[Trip Index] [Munro Index] [Home] 22nd May 2006   Beinn a Ghlo   Carn Liath Braigh Coire Chruinn-Bhalgain Carn nan Gabhar Map Beinn a Ghlo is the name of the massif to which these hills belong - a great outing with fine, interesting ridge walks and interconnections. On this day the tops were all clear of cloud and I encountered no rain. I had opted to use the route suggested by the SMC guide book instead of Cameron's route which seems totally insane - he recommends an 8 km bike ride followed by a walk over an intervening ridge and finishing at the end of the climb with a long walk back to the bike. The SMC way seems much more sensible. Anyway, Trisha dropped me at the end of the public road by Loch Moraig at 8.40 and I had an easy amble from there along the cart-track to the foot of Carn Liath. The mountain itself is a rounded conical shape, covered mostly with heather, with a very distinct path running directly up its SW side. Where the path goes white stones have been uncovered and seem to highlight the route from afar. Carn Liath As it got higher the path got steeper and zig-zagged tediously on and on. I got to the top at 10.30 and by then there was a strong north wind blowing and it was really, bitterly cold. I had all my layers on but the combination of wind and cold had me wondering whether to return without doing the other two peaks. I didn't fancy another 4 hours of those conditions. I decided to push on though and was rewarded with a subsequent lessening of the wind and a slight rise in temperature although it was still pretty cold. Looking from the trig point to the summit cairn on Carn Liath From Carn Liath's summit an excellent ridge walk winds North to North East and then drops down to a low point before beginning the ascent of Braigh Coire Chruinn-Bhalgain. This ascent has an easy gradient as it angles up the side of the hill and I arrived at the summit at 12.00. Looking back I could see a chap in a bright red anorak following on about 20 minutes behind me. Braigh Coire Chruinn-Bhalgain And me at the summit From the top of Braigh Coire Chruinn-Bhalgain it was a pleasant walk down along the eastern ridge, then passing to the left of a slight rise in the ground I was able to get onto the northern ridge at its low point and descend more steeply to the junction of the two mountains. The path now led diagonally up the hillside, easy enough and after gaining the col between Airgiod Bheinn and Carn nan Gabhar it was a simple walk to the top over rough, rocky ground. There are three high points on Carn nan Gabhar, all lined up on the stony summit plateau. A cairn marks the first, then a couple of hundred yards to the NE is the trig point, and finally, another couple of hundred yards further on is the true summit, marked, of course, by another cairn. (1.20) Looking from the trig point to the summit cairn of Carn nan Gabhar On my return from the summit I met the red anorak man who was pausing to enjoy the view at the first cairn. I paused to say hello and he told me he intended descending via Airgiod Bheinn, a route which I also intended taking. I carried on to the end of the main ridge, ascending Airgiod Bheinn in the process, and then descended the steep hillside to the south, over rocks at first and later heather. Eventually I got down to the glen but could find no trace of the supposed path by the Allt Coire Lagain. Carn Liath seen from Airgiod Bheinn Descending to the Allt Coire Lagain Resignedly I forged my own path and finally got back to the original cart-track which had taken me to Carn Liath. That left me with an easy stroll back to the start (4.30) and a brief (20 min) wait for Trisha to pick me up. (She'd been to Kirriemuir to visit her friend, Dee)