Progress with the Munros

Having failed to do any Munros in 2014, I was keen to get the ball rolling again and get some winter walking in before spring had sprung. I also wanted to try out our mini camper van, a converted Citroen Berlingo. 

On Saturday I drove to Glen Feshie, which is directly South of Aviemore and spent the night in the van in the parking area at the end of the road. Bearing in mind the fact that many rivers were in spate, I thought it would be best to cross the Feshie, walk down to Carnachuin and cross back thus avoiding crossing the Allt Garbhlach. Unfortunately the second bridge had been washed away so I had to retrace my steps back to the first bridge. This added about 6 km (90 minutes) to the walk.

In the end I did manage to cross the Allt Garbhlach using a fallen Scots Pine.

Natural Bridge

The way up Mullach Clach a Bhlair (1019m) is on a wide track nearly to the summit but at the top there were White Out conditions. At one point I was walking in what seemed to be complete space with no reference points just keeping the compass needle between the two fluorescent strips on the compass.

I returned the same way and drove to the parking space at the end of the C Road, North West of Newtonmore. The forecast for the following day was for gales later, so I decided to start off early.

Sunday turned out to be quite an adventure and I was on my way by 6.30 am. There was a beautiful Sunrise.

Sunrise over Newtonmore

Sunrise over Newtonmore

I walked to Glenballoch then headed NW alongside the Allt Fionndrigh. (Allt means 'river' in Gaelic, known more colloquially as a 'burn'). After about 3 km there is a bridge across the river.

Bridge over the Allt Fionndrigh

I then crossed over the bealach (col) to Glen Ballach and followed that to it's head, turning SW to follow a ramp of hard snow and ice to the bealach below Carn Dearg (945m). By now I had my crampons on and my ice axe in my hand. As there was a strong wind with snow and ice crystals I also had my balaclava and snow goggles on.

Summit of Carn Dearg

Flushed with success, I decided to work my round to Carn Sgulain. This is about 8 km across featureless terrain but there is a line of fence posts so navigation should be fairly straightforward, I thought. As I went up and down over Carn Ban, Carn Balloch and Meall a' Bhothain I was finding the constantly strong side wind very tiring. Following the fence posts is fine until they disappear below deep snow. At these times I was back in White Out world.

It was hard snow so I put the ice axe away but kept the crampons on. By the time I reached Carn Sgulain (920m) I was exhausted. A' Chailleach would have to wait for tomorrow. I descended to the Allt Cuil na Caillich and over the shoulder of A' Chailleach to follow the Allt a' Chaorainn. The shoulder was very hard packed snow and even in my crampons I had to perform a small ice axe self arrest at one point.

I got back to the van at 5.30. A bit of an epic. It was a very windy night with the van being buffeted by gusts of wind and rocking me in my sleeping bag.

The next day I was away at 8 am and trudged back up alongside the Allt a' Chaorainn to a point East of A' Chailleach (The Old Lady). At this point the burn was narrow enough to cross. Getting from there to the summit of A' Chailleach (930m) involved crossing some more hard packed snow fields so the ice axe and crampons were deployed again.

It was snowing when I set out and on top it was cold and windy but the sun came out later and the combination of the sun and snow was lovely and made for some nice photos.

A' Chailleach on the left

Summit of A' Chailleach

Looking back at the summit of A' Chailleach

The cornice over the cliffs to the East of A' Chailleach

Allt a' Chaorainn

I got back to the van at about 3 pm and drove to the car park below Creag Meagaidh at Aberarder by Loch Laggan. There was a Plas y Brenin Minibus there all night so there may have been a group in snow holes somewhere.

I started walking at 7am as, once again, bad weather was forecast for the afternoon. It was quite windy but sunny on the way up with another lovely sunrise and good views of Creag Meagaidh and the distinctive bealach known as 'The Window'.

Sun Rise over Loch Laggan

Creag Meagaidh and The Window

I climbed directly to the top of Carn Liath (1006m). There were some more snow fields but not steep or hard enough to require crampons. At the top it was gale force. I can't remember ever experiencing such a strong wind. I hid behind the summit cairn to put my waterproof jacket on and get my walking pole out. I really thought I was going to have to crawl off the top at one point but just managed to walk off using the pole as a third leg. You can't see the wind in a photo so you'll have to use your imagination.

Creag Meagaidh from the summit of Carn Liath

I was back in the car park by 11 am and with the bad weather coming in I decided it was time to go home. Five more Munros bagged, 55 to go. The van is great but even for one person there isn't much space. Experiencing Scottish Mountains in all these different weathers is amazing but now creature comforts beckon.