Hill no. 123 - Graham no. 23

Two ways up Meall nan Eagan near Dalwhinnie with Kids (9, 12 y.)

Stats:
Total distance - 9.6 km
Total time - 5h30m
Walking time - 2h52m
Altitude gain - 273 m
Terrain:
4.0 km - good track
2.5 km - an animal path
3.1 km - pathless, mix of tussocky grass and heather, several boggy places; shorter heather higher

There are two good ways to get closer to the graham Meall nan Eagan. Lower track in the glen and an upper path above the glen. We walked on both. But the ascent of the graham itself is pathless and steep.
And again we saw the adder, yup!




Parking on A889 at the entrance to the quarry. There is space for 3-4 cars:


Start of the track to Allt An't Sluic Lodge at A889, opposite the entrance to the quarry:


The track to The Fara on the left, we continued to the Lodge:


We walked around the lodge:


Track behind the lodge:


About 500 m behind the lodge there is a fork. The left track leads through the glen, crossing the burn several times. The path on the right leads parallel to the track, roughly 30 m higher above the glen and goes closer to the hill. We used the upper path for the return route:


The first ford:


It was possible to cross the ford, but we stayed on the north side of the burn there was a good path:


The second ford, we continued on the track to the third ford. Meall nan Eagan in the back:


The third ford:


We could also cross the ford, but we stayed on the original side of the burn again. There was a path, but this time was a bit boggy in some places, nothing wrong :


Remains of a playground? :


At this place on the other side of the burn, the track turns left and the ATV track goes from the sign across the burn and continues for about 300 m:



Approximately 300 m behind the ford we left the ATV track and followed a (sheep?) path towards the hill:



The path disappeared and appeared several times and after a few hundred meters we walked pathless towards a shallow gully, through the rough soggy ground covered with tussocks and short heather :


We reached the old fence posts on the ridge and followed them (more or less ) to the summit. There was the steepest section of our walk:


Looking back - Graham Creag Dhubh (Newtonmore) behind a loch:


Closer to the summit, we spotted an adder:

Summit area is definitely an area of adders , because an adder is already mentioned in Graeme D's report from 20.8.2011. Or maybe it was the same adder Graeme D saw .
Anyway, we have been lucky with snakes in recent days. Five days ago we saw an adder at Kerloch.

Conni on the top. Looking NE:
1 - Graham Creag Dhubh (Newtonmore)
2 - Sub2000 Crùban Beag


Conni on the top - looking east:
1 - Munro Meall Chuaich
2 - Graham Creag Ruadh (Dalwhinnie)


Conni on the top. Looking SSE - Corbett The Fara:


Looking SSW - Dirc Mhòr (zoomed):



We returned another way. We walked almost straight down the hill and crossed the soggy section by the hill to find the upper path to the lodge.


The path is quite good. It is faint and indistinct in some places, with a few boggy section, but easily walkable.

Looking back - Meall nan Eagan on the right:


The path (between the red lines) and the glen with the track:


Back at the lodge:


I think both routes are good. Maybe it is easier to walk the upper path first. It is not so easy to find the path by the hill