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(20km and 250m of ascent was on bike)
When I finished my munros in 2006, I wasn't sure what I'd do next. Photography maybe, or more mountain biking. I didn't think I'd bother with all of the Corbetts, as some of them didn't seem that inspiring (I'd only done 30 or so at the time). After today, I'm halfway through them and I'm pretty sure I'll finish at some point. I always liked the more neglected corners of the Highlands anyway, and the Corbetts and various other lumps and bumps have that in spades.
Part of my aim for today was to do at least two Corbetts, as this would take me over the halfway mark (slightly ambiguous as the list has recently changed, and the version on Walkhighlands has an extra summit). I was going to go over to Tomintoul, but the weather looked better to the W, so I went down to Invergarry instead. Despite showers and low cloud down the side of Loch Ness, the weather at the roadhead at Mandally was looking quite reasonable. The 6 miles or so to the stalker's path I wanted passed fairly uneventfully on the bike (pleasant, but you don't see much of Loch Garry), the track being well maintained.
- Spidean Mialach from forestry track
Forestry operations at the W end of the track meant I couldn't follow the path I wanted, so I had to use the other one. Luckily I expected the path to be faint, otherwise I would never have spotted it. It was quite clear that very few people used this route, and it was only just followable. This sort of thing is usually a disaster for me, as I don't tend to look at the map much, but I managed not to get lost in the woods!
I crossed a rough area of heather and bog (and a deer fence) to pick the other stalkers path up. Once on the hill, this path was a typical devious route onto high ground, which was barely used but not in bad condition. This took me over Meall Doir' an Daimh and Meall Tarsuinn, with views opening up to Loch Quoich, Loch Garry and Loch Ness.
- Ben Tee
- Loch Quoich, Sgurr an Mhaoraich, Spidean Mialach and S Glen Shiel ridge
- Ben Nevis from near summit of Geal Charn
A bit of contouring took me to the final ascent of Geal Charn, which had magnificent views straight down Loch Arkaig to Gulvain and Sgurr na Ciche, and also straight across to Ben Nevis the Anoachs and the Grey Corries. Ben Nevis still had a very white NE face, but there was barely any snow at all in Knoydart.
- From Geal Charn down Loch Arkaig, Gulvain and Sgurr na Ciche prominent
- Close-up of Anoachs, Carn Deargs and Ben Nevis
- ...and again, with Glas Bhein in foreground
I sat for 15 minutes up here, but there was still a nip in the air so I had to carry on. Passed another guy, who had started at Eas Chia-aig waterfalls near Loch Arkaig, probably the best place to do this walk from (I'd chosen Invergarry as my starting point as it was closer to Inverness). I crossed over Meall Coire nan Saobhaidh and onto Meall na h-Eilde, passing a second guy on the final steepening to the summit. Busy day!
The snow that had been on these hills in the morning had all but melted by this point, the difference being particuarly noticable on BenTee. Views W were inferior, but Ben Nevis looked just as good and the Kilfinnan Munros (Meall na Teanga and Sron a Choire Ghairbhe) looked interesting from this strange angle.
- Loch Garry, Millenium windfarm, Meall Fuar Mhonaidh, Ben Tee
- Meall na h-Eilde and Kilfinnan Munros, with Creag Meagaidh in background
- Sron a Choire Ghairbh and Meall na Teanga
- Grey Corries and Ben Nevis again
- Looking back to Geal Charn, with Sgurr na Ciche prominent in background
- Ben Tee again (with less snow than 2 hours earlier)
Another bite to eat, and I headed down the N ridge. Nice walking high up, degenerating into bog lower down. Picked up the path in the corrie which led me back to the route I'd started out on. One thing I'd spotted on the ridge down (and in a couple of other places on the N side of the hill) was a post full of nails at various heights. Anyone know what these were?
- Funny post
- Funny Funghi
Passed a few more people on the track backto Mandally. Busiest Scottish hills I've been on in ages!