Over The Hill

Day 2 of our Blair Atholl weekend, and the weather was looking better for today than had been forecast throughout the week, but there was still the possibility of some very low cloud and fog hanging over the higher tops; however, ever hopeful we set off once again for Drumochter Pass, this time to layby 79 and our starting point for Sgairneach Mhor and Beinn Udlamain our twin objectives for today.

A short zigzag down under the railway pass then an easy river crossing and we were soon striding up the good estate track heading into Coire Dhomhain, but, unlike last year, when we made the very long walk to the head of the coire and approached Sgairneach Mhor from the west, today we left the estate track after about a kilometre and crossed the Allt Coire Dhomhain to ascend the deep heather clad slopes of the minor 758m un-named top that sits across a deep gully to the west of The Sow of Atholl, another of last years conquests.

Clambering through the deep heather we traversed below the 758m top, crossing a minor gully, to reach the broad north east ridge of Sgairneach Mhor, with it's gently rising slopes of grass and a few rough stony patches making for a relatively straightforward approach to the summit cairn at 991m. And, as forecast, we were shrouded in low cloud, having passed above the cloud base as we ascended through the 850m height, and with the cloud came quite a chilling breeze as we huddled behind the cairn for a short break.

Just as we were about to depart the summit, we were joined by two young men who suddenly appeared out of the mist from the west - the owners of the car that we had parked alongside in layby 79, they having set off much earlier than us, and doing an anti-clockwise circuit, as opposed to our clockwise round - apparently, Sgairneach Mhor was the only top in mist, as they had stood on Beinn Udlamain, our next objective, looking over at a mist covered Sgairneach Mhor; so hopefully we would soon see the last of this mist and low cloud.

However, until then, it was compasses out and walking on a bearing over this featureless summit, very reminiscent of last year, only now we were going in the opposite direction and heading down towards the broad bealach between Sgairneach Mhor and the southern ridge of Beinn Udlamain. And sure enough, as we dipped below the 900m height we broke out of the mist and ahead of us, over the bealach clear views of Beinn Udlamain's southern ridge and its flat dome summit.

Across the bealach and we started the steady pull up this rather pleasant ridge, with views down Coire Dhomhain and back to Sgairneach Mhor, from which the mist was gradually lifting. However as we looked westwards across Loch Ericht to the higher 1100m plus peaks with their tops still firmly entrenched in cloud it was obvious that we were just managing to keep our heads below the cloud base.

If the cairn on Meall Chuaich yesterday took the prize for size and neat construction, then the one marking the 1011m summit of Beinn Udlamain must take a prize for comfort and versatility in wind protection - the cairn having a number of "spokes" projecting from it forming alcoves around 360 degrees therefore offering shelter from the elements irrespective as to which direction the wind is blowing, and, within each alcove, some well placed rocks make very comfortable seating areas - a first class cairn by all standards.

The broad, grassy summit plateau of Beinn Udlamain makes for very pleasant walking as you head north north east to a small marker cairn before taking a dog-leg track to just beyond the un-named 902m top from where we made an easy descent south west through the heather, keeping on the western side of a deep gully, until we rejoined the estate track in Coire Dhomhain for an steady walk back to layby 79.

Two fine mountains to end a fine weekend walking, and of course, the fine dining and comfort of the Atholl Arms Hotel! - Great company too - Thanks everyone.