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I wasn't optimistic by the time I was a few miles south of Inverness, the A9 was in fog all the way from Slochd to the Drumochter Pass. I'd set off with the intention of doing a corbett near Tummel Bridge on my way to Edinburgh, but by Aviemore, vowed just to do the first hill I saw that wasn't in cloud just so I'd do something, somewhere. I was surprised to see a couple of cars in each of the lay-bys around Dalwhinnie and Drumochter for doing each of the hills or groups of hills - hardy souls I thought, won't be getting any views today.
Couldn't believe it when I drove through the Pass and suddenly the Sow of Atholl appeared on my right, beautifully clear.
So I had a few seconds to suddenly decide to pull over there at Dalnaspidal; I've done the Sow before, but not Meall na Leitreach, the neighbouring corbett, so decided I'd do that. Enjoyed it, a nice easy one for winter, good to do when passing it rather than making a special trip for a 2.5hr walk. Looks like it would be a boggy one in warmer conditions than these, but today the bottom half of the track was frozen and the top half was frozen and covered in snow, so ideal conditions for this straightforward, short walk.
![Sow of Atholl on left, A9 N of Pass in fog.JPG]()
- On the ascent, looking back down to the A9 heading north into the low cloud. Sow of Atholl on the left.
Looking down from the hill, I could see it was just the A9 which was in thick fog, the hills were all clear - Anyone driving up from the south of the Pass would see that, but anyone driving down from the north would probably have turned round and gone home, not realising it was a lovely cloud inversion rather than miserable fog!
![Leaving the track and heading to the summit cairn.JPG]()
- Leaving the track and heading to the summit cairn
![Meall na Leitreach summit looking S to Schiehallion.JPG]()
- Meall na Leitreach summit, looking S (Schiehallion in the distance)
![Schiehallion zoomed from Meall na Leitreach summit.JPG]()
- Schiehallion zoomed
No-one else on this hill today, and saw some hoof prints but no foot prints. Not a lot to say about the actual route - just followed the track (or my best guess of it when sections were obscured by snow), then veered off to the cairn at the high point of the track. Returned the same way, then jumped back in the car to continue my journey south. Beats stopping at a service station!
