The many tops of Lochnagar

Summer holidays over - but a work commitment in Aberdeenshire, and a free day before it - and the weather was looking good.  Time to collect the scattered tops of Lochnagar.

I'd been there before - a quick up and down of Lochnagar back in 1980 with Anne, Mary and Conan - see earlier blog entry.  Then, my half-way Munro in 2002 was Broad Cairn, just across the Dubh Loch, another rich seam of top-collecting.

So, on 31st August 2004, I left Selkirk early, and reached the Glen Muick car park at 11am.  All looked good, with blue skies but a cool breeze from the NW.  Made rapid progress up the Land Rover track and up on to the first top of the day, Meikle Pap.  


Enjoyed the superb view across the coire to the cliffs below the summit, Cac Carn Beag (right).


Back down from Meikle Pap, and then up on to the plateau.  A short detour to the left to visit the summit of Cuidhe Crom.

(left) plateau and summit from Cuidhe Crom


Retraced steps to rejoin the path / motorway across the plateau, then up to Cac Carn Mor.


Peered down abysmal drops, then a short rocky scramble to the summit, Cac Carn Beag (14.10).  The views all round were extremely clear.


(below) Meikle Pap and Cuidhe Crom from the summit

From the summit, a pleasant amble across to The Stuic, then to Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach, (formerly known as The White Mounth) the 2nd Munro of the day.  It was quite windy, and I had to lie low behind some rocks to get shelter for a cuppa.  Seems hard to justify this as a separate Munro in my opinion, as the rise to its top is only 40m, except that the whole massif is possibly too big to be counted as a single Munro.

Anyway, I continued on my way, dropping slightly down now into Coire Boidheach.  Suddenly it felt warm, so it was 'change into shorts' time!  A short rise to the next top, Top of Eagle Crag.  A large herd of deer ran across just below the summit, and I descended slightly to get a better view.  Also, a great view across to Cairn Bannock and Broad Cairn across the Dubh Loch.  The photo here shows the view. 

An American artist, James Swanson, had read on my website about my trip over Broad Cairn, and was interested in the name Dubh Loch, and asked if he could turn my picture into a painting - here is the resulting painting!  You can read about the making of the painting on James' blog "painting from afar"

So, onwards towards the last two tops of the day:  firstly to Creag a' Ghlas Allt, nothing more than a gentle swelling on the plateau, then down to cross the Glas Allt and main path before contouring round the south side of Cuidhe Crom.  This was hard going, and not recommended.  it would have been easier and quicker to go back over the top of Cuidhe Crom - I'll know better next time!  Finally reached Little Pap at 17.00, and rested a while, admiring the view over Loch Muick, before descending back to the main path over heathery slopes, and back to the car park at 18.50.

A good day - 2 Munros, 6 other tops, 25km round trip in 8 hours.

Summer 2004 - the (not quite so) far north (part 4)

Having completed all our targets in the "far north", we decided to strike camp at Durness, and move down to Ardmair Point (just north of Ullapool - right), another favourite campsite.


So, what to climb next?  Seana Bhraigh was the next most northerly Munro still to be experienced.   Reknowned for its remoteness (whether approached from north or west), we were glad to be able to use our bikes to cut down some of the distance.  But first, we had to wait for a decent day ...


Seana Bhraigh 12th July 2004

The first good day was July 12th, so we drove down to Inverlael (see Farm or Forestry - 1979).  We were able to cycle about 3km up through the forest to Glensguaib, then set off on foot up the good but boggy stalkers' path on to Druim na Saobhaidhe.  Our target still lay 10km away, so we were disappointed to have to make a detour over heathery moor as the Allt Gleann a'Mhadaidh was in spate and not fordable where the main path crossed.


(view back down to Inverlael)




Followed the path on into Coire an Lochan Sgeirich, with its succession of tiny lochans, and its stone table, under the craggy face of Eididh nan Clach Geala.  Beyond the last lochan, the path climbed onto the watershed plateau, then dropped down through a confusing hummocky landscape to the bealach at the top of the Cadha Dearg.  From there, a steep climb up grassy slopes, past the top of a wind-blown waterfall, and suddenly the summit of Seana Bhraigh appeared ahead. Craggy drops into its NE coire contrasted with the grassy SW slopes we had ascended.

The day was wearing on, so, after admiring the view across to the lower (but higher-looking) top, Creag an Duine (right), we returned by the same route.  The cloud, which had never been far above our heads, dropped on to the summits behind us as we descended.


We were very glad to see the bikes at the end of the day!  22km walk, 6 km cycle, 1050m climb, 9hrs 15mins in total.  Munro 169 was hard won, but immensely satisfying.


Western Fannaichs - 15th July

After a 2 day interlude cycling in Lewis, I had a solo day on the two western Fannaichs from Loch A'Bhraoin:  Sgurr Breac and A'Chailleach, on a cloudy but warm day.  Had another go with the new boots, but I think they will have to go!


view of A'Chailleach and Tom a'Choinnich from Sgurr Breac - Slioch in the distance.








Maol Chean-Dearg - 16th July


Next day, we were on the move again, and swithered over whether or not to have a go at Maol Chean-Dearg (bald red head) en route from the Findlay's cottage at Diabaig to the campsite at Applecross.   Cloud was low, and showers all around as we drove south.  However, by luchtime, the day seemed to be clearing up, so we set off from Coulags up an excellent stalkers' path, passing the Clach nan Con Fionn standing stone, before striking up the hillside to the bealach between Maol Chean-Dearg and An Ruadh-Stac (below).                  (above: on the approach to Maol Chean Dearg)

As we headed up the scree path toward the summit, we could see the wall of cloud and rain approaching from the west.  It struck us mercilessly at 750m, but we pressed on up wet boulders.  Reaching the top, we "cooried doon" thankfully behind some rocks for a quick bite to eat...  then the cloud cleared and we realised that there was another 100m of mountain still above us - we were just on a minor top.  A further 20 minutes of struggle and we were at the real top - with its magnificent cairn -  but no view!


Coming down on wet boulders, with wet glasses, in a howling wind, on a compass bearing, was no fun at all!  Fortunately, the rain and wind stopped as suddenly as it had begun when we were back at the bealach, but it was still difficult to distinguish the path from the Allt Mnatha Luadhadair burn on the descent back to the glen.  

We were so wet, we decided to find a B&B, but there was none to be had - as tomorrow was the Lochcarron Highland Games!  


Instead, we ended up camping at the (rudimentary) camp site at Shieldaig.   


A lovely sunny evening ensued.