Walking Forum
Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Scotland => Topic started by: April on 19:23:34, 02/09/20
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The wind had died down overnight and midges were out and about as we put the tent away. We summited Craig Neldricken then walked toward Craignairny. We weren't going on to that summit, just skirting it to get to the col between it and Craignaw. The ground was very rough underfoot again and progress was very slow. Where there are paths there are people we said but we thought we could put up with a few more people if we could have easier walking underfoot ;)
Loch Enoch and Mullwarchar
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Our route from Craig Neldricken ahead
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That is Craignairny with Dungeon Hill behind. We were going to keep to the high ground above the crags and we could see a trod of sorts.
Merrick and Loch Enoch
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Wild goats on Craignairny
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Loch Neldricken
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The rough traverse of Cragnairny
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Craignaw ahead from the slopes of Craignairny
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We were standing above above a bit of a drop here and we had to zig zag again avoiding the crags descending rough and steep grassy slopes. It took about twice as long as I had thought to do this route, the ground was far worse than I had imagined it would be. Not a route for beginners or one to do in clag.
Dungeon Hill
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Looking back at the route from Craignairny
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We'd spotted a bit of a trod and we followed this upward onto the slopes of Craignaw.
Craignaw summit from our lunch spot
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We stopped for some lunch here, laughing that we'd only done a mile and a quarter. We sat working out which way we would go up to the summit. We thought the grassy gully on the left looked the best way up.
The devil's bowling green
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Looking back down the gully
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It was steep but straightforward.
Merrick and Loch Enoch from the top of the gully
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On Craignaw summit
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The grassy gully was a good choice because it led straight to the summit. We had enjoyed the route up to the summit from the col, an interesting ascent.
Loch Dee and Curleywee in view from Craignaw
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Dungeon Hill and Loch Doon from Craignaw
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A look back at our way down from Craignaw
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We walked toward Snibe Hill. The descent wasn't too bad under foot there was a lot of flat rock to walk on which was better than the rough grass. It was easier than I thought it would be too, the crags were few and far between and we made good progress. We'd really enjoyed this mountain.
Boggy rough walking at times
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Loch Narroch and Loch Valley from the descent of Craignaw
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Looking back to Snibe Hill
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There was one point where we had to do a bit of bottom mountaineering to get down a steep grassy gully between the crags. An enjoyable descent this one, better than the one down Craignairny.
Loch Valley, Benyellary and Merrick
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We climbed on a trod toward Clints of the Buss but this petered out after a while and it was back to make your own way up the rough hillside.
Loch Narroch from the climb up to Clints of the Buss
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Long Loch of Glenhead with a peep of Loch Trool
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After what seemed like a year we reached the ridge. Or Rig, that is Rig of the Jarkness to the right of the loch. We weren't going that way though we were going toward Craiglee where we hoped to pitch.
Dow Loch
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This was the second Dow Loch we'd seen today; there is another between Craignaw and Snibe Hill
Craiglee summit from our pitch
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We found a pitch fairly quickly and we were relieved because we were really tired. It had taken almost 7 hours to do 4 miles :o That included our lunch stop time.
We spotted some wild goats on some rocks to our left.
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The MSR on Craiglee
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The midges were out in force and we sat in the tent with the flysheet half off for ventilation. Thankfully the wind picked up so we could sit outside to have our tea. We'd got some water from a nearby lochan and it was crystal clear even before filtering.
The sun going down behind the cloud
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We had to sit in the tent for the sunset because the wind had died down and it was midge hell again. These photos were taken with my camera lens peeping through a gap in the zip on the inner. The cloud had built up again so not a great sunset.
A bit of a red glow
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We had some wine and hoped for easier walking underfoot tomorrow.
Day 2 was Craig Neldricken - slopes of Craignairny - Nick of the Dungeon - Craignaw - Snibe Hill - Brocklochs - Clints of the Buss - Craiglee. 4 miles, 431m ascent and 450m descent.
Day 2 route map
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Those granite hills look really interesting. As do the wild goats!
The midges I could do without though. :D
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The midges I could do without though. :D
Aye, me too :) We had spray with us, I just need to use it in future!
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tremendous O0
Those goat horns are scary looking :o
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Like the horny devils ;D
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Looks great when you can't see the midges
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Looks great when you can't see the midges
... or feel them :D
7 hours to do 4 miles? Now you're talking my language :-[ :D
Another smashing looking walk O0
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Another smashing looking walk O0
It looked smashing :D
Liked the horny devils but hated the midges