Tuesday 12 July 2016

Meall nan Eagan

12 July 2016

Participants: Just me.
Where: Meall nan Eagan, 658m/2,159', Graham, Map 42, NN 597875
 
The forecast didn't look promising for the foreseeable future so as today was half decent, I decided to get out and climb this Graham which was my only unclimbed Marilyn in the area. I left the house reasonably early so managed a hassle free drive to Dalwhinnie. I parked at the entrance to an old quarry immediately opposite the track that is marked as an old drove route to Feagour which was also my route to the hill.....
 
 
There are a lot of new tracks in this area; this is a particularly unsightly one heading up the Fara.....
 
 
There was a diversion route past the keepers house and then it was back on to the track which now wound its way through a beautiful wee glen. My hill appeared in front of me for the first time.....
 
 
 
The track crossed the river a couple of times but as there were no bridges and it looked to be deep enough to get wet feet, I stayed on the north bank, where there were traces of a path. The track ended in a flat area that was a bit wet underfoot but not too bad going.....
 
 
I headed for the east ridge, a mix of heather, grass and rock outcrops but which provided not too bad going.....
 
 
From about half way up there was a good view east to the conspicuous Creag Dubh at Newtonmore and along Speyside.....
 
 
The sun had made a fleeting appearance as I approached the hill but by the time I reached the cairn I could see rain approaching from the west. The highest point was a few stones laid against an old fence post; this picture has the Fara in the background.....
 
 
Another view east to Strathspey.....
 
 
and the big Munros to the west, here, the Beinn Eibhinn group and Geal Charn south of Loch Laggan.....
 
 
There was also a good view into the deep gashes of the Dirc Mhor and Dirc Bheag to the north of the Fara but as the weather now didn't look very promising I didn't bother going down to have a look but simply headed back to the track. I got caught in a heavy shower as I walked back along the track. All in all however, it wasn't a bad day to make a visit to a bit of country that felt quite remote.

Tuesday 5 July 2016

Little Conval

4 July 2016

Participants: Just me
Where: Little Conval, 552m/1,811', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 28, NJ 294393
 
I had omitted climbing Little Conval when I climbed its twin, Meikle Conval, a few years ago and ever since had been wondering how I could fit it in without having to make a 200 mile plus round trip for it alone. Now was my opportunity.....
 
 
I drove round to Dufftown and parked in the Golf Club car park. There was no-one around to ask permission from and the course was almost deserted so I guessed that no-one would bother- I was right. The hill track started a hundred yards west of the car park, went through a field and meandered gently up to the col between the two Convals before continuing up the one that I was aiming for. This is a view of the slightly bigger Meikle Conval from the track.....
 
 
A little early sunshine soon gave way to cloud and there were a few showers about. However, all the tops were clear so it wasn't a bad day to be out. These are views of Meikle Conval and Ben Rinnes from high up the track.....
 
 
 
Although it seemed to be a fairly popular local walk, there wasn't much in the way of a cairn. This is it looking south to the Buck.....
 
 
and west to Ben Rinnes where a shower was passing over.....
 
 
There were lots of distilleries to the north.....
 
 
It was back the same way with the whole walk plus stops taking just 2 hours 15 minutes. Then it was down to Tomintoul for a plate of soup before the drive over the Lecht to Braemar and eventually home. It was raining from Stirling home, so I had had the best of the day.

Carn na Loine

3 July 2016

Participants: Just me
Where: Carn na Loine, 549m/1,800', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 27, NJ 070361

The MBA Trustees meeting was being held at Laggan and although the forecast wasn't great, I decided that as I was in the north-east, I might as well take the opportunity to add a couple of new Marilyns. Carn na Loine is an unremarkable moorland hill to the north-east of Grantown on Spey. It is reached by a minor road off the B9102. This road was very quiet so I wasn't worried about parking in one of the grassy lay-bys near to the start point, the houses at Auchnagallin. This is the hill seen from the road.....


The initial walk was along the track with the hill showing up in front (centre).....


It was a pleasant enough walk and, although cloudy overhead, the Cairngorms were clear behind me.....

I left the track just before its high point and where it swung round to the east. Then it was a case of head down and bash through a mix of grass and heather. As this is I guess a rarely visited hill, there was no trace of a path.

There was a trig, this is looking past it to Ben Rinnes.....


and to the Cairngorms.....


but basically it was just moorland in all directions, to the west and north.....


and to the east.....


Not much more to say about this one!