Rannoch and Glen Lyon: Carn Gorm (103), Meall Garbh (186), Carn Mairg (91) and Meall nan Aighean (Creag Mhor) (169)

Walk date: 07/10/06
My Munro #'s: 87, 88, 89 and 90

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
Kaarn Gor-om - Blue Hill - 1029m,
Myowl Gaarv - Rough Hill - 968m,
Kaarn Mairg - Hill of Sorrow or Boundary Hill - 1041m,
Myowl Yan Yaan - Hill of the Hind - 981m.

The route:


Not a Munro, but still pretty; An Sgorr:


Hill 1; the rounded top of Carn Gorm:


Hills 3 and 4; Cairn Mairg (L) and Meall nan Aighean (R):


Hill 2. Interesting cairn on top of Meall Garbh:


An example of the gentle breeze:


The weather was truly in on Meall nan Aighean:


And only getting worse; the moody and wet descent:


Despite the toe still giving me problems, I was determined to get some more Munros under my belt before the clocks change and winter truly comes in. With a long weekend for me this weekend and the confidence boost from Ingleborough, now was the time to act! The plan was to drive from the 'Deen on Saturday direct to a walk and then back on Sunday after another, with an overnight stay at Pictlochary on the Saturday night.

Walk 1. Saturday. 11:30-17:30. Solo. Weather - windy and wet. This first day then was a circuit of four. Parking in Invervar after some interesting driving along twisty and narrow country roads, I followed the river upstream until I hit the forest path and then out onto the slopes along Invervar Burn. A made-up river crossing took me onto my western heading and Meall Ghlas, from which the exposed top of Carn Gorm is soon reached. It was here that I had first taste of the bad weather of the day, as high buffeting winds welcomed me to the summit bringing with them some sharp, but light rain. Not hanging about, I dropped some height quickly and had a long-overdue spot of lunch on the sheltered northern side as I slapped on some layers.

After what seemed like a long approach to Carn Gorm, Meall Garbh with its metal-clad cairn was soon reached, and it gave way to some nice walking over grassy rounded crests towards Cairn Mairg. When I say nice however, I just mean underfoot as the weather had changed for good, with the wind only increasing and bringing with it some stinging cloud water; if this had been ridge-walking then it would have caused some serious headaches. Fortunately, even the rocky top of Cairn Mairg was relatively safe.

Following Cairn Mairg, a quite steep but safe descent gave way to an easy climb onto Meall nan Arghean, the last peak of the day. As I dropped back below the cloud I was looking forward to better weather, but instead it just seemed to keep getting wetter. The descent back to the forest was quite lengthy and the uneven ground was giving my right knee quite some trouble, so it was with some relief that I finally arrived back in Invervar and could start the drive to Pictlochary with the car's heater whacked up to max!