Victor Meldrew and I enjoyed another stupendous day in the hills yesterday, climbing Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre out on Rannoch Moor. The weather forecast had been good, and I set off with high hopes and no waterproof trousers. As we set off northwestwards up the track accross the moor, the rain started and the mist blew around us and the temperature dropped. Most worryingly the wind swung round to the NE, where the bad weather that day was supposed to be.
Nevertheless, we followed the tracks up to the foot of Carn Dearg and then waded through heather and bracken up onto its grassy ridge. The long ridge to the summit is a lovely walk, gently rising from 750 to 950m, past a series of lochans. As we pulled up the final climb to the summit, fog came crawling round its shoulders and engulfed us in it wet embrace. Victor bemoaned the disappearing views, but cheered himself up by saying, "at least I've got my waterproof trousers if it gets really bad".
Once on the summit, new cultural depths were plummed by my esteemed colleague. It seems that Carn Dearg was his 100th Munro and that a celebration was due. I was handed his camera and asked to wait, he posed at the summit, with a half bottle of champagne spewing merrily around the cairn. "Don't take the photo yet" he said. OK - I thought, not entirely sure why. Then in freezing wind, rain and fog, he took off his coat, his shirt and his T-shirt in order to pose with his bottle of bubbly whilst displaying his repugnant naked torso. He's clearly not a well man.
As we sat for some lunch in the little stone shelter by the summit, the clouds suddenly cleared and wonderful views opened up all around us. 50ft of visibility turned into unrestricted views in every direction - in a a matter of minutes. First Glen Coe appeared, the the Mamores, and Grey Corries. Even Ben Nevis was cloud free! Then the Black Mount, Bridge of Orchy hills and the Lawers Group appeared, followed by the steep cone of Schiehallion. The cliffs of Creag Meagaidh were visibile, and Glen Etive's hills and Criese' ski-tows could be spotted. Way to the south Cruachan's distinctive crag came into view while to its west, mighty Ben Lui graced us with a glimpse. Ben Alder wore its clouds like a hat, long after the other hills had felt the sun on their summits, but even this great, shy, remote mountain eventually felt the sunshine on its cairn. A packed lunch has rarely tasted so good, as we sat on the top and watched a long goods train snaking its way Northwards accross the moor.
Cursory greetings were exchanged with a gruff Yorkshireman on his way to Culra bothy, to while away the night chatting to its legendary spooky occupant! We turned Eastwards accross the wide saddle that links the two mountains, over Sgor Gaibhre and back Southwards to the car, a mile or so from Rannoch station. As we descended, the million-puddled bogs of Rannoch Moor sparkled like a vast sequined blanket laid out before us, shimming in the dipping evening sunlight.
Along with the great views it was also good to see birds of prey, red squirrels, ptarmigan, brilliant dragon flies, and countless frogs. As we climbed up to Sgor Gaibhre a large herd of red deer came running up the glen from the south, over the hill and dissappeared down towards Loch Ossian.
The hills of Rannoch Moor may not be the most absorbing mountains, in and of themselves. They lack great cliffs or crags of Glen Coe, and don't have the majesty of a Ben Lui or the symmetry of Schiehallion. However, they present a nice challenge, 25k+ of walking and some good climbs. They present lots of wildlife and, out in the middle of Rannoch Moor, just enough of a hint of wilderness to make it a really special day out.
Victor's contribution to the wildlife and wilderness theme was to have a particularly flatulent day - depressingly winning 8-4 by the end of the walk. His performance in this regard has only been bettered in my experience by Lord Provan of Mearns who is a legend in the field.
I got back home for just after 7pm - in time to put the kids to bed. But I'm itching to get back to the hills again before winter sets in.
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