Sunny on Spidean but gloomy on Gleouraich.....

After going almost two weeks without a Munro it was time to head off again, this time to a new part of the country for me, the wild country between Loch Lochy and Kintail. I had been looking at Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach for quite some time, almost doing them last year, but never quite getting round to it. The weather had been very kind for the past two days and I felt quite confident that it would last, the forecast was for sunny spells right up to the weekend after all. When Louise suggested that she would be keen to come out again the decision was made easy...but would require an overnight stay within an easy drive of the start point. I made arrangements to stay at a B&B in Spean Bridge that I have used frequently over the past year, staying with Alan and Isobel at the Mahaar. Louise even offered to drive from Craigellachie, so I treated her to the delights of the hungry haggis for tea in Kingussie on the way out. We managed a pint at the commando hotel in Spean Bridge upon arrival, after Alan had given Louise the guided tour of the facilities (Isobel was out babysitting as usual), and that was an experience not to forget in a hurry!! An early night beckoned and the chance to start a new book (into thin air, about the Everest disaster of 1996) and dream about my own mini adventures on the Munro's.

We started early for breakfast, giving ourselves plenty time to chat to Alan and Isobel about what they have been up to since seeing them last, then also the hour or so it would take us to reach the start point at the foot of Gleouraich. The drive up through Laggan and Invergarry was decent enough, though a tad annoying that the mist was lingering far too long, but once we turned off the main road it was a tedious 23k drive along winding single track road to reach our destination. The feeling of desolation out there was only broken by the amount of fine looking houses along the length of the Loch, including the Loch Quoich hotel.

We arrived at our start point at about ten and were ready to go at quarter past, leaving the car parked up safely at an ample parking area at the foot of the exit path (not mentioned in WH it must be said). 

From this point we returned a short distance back along the road to the start path, then headed onwards and upwards to our first waypoint, the electricity pylons. We followed the faint, then clear, then faint again, stalkers path up the side of the hill as we headed for the Meall a Mheil, crossing the Allt Uaine and then the Allt a Mheil. The going was more damp than boggy, though it had its moments, and I was more concerned that Louise had been walking for the past three days (and camping out on hill tops in the cairngorms) and would be feeling it in her legs today. Not to worry though, she knows how to dig in and grit her teeth to get through it. We decided on a slower pace though, so as not to tire her out too quickly. Even without extensive views on the way up you got a feel for the remote nature of these two Munro's.

We continued to follow the stalkers path through some rough gorse and heather, and the occasional peat bog, though in the main the underfoot conditions today could not have been any better. At around 500m we came to the three forked streams of the Allt coire Dubh, as we headed to the supposedly soggy Coire Mheil. We branched right here and crossed the streams (something you can never do on Ghostbusters!!!) and continued to follow a groove in the grass (rather than a path) uphill for a short distance. Now according to WH we should have continued uphill to the wide featureless slopes and come out at a cairn on the edge of the corrie rim...however...I found a clear path running through the gorse and persuaded Louise to follow that instead. By doing so we found it turned into a clearer rocky path that led us through the Coire Glas slopes and led us directly to the summit cairn (no need for us to double back on ourselves along the edge of the corrie now either).

As we approached the summit path the weather changed for the better and the mist cleared to allow us a glimpse of blue sky. The higher we walked the better it got and by the time we actually arrived at the summit the cairn was mist free and there were decent views opening up of the route ahead. The only down side was the complete lack of a view of the south glen shiel ridge (which is the best part of these two tops apparently). Still, I was used to such disappointments by now. The summit cairn of Spidean Mialach lies at 996m, the lower of the two tops today, but no less dramatic for it. We lingered at the cairn for quite a while, pleased that the wind was not as bad as forecast, and got quite a few decent pics of the ridge heading down to the Dam and back along to Gleouraich.

The drops off into the corrie were quite dramatic, coupled with the snow cornices still hanging to the edges. I threatened to stand out on one of the safe looking ones but Louise wasn't for taking my picture...spoilsport!! Jelly McBaby came out to join us and posed happily on the summit cairn, waiting for the mist to clear and capture a dramatic shot of him with the SGR in the backdrop but to no avail.

The mist kept blowing through and clearing slightly to give us a tantalising glimpse of the top of something in the distance, though not 100% which top (I think it was Aonach Air Chrith) and revealed a cloud inversion at one point between us and the SGR.

With pictures taken and cloud rolling back in again we headed off along the ridge towards the Fiar Bhealaich at 735m. Once at the bealach we would face a 250m ascent back up steep rocky slopes, then a slight drop down again before a final ascent to the summit. We plodded on into the enveloping cloud and mist, snatching glimpses of the dramatically rocky northern corries and Loch Fearna away to the south far below us (which we passed on the way up but never saw hide nor hair of in the mist).

  

The further we traversed the thicker the mist got...obscuring everything on the way up the slopes. We were lucky enough to catch sight of a large bird of prey circling in the thermals above us, swooping far out into the clouds then disappearing from sight. It was nice to be in company yet still able to feel utterly alone and isolated from society. The only sounds were that of water running in the streams far below us and the wind in our ears...though if you listened carefully Louise was convinced that she could hear the hum of the earth...until I poured scorn on that theory by suggesting it was the electricity pylons we passed beneath earlier. Tree hugger material I am not!!!

 Thankfully, although the path was steep and travelled through some fine rocks, it zig zagged up the slopes, meaning we could take frequent camera breaks. Unfortunately the higher we climbed the less views there were, until eventually we could barely see in front of ourselves. What we could see were plenty of snow cornices on the corries on the way to the summit, including one large one directly beneath the summit cairn. After what felt like ages digging in, dragging ourselves up the slopes, we arrived at the obscured summit cairn of Gleouraich 1035m.

 The wind was picking up and standing around wasn't an option, so we ducked down beneath the cairn, on the edge of a cornice, for some much needed shelter. The usual snaps were taken and a quick bite to eat then Jelly McBaby got in on the act...

With two summits safely in the bag it was time to depart and head for the car...following a clear path down through the rocky top...then a stalkers path down and round by the Druim Seilleach...if the weather had been kinder we would have enjoyed extensive views of Loch Quoich below...the SGR ending and the Saddle starting behind us...and Sgurr a Mhaoraich (a future Munro target) to our right...but the weather stayed poor visibility all the way down to almost the glen again...and the wind was extremely biting on the descent (my poor ears were nipping despite wearing a hat). We made it back to the car in a respectable time of 5hrs 15mins...having assessed it at the start as being likely to take 6hrs. Disappointingly once back at the car the weather improved and it looked as though the cloud dissipated totally...certainly on the drive back along the access road the views up top appeared to clear dramatically...fluffing typical!!!!! But we cant complain too much, given that this time last year we were fighting against the snow and gales...oh well I can but continue to dream about beautiful views from lonely summit cairns on clear days with blue skies and Jelly McBaby complaining about melting in the heat...

  

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I never knew you could get a full size Jelly McBaby suit to wear up the hills...

Having just returned from my last adventure, on Thursday, with the lovely Louise it was back down to earth with a gnarly thud...gnarly being the condition of my two comrades on this latest adventure. To say that mother nature has been less than kind to them in the intervening period since our last encounters would be an understatement!! Only joking boys...it was great to catch up with you both again. I have not seen Michael since he moved to Inverness a couple of years ago, and I only caught up with Chris on Monday past when he came to work in Aberdeen (having not seen him for over five months). This was to be Chris's first Munro outing with me since we did Aonach's Mor and Beag last year, I think?? What I know with certainty is that this was Michael's first ever Munro trip with me...and hopefully not his last (well he did bring the sun with him). As we were coming from Aberdeen/Rosehearty/Inverness we decided upon a Munro that would be within equal (ish) commuting distance for us all. Geal Charn fitted the bill perfectly, as none of us had done it before and the route was easy enough for a novice...and Baino!!

Arrangements were made on Friday night, meeting times and places agreed, rucksacks packed...then off to bed to sleep off the fine free tea I won as a result of Shalina winning masterchef (always next series Simpson!!)

An early start beckoned on Saturday morning and I got a pleasant surprise as the sun was shining and the early morning skies were a bright blue. I met up with Baino (Chris) in Aberlour as agreed, though slightly earlier as the roads had been quieter than I had expected (no tractors slowing me down for a change). Then onwards to Newtonmore to pick up Michael at the Glen hotel car park. Unfortunately we had a slight wait as Michael had to re park his car out on the street, apparently non residents are glowered at from windows if they attempt to leave their cars in the hotel car park (even though it was as empty as it was possible to be!!). Next stop Garva bridge...

 Imagine my surprise when Baino donned an orange jacket at the car...his very own homage to the mountain ninja that is Jelly McBaby!!

Michael (we are still to decide on his Munro nickname) and Baino looking resplendent in their new walking gear before we set off to Geal Charn, are happy to pose for some pre walk pics...and then some pre ascent pics later on...followed by some summit pics...hell they just like to pose!! And so off we set on the path to what, presently, looked like a snowy topped Munro awaiting us...first we had to cross Garva bridge...across the river Spey.

 Behind us were some rugged looking tops, with no small smattering of snow left on them, which I believe to be the rear face of the Creag Meagaidh range...when we crossed the bridge the road splits left and right...right takes you out to Geal Charn and left takes you out (eventually) to the Corrieyairack pass...which is a high mountain pass through some rugged wild countryside to Glen Tarff. Not so much snow out that way but wild looking none the less. We headed off on the right path and crossed Feith Talagain at a newly constructed metal bridge (built directly on top of the original wooden one) there for whatever work is presently ongoing in that area. We followed the river and soaked in the open expanses of countryside before us as the Munro was clear to see even from back here.

The path up was very boggy in places lower down, getting quite indistinct, so we headed up through the heather instead...following the river as it cut round to the right...then finding the path had improved so rejoining it. Further along the path we came across the torn open carcass of a not long dead sheep, right in the middle of the path. Poor Michael worries that there must be big wild cats loose on the hills...a theory which I subscribe to...but I also believe that they are more scared of us than we are of them, hence the lack of sightings!!

Not long after this horrific discovery the path turns right again and follows a tributary stream coming off the mountain...allt coire nan dearag...follow it up its south side until finding a safe place to cross (if in spate) which today could have been anywhere. We found a likely spot and hopped across on the rocks.

Once across to the north side of the stream we headed once more through wet grass and found a higher line away from the worst of the bogginess as we continued up the slopes. As we climbed higher it became clear that the dusting of snow had almost entirely melted already in the morning sun. We met a few groups of walkers coming down from the summit, in varying degrees of weatherbeateness...Baino was pleased to spot that one of them was wearing the same hardshell that he chooses...one born every minute!!

 Keep on up the shoulder of the slopes now until you reach the broad, open, plateau...the cairn is huge and sits at 926m...Jelly McBaby came out to claim his prize...and also to check out the adult size impostor standing at the cairn!!!

Michael was more interested in tanning his summit bagel than anything else!! The bad news had been delivered already that there would be none of Meghan's rock cakes today...but arriving at the summit brought the anguish flooding back. The cairn provided enough shelter to allow us to linger longer than I normally would when alone...an opportunity to take in the views and try to work out which ranges we could see from our perch high on the Monadhliath...I reckon we could see into Kintail to the NW and Glen Affric higher up to the NNW. The remaining Monadhliath tops were to the NE of us and the main Cairngorm range away to our SE.
With all our pics taken, we headed off the summit and back down the slopes, once more to the car.

The journey back down the slopes was full of chatter, mostly inane, amongst old friends getting caught up with putting the world to right once more. Baino took young (okay that's stretching things a tad further than is allowed) Michael under his wing and tried to impart all his nuggets of knowledge pertaining to hill walking (remember this is the guy that once had more books on hills than actual summits bagged!!)...though I had to put a stop to it when he offered to lick a sheep shit and tell Michael how long ago it had been passed!!!

We discussed the next meet up and it looks like two weeks time...Feshiebridge to bag a couple hopefully...and before we knew it we were back at the car park and ready to depart. The heat off the sun was intensified in the confines of the car...we had a lovely drive back to Newtonmore...and it had worked up a thirst in us as we decided to stop at the hotel and have a well deserved pint before heading off in our different directions. A fun day was had by all (well until they read this account anyway) and I look forward to our next one, which may well be my next blog (shifts permitting at work)!! Until then...if I had a quid for every time Baino said "put that in yer fluffing blog" today then I could have bought a new jacket on the way home.....

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We may be a pair of posers, but that's allowed on (Ben) Vane!!!

I know it's only been a fortnight since I was last out in the hills but it feels like forever ago...it has been a really long week at work and I thoroughly deserved the opportunity to go away overnight on Wednesday and relax. I was booked in at the Crianlarich hotel on Wednesday night and had the opportunity to meet up with a fellow walkhighlands member for something to eat the night before our walk. Louise Miller had mentioned that she wanted to come out and meet Jelly McBaby, just the other week, and this was to prove the perfect opportunity to let her. As she only stays in Dalmally at the moment, she offered to come along and meet up for tea when I arrived. We had a lovely evening (though less lovely food it must be said...Louise's winter pie was cold inside and had to be returned) sharing stories of our various adventures in the Scottish hills (though Louise has many more stories to tell of adventures abroad). We hit it off straight away and, just like with Polly, I knew I had found another new walking companion to share the delights of Scottish hills with.

We agreed to meet at the hotel at 0845 the following morning, Louise would drive us down to Inveruglas, as there was no point in taking two cars. I was all packed and ready to go when she pulled up outside, quickly transferred my stuff into her car, then off we set on the short drive to the start point at the Inveruglas car park. When we arrived there were already a couple of tourist buses there waiting for cruise boats to take the parties of pensioners  out on the freezing waters of the Loch.

The morning air was chill and the wind was blowing slightly more than we wanted at low level...always makes you worry what it will be like higher up. There was also a veil of mist across the far off Ben Lomond, obscuring it from view, and as we got changed into our walking gear we hoped that we would get lucky with the weather further up (the forecast was for pleasant walking conditions, if not clear skies and no rain). Louise donned her new north face jacket at the start along with a natty green hat to stave off the cold, then off we set. The car park is across from the generating station (Hydro electric) in Inveruglas...walk by it and follow the path set just off the road...continuing until the path takes an obvious turn away from the road and out towards the railway bridge.

From here, follow the path beneath the railway bridge, along the side of the stream, then out into open countryside...continuing beyond the electricity substation...beyond the line of pylons beneath Ben Vorlich. The path continues all the way along to the Loch Sloy dam...but we are heading off well before that. There is a turn off for the Glen Loin loop to the left, but ignore that.

Continue along the path until you come to a stone bridge on your left, cross the river here and continue on for 400m...or until you arrive at a very small stone bridge crossing a stream. Running alongside the stream is a faint path to the left...and an obvious one to the right...it matters not which one you take as they merge across the stream a little further on and cross very boggy ground at the foot of the Mountain. Once on this path through the grass, which gets fainter as it climbs beyond the fence line, take care as you pass through some very boggy underfoot conditions to begin with. The higher ground is infinitely easier to cross than through the worst of the bogs, so keep to the left of the worst bits and use the rocks to stay dry as you continue to rise up the steepening slopes.

The path now becomes a lot clearer as it winds up the slopes, heading towards the first of the rocky overhangs which contained a small alcove out of the elements. We took a brief halt here and I threw on my hat as the cold was starting to nip at my ears...Louise is made of sterner stuff CLEARLY as she soldiered away with just her short sleeved top for a while longer. I have to confess that I was giving her a little bit of a ribbing for her choice of neck buff...who wears leopard skin on a hill walk anyway?!! Buff comments aside, Louise was giving as good as she got and was a good foil for my banter and stories. I was most impressed that she has done Everest base camp and yearns to venture abroad on other adventures...whilst I am content with picking off the Munro's before spreading my wings elsewhere...hope I don't leave it too late and live to regret that!!

 Once out of the alcove we continued to rise up the steep slopes, following the path as it meandered now in zig zags, onwards and upwards into the waiting mist. I wish I had some of what Louise had for breakfast today...she just wouldn't stop smiling...regardless of how steep the path became.

Although the slopes were steep, not once during the climb up did it feel like a slog. I'm not sure if this was to do with the gentle pace we were taking it at, or the company being so interesting...either way it was a pleasant ascent up a well maintained steep path.

With the mist coming in thicker by the second Louise even succumbed to wearing a jacket. The mist did make it hard to see anything around us but it also meant that we were unaware of the false summits we would pass on route to the top. We passed a few patches of snow on the way up...with a funny message scrawled onto one of them...unless you happen to be called Phil...as apparently "Phil is fat"!! We both tried to capture this in a pic but neither of them came out particularly clear...and we never saw hide nor hair of Phil today either.

We continued on through the mist, on the path mainly but also having to negotiate some steep passages of rocks...well they felt steep when your legs are so short...until we pulled surprisingly onto the summit plateau. We navigated to the cairn and took a well deserved drink stop prior to getting our pics taken. Jelly McBaby then took centre stage...sitting carefully on the summit cairn at 915m as he kept getting blown over...and even posed with me for one pic.

We exited the summit pretty sharpish as the wind was picking up and the temperature dropping...my poor fingers were freezing...I must start to wear my gloves again!!  Once off the summit we retraced our steps down the path, managing to avoid the scrambly section on the way up by finding an alternative path that we had missed in the mist, but still taking us through some rather large boulders...one of which Louise had to stop at for another picture opportunity.

As we continued downhill the mist appeared to clear, then return, then clear again. We made pretty good timing on the return journey...probably too out of puff to speak as much on the way down...and the rain starting probably hurried us along as well. There was one other stop for pictures though...on  a nobbly outcrop of rock that we hadn't seen on the way up...we took it in turns to sit/stand on this rock and pose for pics, despite the quite significant drop beneath our feet.

From this point down the rest of the walk was spent chatting away about potential future walks together...which may mostly be in Skye as Louise is away to start work there pretty soon...that suits me as I need to get up there at some stage. We followed the path as it crossed the bogs again...no escaping them...and returned to the access path once more to cross the bridge and head for the car.

Thankfully this one belonged to some other poor unfortunate walker who had obviously upset the locals in some way...our transport still had all it's wheels on when we got back to the car park. We changed out of our gear and headed back to Crianlarich to collect my car. Once there we stopped for some hot soup and bread roll...then a hot chocolate...yum yum.

Then it was time for goodbyes and the long drive back up the road...to do it all again with Chris and Michael on Saturday at Garva bridge...until then take care and happy walking.

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Posing with Polly on Mhanach.....

Beinn Mhanach was the Munro that got away a few weeks ago...the day that Polly's gear box gave up the ghost...and this needed remedied. I travelled down to Crianlarich on Thursday night to stay at Inverardran house B&B. Apparently I had brought the rain with me...the first they have had all week allegedly...but hopefully it would blow itself out during the night.

Crianlarich has not had it's problems to seek this week...it would appear that the water supply had been tainted by a new water pump pumping some chemicals into the reservoir by Scottish Power...to the degree that they then had to supply bottled water for all the residents in the area...indeed in the morning we noticed pallets of water strewn all around the local area for residents and visitors to utilise. Polly arrived in the morning with her courtesy car, a nice wee Polo, to pick me up and head out to the start point at Auch farm. Parking is sparse up on the roadside verge...surely the farm could be allowing walkers to use the site by the farm and charge a small fee for the upkeep of this?? Anyway, we parked up on the verge and looked at the clouds lying low on the tops of all the surrounding hills. There was another car pulled up and two guys planning on the same walk as us...perhaps we would see them later.

We were hopeful that this would lift as the day progressed, there was already some sun burning onto lower slopes around us, but at the very least we just didn't want it to get any worse. We set off and followed the track down to Auch farm, passing the various buildings on the way, and then being followed by a wee yappy dog for a while. Once we had gotten rid of the dog we continued on this track for a short distance until we arrived at a split in the track.

Not sure which one to take, Polly checked out the map board to get a clue, but it was rather inconclusive. A check of the GPS, and the map we had, informed us that either way we would arrive at the viaduct ahead anyway. We were aware that this walk involved river crossings but didn't realise that a mistake at this stage could lead to a crossing more than was required!! Having decided to choose the left track, over the stone bridge and out past another farm building, we set off following that track on the left side of the river...unfortunately this led us along a rather boggy route and could have easily been avoided...but hey ho such is life. Onwards we walked, eyeing the river to our right, always thinking it must be easier on the other side, wondering if we should cross here or not, but carrying on regardless. We arrived at the viaduct and realised that we had to cross a stile in the fence to get down to the river.

Once across this stile we headed down to the river to scout out an acceptable crossing to the other side (where we should have stayed initially). One step out onto the wet rocks told us all we needed to know about how carefully we would need to do this...VERY!! The water was flowing quite quickly but the main issue was the slidy smooth rocks beneath the surface...carefully we picked our way across...but regardless of this we were going to get wet, the depth was just too much to avoid. One step into water up to my knee saw my boot flood with water down the inside of my trousers!! Hopefully this would dry off as the sun was at least shining on us now...wishful thinking!! Safely across to the other side and only one boot full of water...bonus. There was still no sign of the two guys who had parked up behind us at the start of the walk so we decided to take a 'comfort break' before going any further...but sods law...as soon as we settled on a suitable location for each of us the guys appeared at the end of the track!! At least I was able to curtail my business before they arrived near us...poor Polly almost gave them quite a shock!! Anyway, off we set again, tabbing just far enough ahead of them that they couldn't know how close they had come to a shock.

Beinn a Chaisteil rises high above us on our right, I think it is a corbett, it is certainly intimidating from this flank...I would not fancy having to scale it from this angle. The misty cloud still clinging to its top and indeed rolling down its slopes briefly...though there was sun burning onto its lower slopes. It was hard to believe that this was the first week in March and not halfway through the year. The heat was a fantastic bonus today, we had already shed a layer of clothing after crossing the river, it really was like an early summer day. The only giveaway that it was technically still winter was the layer of snow clinging to the top of Beinn Dorain on our left of the track.

Although the mist was clinging to the tops of the hills the sun was still shining down on their slopes, the blue sky peeking through the clouds. We continued on the track for a while until we came to the first of our river crossings, though these were mere paddles compared to what we had already crossed. If the river was in spate some of the crossings could prove difficult, though still nothing impossible I would imagine. As we progressed along the path the views were improving by the second...especially Beinn Dorain.

After an hour and a half, at least, of walking along this track we passed some cattle sheds then headed NE along the track for another half a kilometre until we arrived at a split in the track. The choice now was to head off to the right, on the main track, and follow the track to it's conclusion then head up steep grass slopes...or head off to the left now and scale the very steep slopes up Beinn a Chuirn?? Decision made, we would head off to the left and follow the faint path up higher ground and then scale the very steep slopes towering above us. Beinn an Dothaidh was now visible as we headed up the faint path, snow still clinging to her higher slopes...

We stopped at the 300m line on the slopes of Beinn a Chuirn, primarily for a breather, but a chance to take off a sweaty layer again, letting the sun heat my skin. A bit of flapjack and some juice, Polly had some coffee with her's, then layers back on and off we set again. The views back down the glen were beautiful in the sunshine.

Then a strange thing happened...within a minute of soaking up the views in the sunshine the clouds rolled in and the mist dropped down the slopes!! The weather completely changed in a matter of minutes and instead of taking off layers we were applying them to stave off the ensuing dampness.

It has to be said that Polly sports a natty line in headgear...even if she keeps losing them!! She lost one the other week when she was away and thought she had lost another one today, but it was only misplaced in her rucksack thankfully. The rest of the slog up hill was in this condensed mist, thickening as we rose up the slopes. Passing some small patches of snow on the way to the summit, getting wetter by the step, all 600m of ascent was on this acutely angled boggy slope...the last 300m in the mist. But finally we were on the top of Beinn a Chuirn and now only had to negotiate the wide open grass plateau and locate the fence line to our East at the 850m bealach between here and Beinn Mhanach. Once at the bealach we had an easy haul up to the summit cairn at 953m, meeting the two gents from earlier on up there (they had followed the main path to it's conclusion instead of following us up the slopes). They informed us that they had seen a Jelly Baby on a cairn the other week, but had done quite a few hills recently and could not remember which cairn.

Polly was adding layers and feeling the cold as we stood yapping to the two guys...all I wanted was my photo taken with the bold hero of the day at the cairn. After two false starts (terrible eye for a pic Polly) she finally caught me on my good side and I had my picture.

I reciprocated with a pic of Polly for her album and then we were off, sandwich stuffed in my mouth as we headed off the freezing summit and back down to the fence line, hoping to be able to follow it off the hill. The bealach was very boggy and a bit peaty, so we steered clear of heading all the way back to it and cut down the slope instead so we could pick it up later on. This side of the mountain was a lot different from the side we had climbed up. For a start it was a lot less steep but also it had a number of gouges cut into the slopes...this meant we had to be careful of not crossing through too many of these small gorges or it would slow down our progress. 

Polly was happy to pose for pictures on the way down, as she had been on the way up. After traversing a few of these gorges we managed to head down the top of a ridgelike gouge down the side of the mountain for the rest of the descent...taking great care not to slip and slide on our arses (I only had the one proper slip all day and still managed to not land on my arse!!). In one of these gouges in the hill we found the clean carcass of a dead sheep...hopefully picked clean by birds and not the beast of Mhanach!! Polly seemed obsessed with getting a pic of this poor unfortunate creature...and I was happy to get a pic of her getting a pic.

With the mist having long cleared behind us we now had clear views down the hill to the glen below and the path back following the river.  We could see down to a small bridge at the bottom of the slopes, as the path headed out beyond where we were going to turn off, out to Loch Lyon. There were a few man made structures near the bottom of the slopes, apparently having something to do with the flow of the water down to the Loch below.

Once back at the foot of the slopes it was merely a case of heading back along the access path...crossing the river again a number of times...though one less than on the outward journey...back to the viaduct.

Once through the viaduct it was a mere half an hour back to the car along the access path beyond the farm buildings...but the rain came on and tried to spoil the end of our day...NO CHANCE. Back at the car in 6hrs 20mins...not a bad little trip, especially with the slopes we climbed and the wet windy conditions at the top. A short drive back to Crianlarich and my car to collect...then a three hour drive back up the road, via McDonald's at Glamis for tea, and home for a hot shower.

Until next time...possibly the 13th March...stay safe on them hills folks. 

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