Meall Corranaich & Meall a’ Choire Leith
Leaving the house at 6am I did feel I was a little mad but I had high hopes for the day and with the roads virtually deserted for the duration of the drive I found myself parked in the lay-by around 07:30am.
It’s still dark, what the hell am I playing at! The moonlight reflecting off Lachan na Lairige, the snow capped tops of Beinn Ghlas and Meall nan Tarmachan had been in my view as I made my way up the slippery access road passed the visitor centre. Despite the darkness, this really looked like it was going to be a really good day. All I can say now is what a difference 30 minutes makes.
As I set off the cloud had rolled in reducing visibility somewhat. Drat!!
I follow the path up and onto the moorland, first slip and I am on my knees. My bright yellow (see me here) jacket now tainted with brown boggy mud, aaargh. I reach the end of the path that has been constructed then look for the fence posts which everyone says to follow.
I see one, make for it then look for the other… Where is it? The mist has lifted a little but not by much. Suddenly I have this feeling of being watched!! I look on and see a rather large herd of deer looking back at me. It’s a little lighter now but still dark enough to confuse the hell out of me. I mean, I am on my own in the middle of a peat bog, not a breath of wind, and all these animals staring back at me. Carry on Ali, they’ll move on I think to myself, next time I look up there gone, and there must have been at least 15 or so…
Higher up I move above the snow line, and find a set of footprints, iced up and I reckon possibly from the day before. Map, compass and GPS at hand I follow the footprints up through the snow and then discover there has been a dog with this person too.
With the snow drifting in places I soon found myself on the summit ridge heading towards Meall Corranaich. The sun by now was visible through the cloud brightening the place up and to my advantage some breaks in the cloud appeared to, to give me some good views towards Killin and over Coire Odhar to Beinn Ghlas.
Crampons!?! How good it would have been to have a set right now as I made my way up the windblown path covered in frozen ice and snow. Slip once, slip twice, and oh darn it as I went down again. Finding another way, I moved just off the path and into the fresh snow. Christmas list for Santa – add Crampons pleeeease…
The summit, a desolate place with not a lot to look at. The usual pile of stone but not as you would know it. Rather than a tall stone structure there was this pile made to look like a squashed sponge cake, in my opinion, but with the added effect of old unused fence posts protruding from it. Icing on top due to the snow coverage, it was just missing the cherry.
Its 10:15am, time to move on. Take a bearing, and check the GPS, so far so good that I am still on track. I had read that it’s not unusual to head down the wrong ridge when making your way toward Meall a’ Choire Leith. Thinking on this I stick to the ridge line keeping the cornices in view. Deep snow hampers progress in parts and as I am making fresh tracks my pace slows a little. Check the GPS again, still on the right line. Moving on I then notice I can’t see the cornices anymore. I am still on the ridge so I retrieve the GPS again, and yes I have followed the contour of the ridge and gone off track (I had the GPS loaded with the route). Easy done though and it’s not long before I am back where I should be.
Dropping off the ridge to the bealach I pause for a few moments as I can see down Coire Gorm and Coire Liath. One side caked in snow (Coire Liath) more than the other. Given the weather over the past week it would come as no surprise. A bite to eat and a quick warm cup of tea I start my way up the shoulder to the second summit of the day.
Two sets of footprints this time, one with crampons attached but alas not fresh. The cloud has lifted enough though to see the way with the path being very prominent, so navigation was hardly likely to be an issue, until I got nearer the top and it just disappeared.
Making a direct approach to the highest point soon brought the summit cairn into view. Would the white block of rock still be perched on top that I had read about in another report on the Scottish Hills website?
I reach the cairn with a huge Fog Bow in my presence, scrape off some snow and there it is. Not on top though. It looks as though some other walkers had been along and increased the size of the cairn. I settle down for lunch, it’s still with no wind to reduce the temperature, I tuck into my sandwiches, fruit, Jaffa Cakes and that all important flask of tea.
Finishing up I take a bearing and head off the summit in the direction of Coire Gorm. It didn’t take long and I found myself out of the cloud, below the snow line and making my way towards the first river crossing.
Mud, mud and more bleeding mud. The walk out could be a trip report in its own right. It was wet, very wet, muddy and just annoying. The chance of getting a pace going was practically impossible. Slip and down I go, back up, walk, and slip again. Splattered in mud I carry on, the herd of deer that have reappeared are no doubt having a laugh at my expense.
I reach the second river crossing, bearing in mind the recent weather the rivers are a little deeper and faster running, or at least I think so anyway. With a hop slip and a jump I’m over and into the next path of torturous mud, and it’s uphill???
I had a little cramp in the legs and this was the last thing I needed. It’s just no fair this over-grown baby said to himself!! It really did feel like one step forward, two steps back at times but in the end I made it back to the path and the car. De-kitted and changed into fresh clothes (I always carry a spare change thankfully) I made my way back down the road passing a somewhat busy visitor centre car park. Busy day there then given that I had two Munros to myself that same day…
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