2014 8:59 pm

I'm surprised Stevie was able to finish the round after being knee-capped part way through! :lol: Nice head gear too! :wink:
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Re: Dumpling on Drumochter

Postby mountain thyme » Sun Aug 03, 2014 9:46 pm

gammy leg walker wrote:Sorry MT but the blame must be split in half,you were walking as a team so share half the blame. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


No GLW.. Because when i done it before a walk a certain Johnny C didnay take half the blame :lol:

simon-b wrote:Whenever I've got a linear walk planned with friends, someone always posts a timely report reminding us what (not) to do with the keys! Thanks for that, MT. The trig column on Sgairneach Mhor was completely buried by snow when I was there in March.

A nice report and pictures; it looks like you had a good day.


It was a cracking day SM. I enjoyed these hills this time :D

AnnieMacD wrote::lol: :lol: about the keys. Been there, done that! Enjoyed reading your report.


Cheers AMac. Me too.Done it myself. Better when someone else makes the mistake though :wink:

Johnny Corbett wrote:Was sounding like your first round there, summit one nae views, summit two nae views but good to see it picked up for you both. So Stevie did the Sow because he was fed up with your company eh :wink: and for once you weren't the Dumpling when it comes to keys but on the bright side Stevie was quicker jogging back than you would have been on your bike :lol: :lol: :lol:

Haha no JC i had my new bike this time so bye bye Mary Poppins :D

Graeme D wrote:I'm surprised Stevie was able to finish the round after being knee-capped part way through! :lol: Nice head gear too! :wink:


Haha you slagging my Tom Weir Hat Mr Dewar :lol:
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