[Trip Index] [Munro Index] [Home] 25th March 2004   Meall Glas Sgiath Chuil Map You can't park your car on the private road to Auchessan so I parked it on the verge of the A85 just a few feet past the entrance to the road then set off up the road to the farm building. Beyond the farm a path led over grass and followed the right-hand bank of a stream for quite a long way - a couple of miles of gradual ascent, through peat hags in the latter stretches. Directly ahead of me was my immediate target, Meall Glas, appearing as a ridge running from left to right with a rounded peak at each end. The summit peak is the one on the left (west) side, but it was difficult to tell that without the help of a map. Meanwhile over on the right I could see the bulk of Sgiath Chuil rising above the moor - it's supposed to look like a ship's prow but I couldn't make that out. Meall Glas Sgiath Chuil As I got nearer to the mountain the ground steepened and the way wound round some crags which would have been easy in summer - which were still easy, I suppose, but needed more care because of the snow which was covering the steeper ground. It became a bit of a slog at this point, mostly because of the snow but also because of the constant wind - not a raging wind but a persistent, moderately strong wind which wouldn't let up. Nevertheless the visibility was ok so I had no navigation problems and despite not being able to see a path I reached the top at 12.10, having started out at 9.05. Me at the top of Meall Glas A quick munch then I started off towards Sgiath Chuill. This meant walking the length of the Meall Glas ridge, over a small mid-way top and the second, eastern 'top', which is called Beinn Cheathaich. From there I could look across to Sgiath Chuill and ponder the best approach. The valley between the two mountains was quite a way down, a drop to about the 2000 ft level, and the opposing hillside looked very steep. There were some crags immediately to the east of me so I followed the guide book's advice by making a short detour north before circling round and descending to the valley, No problems encountered apart from feeling a bit tired, my knee hurting and stepping in an icy waterhole concealed under the snow. My feet had been nice and dry so far despite all the snow I'd trudged through. The valley was boggy and looking at the mountainside facing me I couldn't see any way up. According to the book you could just go straight up the side, but it looked far too steep for that, at least in these snowy conditions. I mulled over just opting out and continuing south along the valley to return to the car… tempting, but stubbornness, steadfastness or stupidity prevailed. I walked north instead, looking for a less steep way of getting on to the ridge and eventually found a place where it looked possible. It was still steep and snowy and I had to use hands and feet and even knees in some places, but at last I managed to haul myself up onto the ridge. From there it was a reasonably easy walk to the first top, Meall a Churain, and then along the fairly level heights to reach the summit at 2.40. The ridge from Meall a Churain Summit of Sgiath Chuil Towards the end I'd been following the tracks of a man being pursued by a dreadful dog-like beast - and I was able to continue following these back down in a south-westerly direction. (At the top it's craggy due south, by the way, so you need to just back track a few yards before setting off down.) A long but easy jog back now, through snow at first and then across the brown heathland with the imposing grandeur of the snow-capped Ben More beckoning me on. I forded the first large stream I came to and carried on to the next one where I was able to pick up the outbound path and follow it back to the farm. Back at the car by 4.30. The way back The weather had been ok - no precipitation of any kind, just that strong cool, northerly wind at the top of Meall Glas. Grey clouds, some sunny patches and a mild temperature apart from at the top of MG. It was better on SC for some reason. Spent the night in the Bridge of Orchy bunkhouse again and drove home the next day.