Meall Chuaich

[seamus0]

The last of my munros on this trip, Meall Chuaich. With the weather looking to turn nasty in the afternoon, I was after an easy 1/2 day and this fitted the bill. Easy enough walk, parked at 654868 layby 94 on right heading north, just after dalwhinnie turnoff. A gate with a moorlands sign is the entrance to the track.

Gate at start

A track goes left, or straight on. Take the track straight on which passes a shack and comes to the aquaduct waterway in front of you.

Aquaduct waters

Turn left and follow the track which follows the waterway on the left. The track passes a couple of bridges, but keep left and eventually the main track crosses and passes the electricity power station on left.

Last bridge going over the aquaduct

Power station

Pipeline on right, but keep straight

Ignore other tracks and continue following the main track straight past some pipelines on right and crossing a bridge. Continue heading towards the main hill in the front which is Meall Chuaich. The track continues and eventually veers right, passing a private bothy on right (locked).

Private Bothy

Looks rather nice!

Cross over the bridge and continue on.

Bridge from bothy

You will see the reservoir in front of you on left. dont take the track leading to it but continue along track to hill.

Head towards munro

Track leading up munro from main track

Good enough track

Eventually you will see an obvious track marked by some stoned on your left which leads steeply up the shoulder of Meall Chuaich. Follow this track. It climbs steeply at first, but then levels off a bit at Stac Meall Chuaich. The track then climbs to the right and becomes more noticably stoney. The track crosses more stones and again levels off near the top.

Views going up

Another view

The cairn, constructed of lots of stones, is big.

Large cairn at top

At the top the weather started to close in, so couldnt hang around too much. Met a guy called Jamie, we had a chat all the way down to the bottom again.. Hello there!! thanks for the company!..... So in total, 1hr from car park to base of track to climb. 1.5hrs to get to top from there, and then a quick walk down again, so not such a hard hill....glad to get it done before the weather turned!!

Weather coming in...

The next day was snow blizzards in Dalwhinnie and high winds, so stayed off the hill. The day after that more snow, and high winds and at that I called it a day and made my way down south again. Still, the trip was good fun and the weather was mosly kind to me....4 munros, a bothy and a wild camp..thats my winter hills fun until next season!

[Malmilne]

Really enjoyed reading your reports on the Drumochter Munros. I walked Meall Chuaich last weekend and plan on going back this weekend.