Over The Hill

A fine weather forecast had Janet suggesting we head for Meall Greigh, one of the Lawers Munros that she had yet to climb. And so it was that we arrived at the Lawers Hotel to find all the walkers parking already taken, and a not to helpful member of staff telling us rather abruptly to move our cars the moment we stopped to check out the parking. So much for welcome to Lawers Hotel! However, we crossed the road and asked the local farmer if we could park by his barns and he was happy to let us; faith restored in local hospitality; and no prizes for guessing where we did not go for our customary drinks when we finished the walk!

Beyond the Horn Carvers Shop we turned left onto the well established track that rises up through the woodlands above the Lawers Burn to the open hillside at the scattered remnants of the once populated shielings to the west of the rounded mound of East Mealour. Directly ahead lay the heather and grass clad slopes of Meall Greigh towards which we headed, picking the best line ahead over the pathless terrain until, just below the summit of the 805m minor top of Sron Mhor, we encountered a path, coming in from the west which contoured around just below the summit of Sron Mhor and onwards up the southern ridge of Meall Greigh directly to the unimpressive cairn marking the 1001m summit.

Clear blue skies we may have had, but on the summit there was a distinct chill to the rather stiff breeze blowing across the exposed summit, but this certainly did not detract from the fact that Janet was happy as she ticked off this elusive Munro from her list. A change of plan on the summit and rather than heading west towards the Lairig Innein, we swung generally east down easy grassy slopes for about 1km before swinging generally south to take a long, curving descending contour around the lower slopes of Meall Greigh eventually making the short ascent onto the 504m summit of East Mealour, a lovely grassy top with a few scattered trees, and a fine viewpoint along the length of Loch Tay.

A short descent from East Mealour and we rejoined the forest track for out return to Ben Lawers Farm, and a pleasant chat with our friendly farmer before retrieving our cars and heading of into Killin for refreshments, giving the Lawers Hotel a heave-ho, and all without the help of Alan!