Graeme had decided to come along this time, his first trip in two years and with no training for months. Roy Tugwell had also joined us. Parked at the head of Lochan na Lairige by the cairn looking over the road. The Munro book says restricted space, true but there were other places to park as well. Not too sure how to start but followed a path at the side of the parking area but this soon petered out, or we lost it. Being a lovely sunny day we knew where we were going - over to the ridge (south west) after reaching the Allt Gleann Da-Eig burn. I think we veered too far left as we saw others climbing to the ridge much further up and doing what looked like a better line than us. No problem however except for leaving ourselves a steeper climb to the ridge. Graeme was in trouble. Being so unfit he fell way behind and was continually having to stop and rest - he later claimed it was because the climb was on grass which he hates. On the ridge there is a prominent path and you can
see the line all the way to Meall a'Choire Leith, a much smaller hill. Good views too of Ben Lawers and tomorrows hills. Roy went on up to the cairn, clearly visible a few hundred yards away while I waited for Graeme as concerned about him making it. As it was, once he arived he took on a completely new lease of life and was ahead of us for the rest of the day. Guinness and sandwiches at the top.
Very little one can say about this hill. From Meall Corranaich it just looks like a long flat walk towards a smaller hill. There are a few ups and downs and of course a dip before the climb to this hill. Even so we still lost the route at one point, where the ridge divides into two, enclosing Coire Gorm as the book says. As the path going left is so prominent and the way appearing to be straightforward we completely missed the divide and it was only when we saw we were going off the ridge we realised our error. A traverse over to the right got us back on track. It was good later to see other people behind us do the same - I wonder how many make the same mistake and indeed in mist I'll bet quite a few people would get unstuck, leaving themselves a stiff climb back up to the summit. Plenty of folk at summit and good chats. The way off the summit and back to the car involves a walk in a south west direction over
heather, grass and peat until a path is met. Easy in good weather but careful navigation looks to be essential in mist. We were lucky enough to get onto a path quite quickly but it would take luck to get this in mist. On the path it was just up and down heading towards a col between two mounds. A little bit different from most hills as you actually have quite a long climb up to the col (you don't expect this on a descent). At the stream by a little dam we briefly chatted to a Welshman we had seen at the summit before he rocketed away. The last climb seemed to go on for ever, though not really bad, with Graeme now way ahead and Roy, who is not good on the downhill, way behind. There is a nice ending to this hill. When the path finally gets over the col you are pleasantly surprised by being virtually at the car with the path joining the road a few yards downhill.
