200th Munro stone

[PathfinderPaul]

200 th Munro stone17_04_35.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

The Pony Express (wife) & I wanted to get this route under our belt as we had a third week of our holiday , staying in Plockton. A weather window arrived, though the winds were a bit strong for us "pensioners"! The start was further past the Cluanie Inn than we thought, but eventually got to the car park, only a motor home there.
Once on the hill, we were soon too hot & had to take some layers off. We really liked the road signs" to keep us on track, no need for gps here!!!!]

WP_20170625_09_15_41_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

The visibillity was very good & we had a good view accross to the South Glen Shiel Ridge.

WP_20170625_14_23_42_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr
We soon made progress to the first Munro of the day Carn Ghluasaid, & picked up our first Munro stone. We got passed by a couple of guys, who were the only folk we saw all day. but now the wind got up, it was promised in the forecast, which didn't please the Ponyexpress , who doesn't like the buffetting

WP_20170625_12_21_31_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

we had good views to the next Munro all the way.

WP_20170625_13_01_59_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

Weather began to deteriorate but we got a sign of promise ]

WP_20170625_12_26_13_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

WP_20170625_11_15_00_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

It was a nice steady climb to collect stone number 200

WP_20170625_13_03_15_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

I couldn't resist a look back, even in the wind to see this 200th , make sure I wouldn't miss it on the way back from Sail Chaorainn.

WP_20170625_13_14_14_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

The wind really began to buffet us as we passed the two guys we had seen earlier coming back from bagging the third Munro. Since the ridge narrowed and the wind buffeting us the Ponyexpress had to slow down as she doesn't like "edges"

WP_20170625_14_01_21_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

But we finally made it to the cairn & time to pick up out last stone (number 201) of the day.

WP_20170625_13_14_26_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

Of course now we had to retrace our steps, but we didn't have to reclimb Sgurr nan Conbhairean as the path goes along the flank of the hill. The wind was still strong so we didn't rush where again the ridge dropped away quite sharply.

WP_20170625_14_07_59_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

25 June 1 by Paul Howard, on Flickr

We followed the ridge , following the Walkhighlands route and the weather really improved and wind decreased as we came lower.

WP_20170625_14_28_00_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

However we got a bit carried away and missed where we should have dropped down the side of the ridge and ending up coming across rough ground and came to the burn below where we should have been crossing it, which meant that the Ponyexpress nearly got her feet wet.

WP_20170625_16_03_16_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

From there it was straightforward walk back on the track to the car and on to the Cluanie Inn for the celebratory drink with that 200th Munro stone

WP_20170625_09_37_16_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

WP_20170625_17_29_19_Pro by Paul Howard, on Flickr

Once we got home it was lovingly added to our "cairn" of Munro stones, one collected from each of the 200 Munros we have climbed over 25 years, the piece of wood was carried back about 2 km from the end of a loch in the Western Highlands about 15 years ago.

20240225_113030 by Paul Howard, on Flickr

This cairn at home is a reminder to us of our achievements a bit like the children of Israel in the Old Testament, Joshua chapter 4 " So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel for ever.”
We certainly have needed the Almighty's help on a number of our expeditions over the years!!!!

[Ponyexpress]

It was a great day out apart from the wind
I never thought Pathfinder would get up to his 200th Munro. Well done Pathfinder, sorry I slowed you down!!!

[Coop]

Nice set of Munros to get to 200 on.
Great views from Sail chaorainn. Well done

Are you still counting up or counting down now?

[gaffr]

Not much of a Cairn to show for 200 Munros I think that you should go back and get larger lumps of the Scottish geology.

The Munro Cairn at Mill Cottage with a sundial on top. A memorial to the gentleman who arranged for a major part of the funding for the purchase the cottage. The Cottage is looked after by Mountaineering Scotland as a refuge for mainly hill-folks and walking clubs. I think that most of the small stones from the summits are either embedded in the spaces between the larger local granite stones or are perhaps inside the internal space of the Cairn.

[PathfinderPaul]

Not much of a Cairn to show for 200 Munros I think that you should go back and get larger lumps of the Scottish geology.

DSC00919 (640x480).jpg

Hi Gaffr, I'm sure you are right, we needed some larger rocks, I'll bear that in mind for the remaining 82!!!!!!!! Thanks for the pic of that Munro cairn, hadn't seen it before.

[Sgurr]

There is also one at the layby on Rannoch Moor where there is usually a piper and all the tourists stop. Can't remember which hill we were making for when i took the photo, so can't find it.

Interesting TR

[Coop]

There is also one at the layby on Rannoch Moor where there is usually a piper and all the tourists stop. Can't remember which hill we were making for when i took the photo, so can't find it.

Interesting TR

Is that the one in memory of a certain Mr Munro.
I think the plaque on it says it has a stone from every Munro summit

Just had a look at my pic of it. It also says on the plaque " dedicated to the hundreds of mountaineers who have died on Scottixh hills".