Friday 1 April 2016

Meall Chomraidh

31 March 2016

Participants: Just me
Where: Meall Chomraidh, 466m, Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 42/51, NN 483556
 
It's a long drive to the far end of Loch Rannoch but worth it as there are some nice hills around there. Last year I did Leagag, today I was after its neighbour, Meall Chomraidh, a latish addition to the Marilyn list. I parked in the Braes of Rannoch church car park, famous in the hillwalking world as being the charge of the Rev A E Robertson, the first man to climb the Munros, although he accomplished that feat before he arrived at Rannoch. The church is open to visitors and has provided a note both about the building and about Rev Robertson. Very interesting and the church is worth a visit if you're in the area.
 
Meall Chomraidh stands at the head of Loch Rannoch; this is the view of it from the church.....
 
 
I walked back along the road towards Bridge of Gaur and then followed the route of this old drove road for about half a mile.....
 
 
There was some pipe work going in so it looks as if there might be another small hydro scheme under construction. I left the track where a wall and fence went up the hillside, it was a bit muddy in places and I would imagine that when the heather is at its height it might not be particularly pleasant. But it was all right today and there were traces of tracks and some grassy runnels to ease progress. As expected, it was a wonderful viewpoint. There was a Vanessa and a cairn, although the highest point seems to be a rock a few metres south of the cairn. There was an uninterrupted view down Loch Rannoch.....
 
 
Leagag and the north side of some of the Glen Lyon hills.....
 
 
A snow covered Meall Buidhe in Glen Lyon.....
 
 
There were showers about, mainly over the higher hills. Here, Ben Alder is catching a heavy one.....
 
 
and although it passed over fairly quickly, the highest tops remained stubbornly in cloud.....
 
 
Stob na Cruaich and Leum Uilleim.....
 
 
Beinn Pharlagain.....
 
 
It was another demonstration of what great viewpoints the sub-2k's are for the higher hills. The view would have been completely spoilt if the Talladh a'Beithe wind farm had gone ahead. Hopefully, that will never happen. It might not have been seen from the road but it would certainly have been seen from the tops of all of the surrounding hills.
 
And the weather cleared up completely on the drive home so Schiehallion was looking at its best towering above Loch Rannoch.....
 
 
 
 

1 comment:

blueskyscotland said...

That's the great thing about the lower hills. They often miss the bad weather and provide smashing views.