The Drumochter Hills – David’s Last Munro!

The secret to selecting your last Munro (assuming you want to share the event with family and friends) is to go for a relative easy and accessible hill that won’t deter too many folks.

After sharing the Knoydart and Glen Coe peaks with David in the past year, I’ve been fortunate enough to return to the hills again with him to celebrate the ‘compleation’ of his first (and last, he insists) Munro round.  Sensibly, he’d chosen the 2 east Drumochter Munros: A’Bhuidheanach Bheag and Carn na Caim.  In return for choosing 2 sensible final hills, a party of almost 20 set out from just south of Dalwhinnie and 11 of us made it up to both summits.  Wee Towser came along again, eager to add to his Munro tally!

On The Way Up!

The track to the old marble quarry was mercifully cooler than my last visit in late May and we soon reached the grassy plateau – and the cloud that remained with us for the next 2 hours.  Whilst we were to be denied any long distance views for a while, closer to home the plateau was alive with ptarmigan, golden plover and dunlin as well as quite a number of mountain hares.

Golden Plover (Best I Could Do)!

These hills may be relatively modest in height and blessed with a high start, but they can be bleedin’ difficult to find in mist.  Today was no exception and I have to admit to a slight 10-minute meander en-route to the summit trig point of David’s penultimate Munro: A’Bhuidheanach Bheag (936m; little yellow place).  You don’t see the trig point until the last minute in these conditions so it’s always an achievement to find it on this featureless tableland of grass and peat!

A’Bhuidheanach Bheag - One To Go!

After a few minutes admiring the trig point’s fine lines, we returned in a rather more direct(!) way and regained the plateau track past the old quarry and headed north towards our 2^nd peak.  Here, a line of old rusting fence posts help guide you almost the whole way to the summit - which is just as well as the lack of a trig point (there’s only a very modest cairn) would otherwise make this a challenging summit to find in thick cloud.  Carn na Caim (941m; hill of the curve). 

Finally, The Clouds Roll Back!

Today, it was a cool and breezy spot to celebrate a last Munro but we didn’t let that spoil the fun and we toasted the man of the moment in fine style.  As if to join in, the weather suddenly improved markedly and we descended in warm sunshine with splendid views across the A9 towards the Ben Alder group and the Monadhliath hills across the upper Spey valley.

Towser Leads The Gang Down!

That night we celebrated in fine style with a BBQ at Forest Lodge in Glen Tilt (and what a treat it was to be able to drive up it for a change)!  A warm and sunny evening, great company and a Hercules fly-past right over the Lodge all rounded off a great day. 

Man of the Moment!

Thanks everyone!   

Check out my plans for similar walks at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Ben Nevis – Fund Raising & Adventure

Sarah’s charity quest, Fiona’s new-found pursuit of random adventures and an active cold front all conspired to provide an enjoyable, if wet, meander up Ben Nevis last weekend.  Brian came along too to lend Sarah some moral support.  Despite the weather – wet & windy throughout and no views to speak of – we managed the summit in reasonable time and were back in time for tea!

There were fewer charity events evident than during my last visit in June but I distinctly remember doing a double-take on passing Bugs Bunny and Minnie Mouse late in the day!

This was Sarah’s first (and probably last) mountain although further challenges await her this year as she continues  her valiant fund-raising activities.  I think the next item on Fiona’s list was sheep shearing….

Good luck ladies!

Three Men And A Dog – Ben Vorlich & Stuc a’Chroin

Ben Vorlich From Ardvorlich

Dave called: “We’re in Stirling for the week; can you suggest a convenient Munro?”  No problem; how about Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’Chroin?  This pair of fine Munros on the southern fringe of the Highlands form distinctive shapes that are visible from many miles around.  The flat table-top of the Stuc contrasts well with the shapely cone of Vorlich and the combination of the 2 profiles make the hills easily recognisable from much of the southern Highlands and the Central Belt of Scotland.

Glen Vorlich

We set off from Ardvorlich on the southern shore of Loch Earn in stunning summer weather – Dave, Graham and myself.  Wee Towser also came along to see if there was anything to this Munro game!  Everything is looking so great in the Highlands at the moment and we followed the convenient track up Glen Vorlich through green fields, fresh bracken slopes and leafy woodland with the shapely curves of Ben Vorlich invitingly ahead.  A couple of small burn crossings provided added interest, but no difficulty!  A third one, encountered at the boundary of the open hillside, is always worth a short stop to take in the setting.  A bridge removes any potential difficulty with the crossing!  It’s a nice spot.

Ben Vorlich - Summit Ridge

The clear and well-engineered path led us across the open slopes and up the obvious ridge in front until the summit cone appeared immediately above a short flat section.  Ten minutes later and we were on the delightful short summit ridge of Ben Vorlich (985m; hill of the bay).  Towser bagged his first Munro and eagerly shared his achievement with a lady celebrating her birthday with chocolate biscuits by the trig point.   It was photos all round and then a spot of lunch at the cairn at the other end of the summit ridge 100m SE of the trig point.  We surveyed the wide vista from Ben Nevis, the Ben Lawers group, Schiehallion, the Lomond hills of Fife, the distant Pentlands and most of the Central Belt around to the Campsie Fells, Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps.  Yes, it’s quite a view!

 

Stuc a'Chroin From Ben Vorlich

Now it’s perfectly feasible – some would say sensible – to climb Ben Vorlich, enjoy the view, and then descend leisurely back to the car having enjoyed a fine mountain day.  However, the immediate presence of Stuc a’Chroin right next door and just 2km across a grassy 700m bealach from Ben Vorlich, makes the 2^nd Munro just too tempting.

Ben Vorlich 

So down we went, following the clear path past the rusting fence posts to a slightly boggy Bealach an Dubh Choirein (pass of the black corrie).  A couple of ring ouzels enhanced the scene - a rare sight these days!  Once across, the steep rocky northern buttress of Stuc a’Chroin towered above us.  It’s not that intimidating, or high, for that matter and a scratchy path to your right makes for an entertaining scramble once across the boulder field at the foot of the nose.  Towser need lifting up on a couple of occasions but seemed quite unfussed about the whole experience.  Once up the last greasy gully, the skyline is broached and a cairn marks the sudden end of the mountain's flat summit ridge.   Those preferring to avoid the scramble can take a gentler route up a path to the west of the buttress that avoids all the rock.

Stuc a'Chroin - Summit Ridge

You may want to pause at this cairn, but the actual summit of the mountain is marked by another cairn a further short, flat, ½km to the south – Stuc a’Chroin (975m; peak of the sheepfold).  Again, there are great views in all directions and today, there was absolutely no rush to leave!

Stuc a'Chroin

When we did eventually decide to move on, we took the other path, descending to the west of the northern buttress thereby avoiding the potentially hazardous combination of steep cliffs and border terrier!  Towser was most grateful.  I think.  We were soon back down to the bealach and then traversed the wet, grassy and ankle-twisting bogginess of the NW slopes of Ben Vorlich around into Coire Buidhe until we re-joined our upward route and descended easily to Ardvorlich.

The Wee Man!

And that was our day – and very nice it was too! 

Just ask Towser……    

Check out my plans for similar walks at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Assynt & Coigach 2012

Stac Pollaidh

Whilst the rain fell incessantly on most of the UK during the past week (and for countless weeks before that), warm sunshine was the order of the day in the far north-west.  That said, I only have one true hillwalking day to record: the ascent and circumnavigation of that wee jewel of Coigach: Stac Pollaidh.

The Way Up......And Down!

Danielle was new to the Highlands - and to mountains in general - so this seemed to be the ideal place to start.  One of the many joys of this walk is the ever-changing view as you circle the peak.  The path is easy and well-engineered and it only takes about an hour to complete the rising traverse around the eastern end of the hill and gain the skyline.

Ben More Coigach & Loch Lurgainn

Here, the view abruptly changes again and today the complex pattern of the peaks, corries and buttresses of Ben More Coigach could be clearly seen across the shimmering waters of Loch Lurgainn almost 2,000' below us.

The Coigach Peaks From Achnahaird

Having paused to experience the enjoyable view and not-so-enjoyable banal chit-chat of 2 young ladies behind us, we descended on the north side of the peak and regained the circular path which we followed back to the upward route and then down to the car.

Cul Beag & Loch Lurgainn

Further (loud) vocal accompaniment was provided by an American lady member of a guided group in front of us who continued to assail her group, without pause, all the way down!  She was from New Jersey and I know everything about her - as does everybody else who happened upon Stac Pollaidh that day...

Cul Mor

So, no more hills this week, but plenty of opportunities for some great photos of these amazing peaks.  Hope you enjoy them!

View From the Hoose!

Check out my plans for similar walks at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Ben More Coigach