I took a couple of days off work to join Ruth for a six-day long-weekend Easter break in the Highlands, based at the campsite in Roybridge. A prompt finish at work on the Tuesday afternoon and favourable traffic conditions got me into camp at a fairly civilised 10:30pm. I was glad that Ruth had arrived earlier and got the tent set up before it had started raining though!
On Wednesday, the forecast was for a grey start, with the cloud gradually lifting off the higher summits. We decided to start the trip with a walk on the Creag Meagaidh range, the main bagging objective being the far eastern Munro Top, Stob Coire Dubh. We ascended by the main Munro-baggers’ path up Carn Liath, entering the cloud at around 800m, then followed the easy-angled ridge down and back up to the Munro Top, also in the cloud but at least offering some kind of view over its corniced eastern corrie.
We retraced our steps to Carn Liath, crossing a couple of large snowfields, then continued west over various other tops to the second Munro, Stob Poite Coire Ardair. We used our ice axes for security on a couple of the steeper slopes, but did not need crampons on the fairly soft snow. Even down at the bealach known as ‘The Window’, we had not dropped out of the cloud, so we opted to descend via Coire Ardair rather than head up onto Creag Meagaidh itself. A good covering of snow in the head of the corrie made for an enjoyable descent, breaking free of the cloud after a while to reveal impressive views of the celebrated cliffs and gullies to the south. From there, it was easy path walking all the way back to Aberarder.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1877040
We drove to Fort William to pick up supplies for the week at Morrison’s, before returning to camp for the night.
The next day, the forecast cloud level was lower, so we chose a route that would keep us fairly low for much of the day, but still tick off a Munro Top on Beinn Eibhinn. We caught the morning train from Roybridge station in to Corrour, and spent the next couple of hours walking along the south shore of Loch Ossian, with good views over the water to Beinn na Lap, and up the lower parts of Uisge Labhair.
From there it was a fairly steep climb up to the Munro Top, Meall Glas Choire, which was just in the cloud. We continued up the ridge to the summit of Beinn Eibhinn, crossing a few more large snow patches on the way, then retraced our steps and descended via Mullach Coire nan Nead (which I had visited previously). Part way down from there to the minor top of Creagan an Amair, we dropped back out of the cloud, to reveal the best views of the day, over Strath Ossian and Loch Ossian.
Once back at the Lodge, it was just a few miles of easy track walking back along the north side of the loch to the station. We arrived with a little over half an hour to spare before the mid-afternoon northbound train was due, and it turned out to be running about half an hour late anyway. Nevertheless, we were soon back in Roybridge to cook and then head to the pub for an evening drink.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1877046
The weather looked more promising again on Friday, with a 90% chance of cloud free Munros by late morning, so we decided to head up onto the Grey Corries, where I needed to bag another two Munro Tops. Driving up the Lairig Leacach track a mile or so beyond Corriechoille meant the initial track approach wasn’t too long. It seemed a long way up the broad northern slopes to Stob Coire Gaibhre, in the cloud again. From there, the gradient and terrain was much easier up the ridge towards Stob Choire Claurigh. A little short of the summit, we diverted off the main ridge to follow the easterly spur to Stob Coire na Ceannain, the other Top I needed to bag. This ridge offered pleasant easy scrambling and a good feeling of exposure despite the lack of visibility! Luckily there was no snow on the crest to make it tricky.
Having returned to the main ridge, it was only a few minutes’ further climb to the first Munro. Disappointingly, the cloud didn’t show any sign of clearing as we continued west over the various tops to the second Munro, Stob Coire an Laoigh, but the well defined rocky and snowy crest of the ridge made for an enjoyable walk anyway.
The wind was a bit too chilly to linger for a long time in hope of improvement, so we descended north via Beinn na Socaich, intermittently breaking out of the cloud there to give some views over the corniced eastern crags. An easy descent of the northern slopes and a more awkward crossing of the Allt Choimhlidh below the small hydro dam brought us back onto the forestry tracks that led back to the car. Even by then, the cloud hadn’t properly cleared the ridge, with only a couple of the lower saddles appearing below the cloud base. Better luck next time!
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1877049
Saturday was another day with a better forecast in the afternoon. That meant there was plenty of time in the morning for me to take the short trip to Nevis Range for a run at Fort William parkrun. This is an attractive course on the forest tracks and trails, mostly downhill in the first half but inevitably mostly uphill to the finish!
Afterwards, we opted to head to nearby Graham, Cnap Cruinn. We had previously walked half way up one very wet and windy early-January day a few years ago, so hoped for more favourable conditions to motivate us to complete the ascent this time! It turned out to be the clearest afternoon of the trip so far, with most of the surrounding Munro summits clearing at least some of the time. The hill was just high enough for the summit ridge to offer easy walking on short heather, so we made the effort to walk along to the northern end and enjoy the views before descending back to Inverlair.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1877052
On Sunday, we had another leisurely morning in the campsite, reading and relaxing as the weather improved. Around 11am, I set off up the valley for walk over the two attractive Grahams south of Loch Laggan, Binnein Shios and Binnein Shuas. Ruth was suffering with a sore knee so opted for a proper rest day. I was surprised to find that the layby at the foot of the track into Corrour was almost full – popular with mountain bikers I think.
I followed the advice in the Graham guidebook and headed for the further peak first, following the forestry tracks around the back of Loch Laggan before making the very rough ascent through tussocky grass onto the ridge of Binnein Shios. As I got above the bealach, the ground improved a little, but it was still quite hard going all the way to the top, with lots of dispiriting false summits! It was worth it for the views over Loch Laggan to Creag Meagaidh though, as well as over Lochan na h-Earba and along the ridge to Binnein Shuas.
I found slightly better trods on the way down to the col, and the re-ascent the other side was on easier grassy ground. Good visibility made it easy to determine the best route up between the large crags onto the upper terraces of the second hill, which had lots of interesting rocky outcrops to appreciate, and good views back to Binnein Shios. It was only a short descent west to rejoin the track to the car, and the full descent took less than an hour.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1879967
On the final morning of the trip, Ruth again chose to rest while I nipped up another nearby Graham, Creag Dhubh. This was a very short walk of only about 2.5km from the small car park by the chapel of Cille Choirill, and quite fast going as the slopes were fairly gentle and mostly short grass. The mist was swirling around most of the surrounding Munros, but broke for long enough to give decent views of the Grey Corries and Aonach Mor, as well as the Loch Treig Munros. Soon I was back at the car to start the drive back to Ruth’s house in Natland.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1879968
Ruth was back at work on the Tuesday, while Rolls-Royce had a day of fixed holiday, so I stayed the Monday night at her house and spent the Tuesday morning tackling a three-hour MapRun score course on the outlying fells around Staveley, set up by Saunders as a training exercise for their main Mountain Marathon later in the year. Very enjoyable in the sunshine, although pretty exhausting as I haven’t done a three hour run or any run this hilly for several months! I was pleased to finish in second place, out of the 51 people who’ve had a go at the course since it was published in January. Clear flowing motorways made for an easy drive back to Derby after lunch at Ruth’s house.
Overall, not a bad week in the Highlands despite the disappointing cloud levels. It was generally dry and the winds were mostly light, and I ticked off four new Munro Tops (only 10 to go now!) and four new Grahams (taking me past a quarter done), as well as revisiting various Munros and Tops.
My full photo album is available on Google Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6Avmj3P6yWLMj4k47
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