It was still dark when I parked on an area of rough ground on the Monzie Road, opposite Loch Moraig, accessed from the village of Blair Atoll. As dawn appeared I walked the few metres east to the gates giving access to the vehicle track for Shinagag then along this track with some cattle nearby but far enough away not to cause any problems. The silence was broken by the roaring of the stags and the squawking of the crows in the woods near Loch Moraig.
After around two kilometres I came to the path for Carn Liath but continued along the estate track to the south of this Munro where the roaring of the stags intensified and in daylight I could now spot them. At the junction with the track for Shinagag I kept going east to the walkers path, peaty and boggy in places, which ran below Beinn Bheag to the Bealach an Fhiodha. Prior to entering the coire of the Allt Bealach an Fhiodha I left this path, walked through some long heather losing a bit of height, to reach and cross the Allt Bealach an Fhiodha.
The route continued below Airgiod Bheinn over a mixture of vegetation then across the Allt Coire Lagain before I ascended Meall na h-Eilrig initially through long heather and peat hags. On reaching the summit of this Graham Top I found some shelter from a cool breeze while watching the deer on the lower slopes of Airgiod Bheinn and Carn nan Gabhar.
It was an easy descent to the col with the Munro, Carn nan Gabhar, avoiding the peat bog. I then ascended a grassy rake, interspersed higher up by heather and boulders, to gain Carn nan Gabhar’s South West Ridge. A short walk led to its south cairn then across some rocks to the trig point and beyond the summit cairn.
Fortunately I had some views as on returning along the South-West Ridge low cloud engulfed the summit. On reaching the col with Airgiod Bheinn I descended via a path to the Bealach an Fhiodha. From there it was a steady climb on a zigzag path before the gradient eased and I made my way to the summit of Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain, marked by a cairn, although a nearby rock was apparently the highest point of this Munro.
Initially I descended south before turning west to reach the col with Carn Liath meeting a few folks going in the opposite direction.
This was followed by a steady climb to Beinn Mhaol then an easy stroll round Coire na Saobhaidh to the cairn on Carn Liath.
The descent of this Munro was on a badly worn scree path then low down it was across some boggy ground to reach the estate track used that morning which I followed back to the start.
- Time taken – 8 hours.
- Distance – 23 kilometres.
- Height climbed – 1340 metres.