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One of my favourite hills was looking superb in the early morning May sunshine, as I walked up Coire Ardair.
IMG_4679 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
But it was also an astonishing surprise to see the regeneration of native woodland since my last visit.
IMG_4682 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I could hardly believe that the forests of birch, rowan and alder have grown so much since my last walk here in around 2006. Well done to the managers of the National Nature Reserve who have ensured this wonderful regeneration. It gave me a glimpse of how much of Scotland used to look - and, hope for the future!
The forest floor was starred with wood anemones, primroses and violets.
IMG_4855 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I wandered slowly along, and the crags began to loom bigger above the Allt Coire Ardair.
IMG_4702 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Puist Coire Ardair.
IMG_4690 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Allt Coire Ardair.
IMG_4696 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The corrie ahead.
IMG_4698 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Big crag, small stream.
IMG_4713 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The outflow from the lochan.
IMG_4733 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Water sparking on the rocks.
IMG_4735 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Wider view of the corrie.
IMG_4716 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I sat on the shore of the lochan for about an hour. It was a wondrous place, and I had seen no-one. Just like Camusdarach the previous day, it felt like a private heaven.
IMG_4728 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Finally I started walking, and immediately had a different perspective on the corrie.
IMG_4742 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Close-up crags.
IMG_4747 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Alpine scenery, on a near-Alpine scale.
IMG_4752 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Last time I did this walk to the Window, I was wading through thigh-deep snow and watching anxiously above for signs of avalanche at this notorious spot. This time I was surprised how easy the ascent was. Soon the Window looked quite close.
IMG_4763 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The distant figures in this view were the only two people I saw during the whole walk.
IMG_4767 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Mad Meg's Cairn, the summit, and Lochan Uaine.
IMG_4777 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A higher view, with the Loch Lochy hills in the distance.
IMG_4779 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Close-up.
IMG_4781 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Mad Meg's Cairn. To me it looked much older, but the story told about this cairn is that it marks the grave of an 18th century suicide. Her family were not allowed to buy her in the kirk's consecreated ground. A sad and comfortless story, except that her family must have cared deeply to bring her body up this remote spot.
IMG_4795 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Looking back to the Cairn from near the true summit.
IMG_4801 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
South from the summit. Schiehallion can be seen faintly on the left, Ben Alder and Geal Charn above Ben a'Chlachair in the middle, and Aonach Beag and Beinn Eibhinn on the right.
IMG_4807 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
South-west from the summit- an array of hills from Stob a' Choire Mheadhoin to Ben Nevis.
IMG_4806 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I went back to the Window and started the short easy climb of Stob Poite Coire Ardair, with a great view down into Coire Ardair.
IMG_4809 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Looking back towards the Window.
IMG_4822 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Close up of the northern Coire Ardair crags.
IMG_4825 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Another angle on the corrie.
IMG_4821 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The ridge to Sron Coire a'Chriochairean, my final objective for the day.
IMG_4836 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A bit closer.
IMG_4837 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The cairn on Sron Coire a'Chriochairean - another fine viewpoint where I whiled away a half-hour contemplating the scene.
IMG_4838 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A contrasting view from the cairn - the bleak wilderness of the Monadh Liath.
IMG_4840 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I descended into beautiful Coire a'Chriochairean.
IMG_4848 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Afternoon light on Puist Coire Ardair.
IMG_4849 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A last look back at Coire Ardair.
IMG_4850 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The view down the path from the same point, with Loch Laggan, Geal Charn and Creag Pitridh.
IMG_4852 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Late afternoon light on the lowland meadows at Aberarder.
IMG_4867 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Yet another walk I will repeat again soon - partly for the fine upland scenery, and partly for the lush forests which are being allowed to reclaim this wonderful place.
