Monday 26 December 2011

3 of the Fannichs walk - part 2 Sgurr Mor and Meall Gorm


3 of the Fannichs walk - part 2
Beinn Liath Mhor, Sgurr Mor and Meall Gorm
6/11/12
Well were where we? I had just come down the wrong way off  Beinn Liath Mhor and was heading for Sgurr Mor which had it's head in the clag.
Sgurr Mor summit on the right of photo.
Around 10 am now and good view to the north west of An Teallach one of my favourite mountains.
 
An Teallach in the distance with Loch a Mhadaidh in the foreground.
Not so windy down in the bealach between the two mountains. Started up Sgurr Mor and decided to stop for a snack . Put on the water proof trousers as the weather ahead was not so good and rain on the way. Easy going for a start till you hit 900m and then it gets steeper, but a good path zigzags up round the south side. Came on a mountain shelter at NH 20763 71622 more or less on the 950m contour on the OS map.

Now what I did not tell you in part one was when I was chatting to the guys at the start of the walk, one had mentioned that a car had been parked there for a couple of days and wondered if he should contact the police about it. It was frosted over when I arrived at the car park.
  I took a look in the shelter and something was in there "Shit" is there a dead guy in here? was going through my mind and the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. Good job I had put my water proof trousers on. It was dark in there so I got the camera out and took photos through the door with the flash to see what it was. The other two walkers just catching me up as I was taking the photos.

My first photo - what's that?
"Phew".  Just an old survival blanket blowing in the wind. Panic over onward and up ward and I don't think I was getting a phone signal at this point, so I am not too sure what I would have done if someone had been potted heid in there.  "PANIC", a bit and then what the hell do I do now.
What would you have done?
Kind of reassuring to have a few fellow walkers about in situations like that.
Excitement over I followed the other two and the dog now on it's lead as there were cliffs beside the path up the steeps bit to the summit.

Heading up Sgurr Mor at 1044m.
You can just see the climb to the top going off to the right of shot. Good path up here to follow in the mist.
I reached the top just after 12pm with the other two just getting there before me. Windy and wet up here so I got in behind the cairn and hunkered down for a spot of lunch and warm coffee. The other two just touched the top and set off back down the hill.

 Me hiding out of the wind on the summit of Sgurr Mor.

Now what will I do - go back the way I came as I have 5 hours of light left or go on to the other two hills? Decisions , Decisions, Decisions. Right I am going to follow the path back the way I came, but I'll set the old compass just in case. Set compass to due south. So off I went back down the nice path I thought I had come up. You should not blindly follow paths should you? As in the past I have ended up the wrong drill so speak. Well I came up from the south on a nice path and I am going south on a nice path in the clag.  Came out of the clag heading straight for Meal nam Peithirean.
This didn't look familiar so GPS time to get exact point of where I am.

Up the wrong drill heading for Meal nam Peithirean.

I think I actually wanted to come this way so I could bag 2 more Munros really.
Forgot about the left turn down the hill and I was on a nice path lol.
12.30pm now and I am thinking it's a long way back to the car, better get a move on.
Not bad going across here so made good time for me as I hit the climb up  Meal nam Peithirean the sun was shining on Loch Fannich off to the south with a bit of clag on the summit ahead.

Loch Fannich in the distance.

On the way down the other side I came on a few Ptarmigan or Snow Chickens, which to my surprise did not leg it very far. Not many people can come this way then.


You wouldn't think I was heading down hill in this photo but the mist can be deceiving. It makes up look like down and down look up sometimes.
1.20pm I reach the summit of Meall Gorm Munro No3 for today and my 149th Munro.


The summit of Meall Gorm with Munro No 4 An Coileachan the second hill top in the distance.

That blue puddle in the distance is where the car is parked. 10km walk from here.

Me on the summit and the self timer worked for a change.

Now what it's 12.30pm, dark at 5pm and it's 10km back to the car or 3km to the top of the next hill and then 10km back to the car last bit probably in the dark through unfamiliar territory most of it serious bog. Hmm!! 
Time to call it a day and head for the car then. Now how the ? do I get down from here, studied the map and decided to carry on ahead  walking near to the edge to see what I could see. Well the first bit is a one way ticket straight down a very steep wet grassy slope. No way I am I going down there. Carried on along for 10 min or so getting a wee bit panicky as I could not find a way down. Extreme studying of the map at this point gave me a possible way down to the north. I was at NH22874 69582 and wanted to get down into the glen below as the river would lead me back to the car if it did get dark. 866m up and the river was at 465m so a fair old drop down. As I headed down I could see what looked like an old path just around 823m I came on it and headed south round a bend and it started to climb up the damned hill again.
About turn and head back in what seemed like the wrong direction on this faint path.
Well I have never been so happy when I found a recent foot print in the mud woo hoo it really cheered me up and I knew I wasn't such an old idiot to come down here.


757m and heading down, very happy at this point as I was on a manmade path it was pretty overgrown but still a path in the wilderness heading in the right direction.
The path down looking back up, not much of a path but it's there at this point.


Loch Li with Beinn Liath Mhor, in the back ground right and  Sgurr Mor on the left where I had been and the path just visible down on the right.


Path beginning to disappear now but still finding the odd foot print in the mud. Bog trot ahead. I decided to head down to the river and cross over as I would then be on the same side as the path to the car . I thought it might be dark round about the time I would get there so at least I would be on familiar territory with a G.P.S plot to follow back from the split in the rivers. Got down to the river which you have to cross a couple of times to get to the other side and actually got across them no problem, they were not that wide to cross.


Well not much of a path through here but I was down from the tops and heading for the car hopefully before it got dark.

 Looking back up to where I had come from.
You can just see a bit of a path centre of shot where I came down.
Still about 7 1/2 km back to the car through a bog to go. It's going to be a relentless slog from here on.

Came on this. Is it Tree beard's moustache?
Just kept following the river as best as I could, did cut off a bit at one point. What a slog this bit is through the bog jumping from dry bit to dry bit trying to avoid the deep bog.
3.10pm 2 hours to dark. I came on a bridge which is not on the OS map or Memory map but would be the route back from the 4th hill.


River crossing at NH 25324 71267 maybe handy to know for when I return to the last hill next year.
Well there are bits of path after this but most of it is find your own way, glad it wasn't dark.

The way back to the car.
Tell you what I am glad I came in November as this would be midge hell in the summer. 2.14pm 5km to go to car. 1 hour on a good road but not on this stuff though.
3.30 plodding on and the sun is setting over Ben Dearg and it's surrounding Munros.

Ben Dearg in the sunlight.
3.40pm I reached the second bridge over the river also not on the OS map at NH26382 72157 or thereabouts.


The main path from the road would bring you to here I think.
3.45pm and I am back to where I turned right for my first Munro, just the river to cross and I am on a path again or so I thought.
Last big river to cross and onto familiar ground.
Well I was sure there was a path from here on, nope it came and went a bit so still a bit of a bog trot.
3.45 2km to go to car sun going down now with it just hitting the hill tops ahead.

Last of the sunshine.
Walked down past the waterfalls again about the same amount of light as this morning.


4.10pm about 1km to go with the light fading.
Plodding on got about 1/2km from car and text messages start coming again. All the ones in the phone server came at once, "shut up phone".  Answered a few to let people know I was alright. Just got to the car as dark was falling, 4.40pm.  25.5km from the start and I was back at the car.
That car that was frosted over in the morning was still here but no one else. Should I phone the cops? Had someone already done it?.
By the way a tip don't put your water proof trousers over your gaiters which have a strap round your boots. What a sod to get off. Could not get waterproof trousers off over boots and the gaiters had to come off first and they were under waterproofs.
Had a good fight with them and in the end managed to get them off.
Changed into clean kit I had in car with me and set off for home only about 130 miles and 3 hours away.
  Set off home a bit tired but not too bad. Not much traffic on the road and got to Inverness in an hour or there-abouts. A96 home I think from here and a stop for chips at Fochabers chipper. Into the chipper on a budget this trip so what's cheap? black pudding supper it is then. Now as I was standing waiting for my order to be cooked a racket got up from the sitdown bit behind me. I heard " You're some piece of work". then several people flew out the door and continued to argue along the street with a young boy holding on to the door wondering what to do. When he left I looked round to see a table with 4 suppers 1/2 eaten still on the table. £20 worth still on the table with the staff of the chip shop bemused by this. As I was waiting for my order one of the staff went to clean up the table to find fish thrown at the windows and chips all over the place.
The old joke there was a fight in the chip shop and a fish got battered. Actually took place here. Lol. Sat in the car and ate my chips before driving back to Keith petrol station where I had stopped in the early morning stuck in £20 not quite enough to cover the trip but there would be some fuel left when I got home for the rest of the week.
Got home around 8pm and emptied the car and put the kit away. Only one thing left to do "SLEEP".
Well I hope you like my tales they're what actually happens on my trips as near as I can recall.  I try to tell it as it is so to speak and not sugar coat it. So if you do take up walking the Scottish hills you will know its not always a piece of cake.

My GPS plot from walk and the bottom flag is the hill I did not climb.

Dino60
Please leave comments if you want . 

Sunday 18 December 2011

3 of the Fannichs walk - part 1 Beinn Liath Mhor, Sgurr Mor and Meall Gorm


  3 of the Fannichs walk - part 1

Beinn Liath Mhor, Sgurr Mor and Meall Gorm

6/11/12
Sunday 6/11/12 :-  stupid o'clock in the morning, me and my cunning plans!
The plan was to arrive at the start of the walk at first light 7am - only problem it's a 3 hour drive to the start of the walk at the end of Loch Glascarnoch. The daft things you do to bag a few Munros.
On my lonesome on this walk as my walking buddies had other things on.
3.30am :- yes stupid o'clock I got up, nipped upstairs and put the eggs on to boil, I had made most of my piece the night before. I had a plan to take my stove and the kettle with me to boil up when I arrived at the start of the walk but I also filled a flask with hot water so I could have my cup of tea as the kettle was boiling. Smart move as it turns out tell you why in a bit. Quick shower and back up and got the car packed up. 
4am :- A bit frosty, I set off north from Alford over the Suie hill for Huntly and the A96 north to Inverness. Funny thing there's no traffic at stupid o'clock in the morning.
5am :- arrived at Keith and stopped at the Shell filling station for fuel. A single Wiseman's milk lorry  passed just as I was leaving, going north something to follow, nope he turned off to the A95 Mulben road and I carried on up the A96 arriving at Inverness around 5.45am. On to the A9 and over the bridge heading north. Just as I was coming down to the roundabout at Conon Bridge I see a Wiseman's milk lorry, how he got up here faster than me I don't know. Different lorry probably only the second motor I had seen on the trip. Passed the Tarvie services which were shut - no bacon rolls this morning, darn. Stopped at the toilets at Black water and the lights were on phew. Would have been fun using the bog while trying to hold a torch. NH 401 640 map ref for toilets - handy to know where all the toilets are up here. As I came out of the car park I could see a set of car headlights coming my way in the distance.
 Off I went now with a car behind me for company. Just as we got to the south end of Loch Glascarnoch there were really big stags crossing the road with a few still on the left hand side. Slowed down after that. Had to slam on the brakes not far along the road an owl flew across level with my windscreen, managed to miss it and then saw more stags at the side of the road. Would not like to hit one of those big stags it would make a right mess of the car. Going slower now I made my way along the side of the loch and stopped to look at a sign that I thought was  the car park. The car that was still behind me also slowed right down here but it was just the start of a path. The car behind passed me and pulled in just up ahead. "That's were the car park is." Drove into the car park and found a space as there were 4 cars here already with several walkers getting kitted up. Still dark just before 7am.  
  Got the kettle on and had breakfast and a cup of tea with the water from my flask. You should really check how much gas is in your stove before taking it to the hills shouldn't you? lol. I ran out of gas before the damn kettle boiled. Oh the joys.
Cunning plan No 2, mix what was left in flask with the hot water that was in the kettle and refill flask and hope for the best.

Sunrise   
                                                     6.55am :-  sunrise just begining.
Walk info:-
Sinking Dino60 factor 6 out of 6

A real bog trot this one.
Sore foot factor 3-6


Scare factor 3-6

Usual banter with fellow walkers to see where every one was going while I was eating my breakfast. Got kitted up and set off east to follow the river crossing up and over the big hydro pipe.

7.18am :- and just a glimmer of daylight coming in. You can just see the Hydro pipe on the right.

After you're over the pipe there is a path following the river the Abhainn an Torrain Duibh which I think roughly translates to the large black river, could be wrong there. The path follows the north side of the river
Abhainn an Torrain Duibh
Looking back to the car park the path on the left of shot.

 The first bit of a walk I always seem to have too much kit on so I have a few stops to adjust what I am wearing till I get the body temperature right for a walk. Kit adjusted I carried on along the path. As the path climbed up away from the river about 10 feet up I heard a clunk as my water bottle fell out of the side of my rucksack. Had to climbed down and rescue it replacing it in the pouch on the left hand side of my rucksack where it had fallen out of. Climbed back up onto the path and carried on along following the river. Nice straight bit now with small waterfalls on the river.

Not quite full light yet :- 7.36 am

 The path not too boggy yet and I was making good progress till I discovered that the damn water bottle had fallen out yet again. Thinking I would not have enough water for the day if I did not retrieve it I set off back along the track to find it. After 200m or so I was going to give up when I came on it lying on the path. Put it back in the right hand side pocket on my rucksack which is difficult for me as my right wrist has been welded with Titanium plates and will not bend. However I managed to get the bottle in with a bit of a struggle and there it stayed for the rest of the trip without falling out. A few wee burns to cross as you make your way along the path.
7.40am :- Still following the Abhainn an Torrain Duibh, Beinn Liath Mhor, Munro No1 for today, just visible over Beinn Liath Beag in the distance. This is going to be a long walk.

Beinn Liath Mhor just visible on the left. Not far along from here I came to my first big river crossing (my favourite)
Some kind soul had built a bridge big enough for mice to run across, managed to jump this one.    

Just about here the sun started to hit the hill tops in front of me and behind.

The path ahead with Meall Gorm and An Coileachan 2 of the Munros I was aiming to bag on this trip at sunrise in the distance. Behind me the sun was hitting Ben Dearg and the surrounding Munros.

If you want to see the sunrise here in November you will have to get up at stupid o'clock as well. Worth it though for views like this. By the way this path is not marked on the OS maps or memory map.
Beinn Liath Mhor came into view with the sun hitting the top of it at 7.59am
Beinn Liath Mhor in the middle.

8.07am :- and I reached the meeting point of the Abhainn an Torrain Duibh and the Allt an Loch sgeirich and it's make your mind up time. Should I go straight ahead crossing over the Allt an Loch segirich or follow the path north alongside the Allt an Loch segirich. Path beginning to get fainter now. Decided to head north and not cross the river as I just love river crossings (Not) but I would get plenty practice on this walk.

The two rivers meeting.
The faint path to the north along the side of the Allt an Loch segirich. Beinn Liath Mhor in the distance on left of photo.

Don't think this is a tourist path, Munro baggers and deer stalkers only come along here by the look of it. The up is about to start but not too bad really, a steady climb along the riverside.

 Path very faint now with Creag Dubh Fannich  in the front and Beinn Liath Mhor behind.

Started up the wee hill trying to decide if I should cross over the river and climb up Creag Dubh Fannich or carry on straight up the hill. Marched on up the path still not sure what I was doing - nothing new there then. A few little water falls on the river as you climb up.
 One of the 2 or 3 trees around here. That hill don't seem to be getting any closer. Nothing for it but to push on along  the boggy path. Still thinking about will I, won't I ? cross and climb up Creag Dubh Fannich, till I saw the length of the heather over there and decided I would be better off on the path.

8.28am :- and the sun came up onto the path.

Creag Dubh Fannich  on the left with Beinn Liath Mhor straight ahead, the river getting narrower now. That will be easy to cross then further up?? (right). Nice path here but not for long you play hunt the path after this and then bog city to cross.
8.56am :- and I found out I have to cross the river, now remember that nice wee burn in the last photo well some so and so made it a good bit wider further up.


Thought about crossing here but decided against it and played bog trot alongside the burn for a while. No path to be found up here just make your own way through the bog.
9.48am :- got my first real view of Beinn Liath Mhor in the sunlight.
Beinn Liath Mhor
Route one time as straight a line as I could make towards Beinn Liath Mhor. Damn river still to cross. It's just in that dip ahead in the photo where the green is.


Around NH 244 727 I crossed the river faint signs that other people had come this way. Good stepping stones here to get across, and I didn't fall in. Getting better at these river crossings, probably going to regret saying that next time I have a river to cross, lol. Tougher ground on the other side of the river with long heather and bog to make your way through. Doesn't last too long and as you get higher the heather shortens and the walking gets easier. As you come over the rise  Beinn Liath Mhor is there in front of you.


See the vapour trail in the sky? It was such a clear sky I got a reasonable photo of the plane as it flew over me. 15 times zoom but it's digital and not as sharp as optical would be.

The plane was heading south, Trans-Atlantic probably.
Just over the rise Loch Sgeireach came into view .
Loch Sgeireach
Now just after this was taken a path appeared heading up into the coll below Creag Dubh Fannich and Beinn Liath Mhor, it just started out of nowhere.



Not much of a path but something has been walking up here. Followed the path for a bit. Sometimes it's not the best idea to blindly follow a path as it can lead you astray sometimes.
9.42am :- and Beinn Liath Mhor is right in front of me in the sunshine. I left the path by the way  as I did not like where it was going.


Beinn Liath Mhor east end.

Thinking about which way I would climb up here. Thought about going over to the far side and climbing up but as I got closer to the near side saw there was a big dip down to get to it. Route one then straight ahead.Weather beginning to change a bit now with more cloud coming in, "Hope it stays clear to the summit". Could see Ullapool away off in the distance to the north.
Loch Broom and Ullapool away in the distance.

See the big dip just in the foreground of the photo to get to the north side.
9.52am :- and I have started up the east side of Beinn Liath Mhor with up being the word, pretty rocky as you make your way up. Zig-zagging  as I went to take some of the steepness out.

The only way is up.
7.6km to here with about 1km to go to the summit. At 711m, 954m at the top.

The view back down to where I had come up to here.

Loch Sgeirech in the foreground and Loch Glascarnoch in the distance. That's where the car is parked.
Ground gets grassy now with boulder fields ahead as you make your way up. A wee bit slippy on the grass.

Easy walking up through here, the boulder field is not bad either.


Not far to the top now. The wind was picking up about here pretty strong too. Put my jacket back on for the walk to the summit just up over the ridge.


Saw this and wonder if it was the summit or not. It is exciting ain't it? Wind speed about 50mph + here. Didn't see that in the forecast.
10.30am :- on  the summit of Beinn Liath Mhor,  Munro No147 for me.
Hunkered down on the lee of the cairn for a cup of warm coffee and some nosh.  Too windy to stand and take photos so I took this scary photo by holding the camera at arms length from me on the summit.

Print this and you could use it to scare mice out of your house, lol.
See that cloud bank in the background that's Munro No2 I will be heading to, Sgurr Mor 1110m.
Got the camera down on the rock and used the self timer for the next scary photo.

It's cold here. A couple of other walkers with a collie dog came up the north side as I was sitting here, an older bloke with his daughter I think. He was chatty but the daughter didn't say much. Dog was fun as it tried to get something to eat from me as it got bawled at.
Now the next bit is important so pay attention - when you leave the summit heading straight for Sgurr Mor as in the next photo.

Don't take route one or you will land in a pickle as I and the 2 with the dog did.

You will end up coming down this steep slope with wet slippy rocks.
Head to the west where you should find a nice path somewhere over there.
Nice path on the west side. Didn't feel too bad as the other 2 did exactly the same as I did and came route one too.
The next challenge Sgurr Mor 1110m in the mist.

Sgurr Morr.

Well this is a two parter so you will have to wait for the next instalment. In the new year prob.
Part 2 Sgurr Mor and Meall Gorm and will I make it back to the car before dark at 5pm?
And the stushie (altercation) in the chip shop!

Dino60