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Not many rave reviews for these two although A'Bhuidheanach Bheag has the distinction of being munro number 1 in alphabetical order and last in order of popularity in the WH list.
Started at the most depressing spot to start a walk in Scotland. A lay by with a wheelie bin in the fume filled trench of Drumochter - all tarmac, traffic noise, pylons, plantations road signs and construction sites. Still, I must have driven past here a thousand times so it must be time to investigate what is up there. The quarry road doesn't bode well either.
It does however provide a quick route up and from 2000 ft you lose the road noise and are in a silent world of heather, sky, hares and grouse.
The quarries (not clear what was worth quarrying and bringing down from up here) are far from the cliff edges shown on the map - more a few patches of gravel.
The landrover track continues almost to the summit of Carn na Caim - probably the only munro that you could get up and down on a mountain bike without getting off.
- The track to Carn na Caim
Drumochter was swallowed up in the landscape and a view across to Loch Ericht opened up.
- Loch Ericht
The top of Carn na Caim is a pleasant green meadow on a sunny day. It also reveals a view north to Meall Cuaich and Strathspey. It's not clear where the stones for the cairn came from.
- Carn na Caim summit
Wide views and big skies.
- Big sky and Ben Alder
- Shower approaching
Headed back to the quarry and down another landrover track past a curious white cairn made of quartz.
- White cairn
A dip into a valley and a plod up a gentle grass slope and across a bog to reach the top of a Bhuidheanach Bheag which must be one of the least inspiring tops in Scotland. Someone had tried to liven it up by putting a boulder on top of the trig. presumably with the intention of creating an inverted exclamation mark.
- A Bhuidheanach Bheag
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I'd had enough of landrover tracks by then so I headed off to the east over Meall a Chaoruinn. An unexpected view of Loch Errochty glinting in the sun appeared.
- Loch Errochty
Followed the long ridge down to Balsporran Cottages and the worst cycle track in the world back to the car