Scottish winter conditions - Meall Corranaich, Sunday 17th November 2013.

Almost spring like conditions on the way up from the new car park where the old Lawers visitors centre used to be. Lots of folks heading up the other path to Ben lawers, but not many going our way.

Much of last weeks snow has now gone, just patches here and there.  

A patch of snow we found to cross on the route to Meall Corranaich from the bealach between it and the Lawers ridge.

Some snow and small cornices left on the ridge running from Meall Corranaich to
Coire Liath.

Tess waiting for a snack on the way up!

From  Meall Corranaich we descened to Coire Liath, then carried on to Meall a' Choire Leith (seen as in the distance as we didn't stay too long on it's bleak and windy summit!).

Tess checking out the cornices for us!!!

Ok, it will hold 25 kilos!

Signs of the thaw and re-freeze.

Video of Tess enjoying the snow on Meall Corranaich.

Stob Binnien, 20th May 2012.

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Schiehallion, 7th April 2010.

Looking back over Loch Tummel from the path up to Schiehallion. This was to be Lorna's first proper hillwalk apart from the Pentlands since her accident last year in Saas Fee. Ian and Ruth came along too, this being Ruth's second walk since her accident in Tower Gap last year.

Ian topping up Loch Tummel.

Considering (despite the well made path lower down) the rough ground through the boulder field higher up, and the odd patch of spring snow, the girls did really well today!

Ruth and Lorna enjoying a well earned cream egg at the top of Schiehallion.

Mullach nan Coirean - 5th September 2010.

After a change of accommodation from the Glen Nevis Youth Hostel to the Achintee Bunkhouse (due to a booking error with SYHA's central booking system) we bravely managed a coupe of beers in the Ben Nevis Inn and a fairly decent night's sleep after a long day yesterday! 
In the moring it was then only a short drive into Glen Nevis to the car park just before the bridge, and the start point for John's 281st Munro: Mullach nan Coirean. As we set off on the described route into the forest, we were diverted by Forestry Commission signs (warning of work being carried out) to an alternative track up to the broad ridge of Mullach nan Coirean. The wind was even stronger than yesterday as we topped out on the ridge and headed for the summit. Again it was touch and go as to if we should turn back but we carried on and it wasn't long before we reached the large summit cairn at 939m. However photography wasn't top of the agenda today as staying upright was more important!
We returned down the ridge we came up but chose to ignore the diversion sign back to our route of ascent, and instead stayed on the ridge all the way back to the forest (the normal way) only to find the path completely obscured by felled trees and huge tracks and puddles left by the forestry vehicles. So we stubbornly struggled on over tree stumps, logs and branches, and skillfully avoided the eye of the Forestry staff hard at work by using our skills at covert movment to eventually pick up the original track we set off and back to the car!

Beinn Sgulaird - 4th September 2010.

As soon as work was over, myself John and Stevie drove north via Tyndrum towards Loch Creran, just above Oban. Our goal today was to start ticking off the last five of John's munro's before he completes the last one, Ben More on Mull in October. From Druimavuic, where we parked next to the Loch, it was uphill for most of the way and as we gained height we had to battle with the ever increasing wind. At one point we seriously considered turning back as it was getting quite serious. However we gave ourselves some more time to see how it went and miraculously the wind eased as we gained the broad ridge and it's three rocky summits.

 

   

John battling with the wind despite the marked drop in speed.

Looking back down to Loch Creran and the bridge carrying the A828 to Ballachulish

"It's that way back!"

Nice use of the self timer as there was no one else around to take a photo. After the obligatory cup of tea we set off back the way we came for the surprisingly long walk back to the car, and then the drive to Fort William where we would stay the night before ticking off one more of John's munros: Mullach nan Coirean.

Ben Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin, 16th August 2009

Just me and the Guner today trying to get some mileage for Mont Blanc in two weeks time. With the forecast being pants, we opted for the shorter drive to Ardvorlich House on the banks of Loch Earn and north of Ben Vorlich. With 17km and 1200m of height gain, we figured it would make a wothwhile short day instead of driving all the way to Glencoe or the Ben just to get wet! As it was. we were the first people on the hill and had the best of the strong winds and clag that obscured any views until we finally made it to the top! It was a battle of wits as to who would turn round first as we struggled up the long drag to Ben Vorlich's summit at 985m. We were just about on the verge of what it seemed possible to stand up in with the forecast 50/60/70 mph Westerlies on our right shoulders.

After a slight directional miscalculation on the summit, due to being too lazy to look at the map and take a bearing, the clouds cleared so we could finally see where we were!

Looking across to Stuc a Chroin from, err slightly north of the summit of Ben Vorlich.

Still breezy on the summit!

Looking North to the Tarmachans on the left and the Lawers range on the right.

From the sumit of Ben Vorlich, we descended SW to Bealach an Dubh Choirein, before heading up to Stuc a Chroin's summit at 975m. Although it looks like a true scramblers route, there are numerous ways up, all easy, scrambly paths with short rocky sections that are not even graded (a 1/2 if at all). Scrambling isn't the Gunner's first choice of route choice, but this was excellent ground to get a feel for it and he breezed the final two thirds before stopping for a brew on the summit. We then headed back N/NW for about 600m, before locating the small cairn that marks the descent path that skirts below the Eastern crags of Ben Vorlich, and rejoins the ascent path.

Looking back up to Ben Vorlich from Ardvorlich.

Cairngorm weekend, 24th-25th May. Day one, Loch Avon via Carn Etchachan.

Day one of our visit to the Cairngorms, and myself, Gordon and Stevie left the Ski Centre car park about 9am and headed for the Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda (The Fiacaill Ridge). As we had two days, with a night in the Glenmore Youth Hostel, we intended on making at least one long day as we wouldn't have to make the long drive back to Edinburgh.

Stevie and Gordon at the start of the Fiacaill Ridge with Coire an t-Sneachda on the left (with a touch of snow left in the Fiacaill Couloir), and Coire an Lochain to the right.

From the ridge, we could see what looked like a guided party climbing the last of the snow to the left of the Goat Track.

Not much snow left in the gullies now in Sneachda!

At the end of the ridge we stopped for cuppa and looked across the plateau towards the tops of Shelter Stone Crag and Carn Etchachan, over two and a half kilometres away to the south. These would be our next objectives after crossing the plateau and keeping above the remaining snow that lay high above the Avon Slabs at the head of Loch Avon (pronounced A'an).

After crossing the Feith Buidhe high up above the slabs, we got our first view of Loch Avon with Stag Rocks on the left and Beinn Mheadoin at 1182m on the right.

Our second "river crossing" was over the Garbh UisageBeag which also flows down over the Avon slabs and into Loch Avon. To the left of the picture is Hell's Lum Crag ('Lum' being the Scots word for chimney), which takes it's name from the huge gully into it's left hand side (as attempted by Dave Macleod).

As we walked along the tops of the crags, the views were impressive, especially looking down into Pinnacle Gully with it's distinctive Forefinger Pinnacle rising up near the top. The gully is a grade I winter climb and one for the future I think, eh Stevie?

Me at the top of Castlegates Gully, also a grade I winter climb, with Loch Avon behind.

Gordon and Stevie, trying to out pose me above Castlegates.

After crossing the tops of the crags, we followed the cliff edges to head south to the "top", Carn Etchachan at 1120m. Looking east over it's crags and gullies we could see some remaining snow with interesting but dangerous formations.

Looking down onto Loch Etchachan as we headed for the 1117m spot, and then south east over easier ground to avoid the crags to pick up the descent path from Ben Macdui and the outflow point of the Loch (top left of picture). From there we went north west to drop down to the Shelter Stone at the head of Loch Avon.

On the way down to the head of the Loch, we passed the bottom of Castlegates Gully which marks the left hand edge of the huge Shelter Stone Crag.

From the Shelter Stone area, we made a remarkably easy crossing of the river and turned north east to follow the rising path up to Coire Raibert. On the way we passed the small sandy beach we saw from the top of Shelter Stone Crag to the left of the picture, with Castlegates Gully on it's left and Pinnacle Gully just visible on it's right. To the right of that, is Garbh Uisage Crag and the the Avon Slabs below the snow.

Stevie climbing the steep (but better than the Coire Domhain route?) path up Coire Raibert to gain the plateau once more and the 1141m point, form where our final ascent of the day would take us to Cairn Gorm at 1245m.

As we reached the Cairn Gorm summit, the weather changed giving us no final views for the day, although the sudden movement of the automated "dustbin lid" on the roof of the weather station gave brief entertainment. From here it was down past the ridiculous cairns and over the tourist steps to the Ptarmigan, then follow the main track back to the Ski Centre car park to complete over 16 miles of fantastic walking!

Beinn Heasgarnich, 1078m and Stevie in a hole!

Today myself and Stevie accompanied John on his 230th Munro, Beinn Heasgarnich at 1078m. Not a particularly inspiring mountian, with bugger all to look at as we climbed NW from the old waterboard road in Glen Lochay. The route was wet and muddy for most of the way up to the subsidiary top of Stob an Fhir-bhogha, and from there slightly better ground from the two distinct burns to the small plateau at the top. The only views we got were occasional glimpses of the head of Loch Lyon the the NE! So after a quick lunch, we descended more or less the same way we came up. On the way up, we noticed various patches of snow still remaining, one with a nice but unstable snow bridge. Luckily we found it on the way down, so we set Stevie to work demonstrating the dangers of trusting a snowbridge this late in the season. Full details are in the video below! (make sure you have the sound on too)

Remember kids. don't try this at home!