Monday May 10 at o900, the Fort William bound sleeper drops Pete, Lyn and Bella at Corrour Halt on Rannock Moor. The railway provides the only access to the station, which stands about a kilometer from the West end of Loch Ossian; there's no motor road...it's a lonely spot.
It was a seven kilometre walk along the track beside Loch Ossian to Corrour Lodge at the far end of the loch. In the far distance on the right, still patched with snow, you can see the hills towards which we're bound. The walk out and back over the two Munros to the south of the loch was twenty kilometres in all and we knew we had to be back at the station for the return train before half past six...It was a cold crisp morning and there was no time for dawdling, it was a good track so we stepped out and reached the foot of the far hills in an hour and a half.
Six hundred metres above Loch Ossian; Lyn approaches the crest of the ridge of Meall Nathrach Mor which means "hill of the big adder"; she didn't dawdle when I told her that!
From the cairn on Meall Nathrach Mor the ground rises towards Sgor Choinnich 929, in the background, this is a top rather than the Munro itself which lies beyond.
Looking SW towards Carn Dearg 941m from the upper slopes of Sgor Choinnich.
View from the summit cairn of Sgor Choinnich with Schiehallion in the distance to the SE, beyond Loch Ericht.
From Sgor Choinnich we descended to the 800m Bealach nan Sgor before climbing to the summit of the first Munro of the day...Sgor Ghaibhre 955m "Peak of the goats".
View NE from the upper slopes of Carn Dearg with Ben Alder seen beyond between the twin peaks of Sgor Choinnich and Sgor Gaibhre.
We descend the W ridge of Carn Dearg through the snow flurries towards Loch Ossian far below.
We're in plenty of time for the train and the sun has returned to warm us as we stroll along the old track that leads west towards Corrour beyond the head of the loch in the distance.
The "Corbett" Leum Uilleim 906m forms a backdrop to the last mile of the walk...Corrour station is just out of sight round the last bend in the road.
Corrour Station 5pm. The Scottish Youth Hostel Association have recently re opened the Station House at Corrour; this is on the left out of the picture but don't expect a cup of tea there on a Monday, as we did, it will be closed all afternoon!
1 comment:
I'm not jealous, honestly! You lucky souls, the weather may not have been great (of what I remember, it hardly is round there!), but the scenery is spectacular. It was lovely seeing Schiehallion - I've walked up there once, and apart from a slip on some greasy rocks (which ruined it somewhat!), it was a wonderful route. Rannoch Moor is a beautiful place, thanks for sharing the photos. Looks like you had a good holiday :-) Hope the Mountain Festival walks go well for all of you guys!
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