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Date: Monday 19 September 2011
Distance: 26km (bike – walk – bike)
Ascent: 1,350m approx
Time: 7.3hrs
Attendees: me
Stayed overnight after yesterday’s Creag Meagaidh walk so was off early. Weather looking better than the previous day (but this wasn’t to last
). My current walking boots were wearing down a fair bit and I’d bought a new replacement pair – today’s shorter route seemed like a good first outing for them.
Took the standard route for these three hills starting at the car park layby at NN433831 and crossing the river near Luiblea.
The loch was very calm with almost no wind at this time. Early photos are a bit grainy due to the low level of early morning light necessitating using a higher film speed setting. Cycled the first part up to around Lochan Na H-Earba.
Initially followed the track and then took a detour down towards loch Laggan to get a better view of Creag Meagaidh but in the end probably not really worth the extra 1km.
Cycled on up past the next lochan with the sun starting to appear over the hilltops.
It wasn’t long before I reached Lochan Na H-Earba. Still little wind but the sun was now higher up.
Locked up the bike and started off up the track which goes eventually to Loch Pattack. I followed the Allt Coire Pitridh up to 479802 and then broke off more or less due South.
Beinn a’Chlachair clearly in the distance.
No track to follow (at least I couldn’t find one) but the mix of heather and moorland made for straightforward, if a bit boggy, walking conditions.
Headed up the shoulder and round the top of the corrie and then got a view of the route to the summit.
View looking back northwards.
Straightforward walk from there. Light rain on and off but not too bad in between showers. It was rocky under foot for the last part of the way – tended to be a bit slippery as they were wet.
Occasional views over to the Aonach Beag group.
And to the North West
Got to the summit with weather a bit improved.
Now had a good view of the route to Geal Charn
With some interesting light through the clouds over towards Ben Alder
Headed initially back the way I’d come before going more NE and over the 972m point at 486790.
Closer view of Geal Charn
The clag then rolled in and the rain started again. The rest of the way to the summit was shrouded in mist and couldn’t see anything.
Got to the summit cairn of Gael Charn
With no views whatsoever
Waited a bit to see if it would clear but no such luck. Headed off towards Creag Pitridh but took a bit of a detour to try to avoid the wet, slippery rocks on the way up. Managed to cover much of the way on grassy, moorland but this added a bit of time so probably not really worth it in the end.
Further down the mist cleared and I could see Creag Pitridh.
My legs were certainly feeling the effect of almost no exercise for the last four weeks and yesterday’s Creag Meagaidh trip – reckoned I was taking a bit longer than planned. On the plus side, I’d only had some light rain spells with no deluges....yet.
Straightforward walk from here to the summit.
View down Lochan Na H-Earba and the north end of Loch Laggan.
Then headed SW down from Creag Pitridh staying to the east of the crags. Rejoined the track at 472805 and walked back down to get my bike. The rain then came on very heavily and I was thoroughly soaked by the time I got back to the car – didn’t matter by this time and at least it had stayed largely dry for most of the walk.