Meall Chuaich, Drumochter (not Braeriach!)

[HighlandSC]

Todays original plan was to meet Stretch at the Sugar Bowl car park at the Cairngorms where I'd join him up to Braeriach before I returned myself. He would go on to do a loop taking in the rest of the Munros on the plateau before overnighting at Corrour. Upon meeting him he'd pretty much already aborted the camping idea- it was windy, the sky was grim and it didn't look appealing to camp anywhere! We decided we'd both just do Braeriach then- started on the path, crossed the bridge and walked 5 mins. It started raining and looked horrible on the tops. Rainbow looked nice though!:


Plan B then.

We bailed out- back to our cars and went south down the A9 for a quick jaunt up a Drumochter lump- Meall Chuaich.
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Date - Sat 23/04/2011
Hill - Meall Chuaich, Drumochter
Route - Standard there and back route from A9 layby
Weather - Cloudy tops, strong breeze. Avoided most rain
People - Me / Stretch
Time - 4h
Distance - 14km
Ascent - 635m
Max Altitude - 951m

Meall Chuaich 23-04-2011 (Route file) 14km.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Parked at layby 94 and started off up the good track.

Past Cuaich hydro-electric power station




Grouse


Private locked bothy


Continuing up the track, eventually a path strikes off left up the broad SW shoulder of Meall Chuaich


Looking back to where we came from. Loch Cuaich on the right


It was a fairly easy ascent. Good terrain and a clear path most of the way up this featurless lump. I joked that I hope there's a massive cairn to shelter behind up here......

And there it was, looming out of the mist...


We met a couple already at the summit. 1 other appeared soon after. And we passed a few other small groups coming up as we were going down. Seems a lot of people were heading up this lump today.

Whatever views there are that redeem this hill were not to be found today. Despite my optimism that the cloud would lift any minute now, it never did


As we descend we meet a lone soul appearing out of the mist


The sky remained threatening, but we made it back to the car before the rain really came on.


Zooming over to the Ben Alder area


Arriving back to car



A good half day out in great company, and a wise choice to change plan at last min.

[LeithySuburbs]

Any day out is better than nothing and this is a good wee hill.

[monty]

The best laid plans scuppered by the weather. At least you got a hill walk on the day. Its a good ascent once you ar on the hill proper.

[ChrisW]

Nice one highlandSC, like the rainbow and love the shot of the guy looming in from the mist on the descent

[mountainstar]

The good forecast that was promised up north went a bit t*ts up, but at least you had a bit of hill action.
I've just got back from Snowdonia after a wildcamp last night, again we walked in under low cloud, but 1 hour later it completely cleared, to leave a lovely sunset and a star filled night. And today it was glorious sunshine again, with the haze of recent days clearing.

[Stretch]

Mountainstar's rubbing it in because he didn't get any of my venison steaks - courtesy of Weemistermac for my bday

No way I was heading up that high in that mess - we made the right call and can enjoy Braeriach on a fine day now. Good pics Scott, not posting the one of you on the cairn?

[mountainstar]

Mountainstar's rubbing it in because he didn't get any of my venison steaks - courtesy of Weemistermac for my bday

Absolutely you had me drooling, and now to rub it in even more, you've gone and put a picture of it on facebook

[niblue]

I'm one of the couple you met on the top (we were the ones that used mountain bikes to the bothy) - nice to meet you!

Definitely not the nicest of days but at least it didn't rain. Last time I climbed the hill the views were very good, especially towards Ben Alder - shame we didn't get the same on Saturday.

[Stretch]

Nice to meet you both as well. I almost feel bad for the dozen or so people who were going up as we descended, it started raining as soon as we got to the cars.

[HighlandSC]

No way I was heading up that high in that mess - we made the right call and can enjoy Braeriach on a fine day now. Good pics Scott, not posting the one of you on the cairn?

Ha ha...maybe I'll post my cairn surfing pic when I'm home.

I'm one of the couple you met on the top (we were the ones that used mountain bikes to the bothy) - nice to meet you!

Definitely not the nicest of days but at least it didn't rain. Last time I climbed the hill the views were very good, especially towards Ben Alder - shame we didn't get the same on Saturday.

Hi niblue, yes it was good to meet you up there! We all done well to avoid the rain I think. Maybe I'll revisit this hill in winter for some good views.