A stunning rainbow and eagles in Glen Banchor.....Creag Liath

Hill: Creag Liath (Grey Cliff)

Type: Fiona

Height: 743m

I took the opportunity to tick off this Fiona with the good lady's support. Well that means she would join me for the walk up beautiful Glen Banchor but she would only go as far as the end of the stony estate track after which she would return and I would bash the hill.

Creag Liath from the start

The walk in is the same as for the 3 Munro circuit, parking a couple of miles up the single track from Newtonmore.

Good lady survived the coo field

The good lady was a bit apprehensive as the walk start had a big sign saying beware cattle and calves ahead. A local dog walker said that the farmer was well known for putting bits of livestock around this area, known for his pettiness she added. She did say that this years cattle/calves were less spooky than last years, not sure this totally reassured the good lady! Walked up to the ruins, another beautiful area that had a large population before being cleared for sheep but luckily for them they were rehoused in Newtonmore.

Glen Banchor impressively rugged glen at the best of times became quite spectacular when the light rain brought on a stunning rainbow. I dont think that I have ever seen a lower rainbow.

Maximum zoom far clearer through the binos

Just after we spotted this beauty flying high in the sky and only through the binos I spotted another two that could not be seen with the naked eye. The good lady was delighted. Later I looked at the map and noticed that they were flying above Eagle Crag.

Stone track ends muddy stuff coming up

At the end of the stony estate track the good lady turned back and I moved on to the bogfest and this section was as good a muddy bog fest as I have been in for ages. I was heading for where the track splits with right going to the Munros and left up my wee hump. Fifteen minutes of gloopy sodden bog followed before I decided to cut off the heather flanks being preferrable to this stuff. A walk report mentioned following a path but on these lower slopes it was nowhere to be found.

Doesn't look too bad from here but it wasn't pleasant walking

Mumbling not very nice words I hauled my way through up the heather grassy slopes and I stumbled upon an atv track. It was going away from the direct route but I decided to give it a go. The tracks that existed were running with water and still rather boggy, maybe better going back to the direct heather route. Decision taken out of my hands as the atv track disappeared.

Better going nearer the top

I reached the 1^st crags and bypassed them to my left before heading directly up where, you guessed I found a path. It did its best to disappear at times but I reached a crest and could see the summit about a kilometre ahead. A large peat hag negotiated and then it was the final climb where the summit cairn surprisingly appeared.

Track left of trees was the ascent couldnt see the good lady

Carn Dearg on the left

It is a good viewpoint in all directions. Obviously the Monadh Liath Munros. So worth the effort. I could see the estate track and the coo field but but no chance of picking out the good lady. Across the way is another Fiona of Creag Liath.

Found the ATV track

Stunning scenery but still a bogfest

On the way back I followed the track but not long before it disappeared and it was back to heather bashing before finding the ATV track then the boggy trail before reaching the estate track.

This lot will be hoping

that this is unoccupied

Reached the field of coos who had decided to move forward to intercept me but I was too quick for them or more likely they just could not be bothered. I followed the fence and caught some movement out of the corner of my vision. Ambushed? No it was about a dozen red deer hinds who immediately ran away but regathered and stood there ground as I passed moving away from them. A nice finish.

Back to the car to find the good lady waiting. A good ramble with some excellent wildlife.

Ascent: 536m

Distance: 13.2

Time: 3.44

Wildlife: Golden Eagle; Red deer hinds; Meadow Pipits; Buzzard

Two Grahams in Amulree and the rut is starting

Hills: Meall nan Chaorach (625m), Meall Reamhar (620m)
Category: Graham,
Height: n/a
After yesterdays 4 Munros the legs felt ok so as per my plan I decided to climb these 2 Grahams on the way home.
I parked up at the farm entrance but if more than 1 car park back at Amulree village. The track to the hills is signposted ‘Harrietown 7miles‘.

A short walk to get around the farm (Girron) then the track goes out onto the moorland. 

Trail in Bhealach is the V

At the first gate a dead sheep lies in the stream, looks fresh is it to be collected, but don’t drink the water!!

The SMC guide suggests heading right from here across the rough ground and doing a ridge walk to Meall Reamhar but my achy legs are following this track to the Bhealach.

Grainy zoom of the harem, a stag in there and 2 watching

About 20 red deer hinds are on my left between Dalreoch Hill and Creag Bhiorach with a stag amongst them. Looks like 2 more stags higher up waiting for there chance. Then on my right a huge chocolate brown stag has spotted me and moves fast firstly heading towards Reamhar before cutting across the track and was last seen heading towards the herd, another contender.

A few grouse fly from the heather and just before I reach the bealach a golden eagle glides over Caorach then circles Reamhar where it is bombed by a fast small bird, peregrine maybe?

Follow the fence to the top

50 minutes from the start I make the short but steep ascent of Meall Reamhar, mainly following the new fence but take care as lots of old wire waiting to trap you. Near the top a hare runs from its scrape and a red kite flies over. Not sure whether it was me or the kite that sent the hare scampering.

Reamhar cairn Schiehallion in distance

20 minutes later at the cairn, taking in the views, the Lomond Hills very close. A good view of Meall nan Caorach opposite.

Lomond Hills Perth in between

I was in two minds about doing both but what the hell, back down the fence line and up the other. I swear the gradient is steeper here, either that or yesterday is catching up fast. This fence has not been renewed but still plenty of wire to snag you.

Trig on Meall nan Caorach looking to Reamhar

There is a trig here and the views are excellent. Looking north to Schiehallion, closer Meall Dearg then beyond that I presume it is the Ben Alder range and the Drumochter Munro’s from yesterday. Turning again and the distinctive profile of Lochnagar, just excellent.

Pleasant descent looking to Loch Freuchie

I headed towards Creag Ghorm and then took a much more pleasant descent across easier terrain to meet up with the estate track and back to the car. No sign of the deer they are long gone.

As expected not a another person seen in this delightful place
A short walk and objective achieved, my legs have had enough for this trip.
Wildlife: Red deer, Red grouse, Mountain hare, Golden Eagle, Red Kite
Time: 2.38
Ascent: 1552ft
Distance: 5.78m 

Blath Bhalg Hill of the rutting stags

According to the SMC book this hill translates as ‘pleasant bulge’. As we know, Gaelic is such a atmospheric and descriptive language, that I was unsure about my expectations for this walk. I suppose it depends on where you are looking at the hill from but my route was as per the book, I had quite a few bulges, pleasant or not, an individuals call.
However, this is not a negative review, far from it, I had a superb walk and I would rename it ’hill of the stag’. The timing of the red deer rut not coincidental.
I had driven north this morning and wanted a leg stretcher within my tight timeframe. Just off the A9 and on the Pitlochry-Blairgowrie road was the Graham, Blath Bhalg, 641m in height but a lot less in actual walking.

The Start

Easy to find the start, two aerials stand proud either side of the parking area. Actually, when getting out of the car the northerly wind was chilling, a combination of now no car heater and the real wind chill temperature. Seasons are progressing towards the cold front.
The view ahead from the parking area was to be fair, potentially uninspiring, but there is no such thing as a bad walk.

Boggy ATV track

To avoid clambering through heather simply follow an ATV trail past the ariel and upwards, vague at times, but it takes you uphill all the way to the fence line. At times it does become less easy to spot but it is never far away, stop and look. Some reports mention walking across the heather, fine if you want a shortcut but the easiest way is to follow the track. This track is very boggy in places, particularly after this weather, but easy enough to walk around, however gaiters recommended
Soon into the walk I heard a stag loudly roaring to my right, must be beyond that hillock. Before long I spot four hinds moving quickly across the moor heading towards the area of the roaring, coincidence?

Follow the fence

A straightforward walk alongside Dalnacarn hill and its moorland plateau leads you to the fence line and then simply follow this fence all the way to the summit, great for navigation in poor weather, albeit there are a few minor up and downs on the way. 
I spot a large bird on the top and through the binos an eagle, no doubt. Photos are too blurry to publish but on zoom the wings and tip feathering is clear.
Two other birds dominated today. It was my first visuals this year of large skeins of geese following the northern wind highway south, probably arriving from where I have departed. Plus, this does not appear to be a shooting hill but red grouse were plentiful bursting out of the heather alongside me.

Summit ridge ahead

Following the fence to the top, take a 90 degree right turn which takes you along the up and down ridge to the tops at 637 and 639 and then go the last little bit for the extra views to the south and Loch Broom I think.
On this day not another person in sight, total isolation, the only noise is that from nature, bliss.

Summit looking to Beinn a'Ghlo

For a grey day the sun is still shining in patches and there are great views of Ben Vrackie, the Beinn a’Ghlo ridge going in and out of cloud, Carn Liath hopefully a destination for later in week but not all three Munros for me . 

Scheihallion zoomed

Schiehallion is unmistakable and could that be Ben Nevis behind in the distance as seen through the binos, not in this picture?

Looking to the west top

Summit top reached in 1 hour 10 mins, a short but good walk. Walked to the west top and back. Took my time up top soaking in the views. Then, time to descend, but this took much longer than the ascent and was the best bit. Why, because my eyes could focus on the moor, going slowly and I was deer watching. The roaring could still be heard but where were they?

Lonely stag

Shortly after I began the descent I spotted a sole, but majestic looking stag, standing in the open moorland to my left, he had also spotted me and quickly ran to the trees but he was not prepared to jump the deer fence, the photo is a grainy action shot. He simply ran up the fence line until out of sight. Imagination runs riot, was he a previous Monarch of the Glen or a Young Pretender? Interestingly he was the only stag I saw without hinds.

Stag 2 harem hidden from view

Then movement away to my right. This handsome stag was giving me the eyes, not too far away, and after a minute or so of deliberation he led his small harem of 6 hinds up the same slopes that I had just descended, much quicker going up than me.

Vrackie & Carn Liath

As I came back around Dalnacarn hill I walked over a top and stumbled across a herd of about 20 hinds just below, the wind was in my favour, where had they all appeared from? They were actually very close and then they saw/smelt me and ran away going round the eastern flank whereas I would go to the west. My concern was where was the stag and was I between him and his herd. I know the danger of getting between a testosterone beast and his harem, basically don’t. I didn’t but whatever but it was exciting and I was looking out for him for a while but never even spotted the hinds again.
Further down on my left another group feeding in the distance. The stag never lifted his head from his feeding but in the binos his bulk compared to the hinds, he was a very big boy.

Typical terrain on the descent

So a fairly short hill walk, read some of the online the reports and it seems unadventurous but boy, today it was the opposite, I had a great day. That’s what the hills are about, you just never know what you will see or here.

Time: 2.32 hr
Distance: 4.66m (7.5km)
Height: 997 ft (304 m)