Loch Treig and Loch Ossian: Carn Dearg (231) and Sgor Gaibhre (208)

Walk date: 15/4/13

My Munro #'s: 237 and 238

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
Kaarn jarrack - red hill - 941m
Skor gyra - goat's peak - 955m
Statistics:
Duration - 09:45 - 16:45

Distance -  27.3 km
Total ascent -  1312m
Weather - very mixed.  Dry throughout but never settling on wind, sun, or cloud...
Team - with Paul P

Other hikers: none

After the severe weather of the previous days, it was a relief to have one vaguely forecast to be acceptable.  However, the predicted 60 mph winds meant that we did change the route from a circular ridge walk to one going straight up the glen and then jutting out to each peak, a 'T' if you will!

After a lengthy drive from Pitlochry on exceptionally windy roads, we pitched up near the extremely remote Rannoch Station and started off up the good Landrover track.  This was only slightly delayed by a river crossing slightly too wide and deep to stride through, fortunately the next, bigger, one had a bridge!

To take the glen route, as the turn at a small forest is reached, leave the good path and take the thin trail alongside the Allt Eigheach, this improves as it goes along and it soon meets a deerstalker's track and so widens a little although it was rather wet on this day.

As height was slowly gained we started to enter the snow fields, patchy at first, but then more constant, with plenty of melt-water streams underneath ready to catch you out (up to my knee in one on the way up!).

Making a line up the bank of Carn Dearg, we eventually kicked our way up onto the crest, and were met by the forecast blustery winds, but fortunately also the expected incomparable views across the bleak wilderness of Rannoch Moor and Loch Ossian, over to Beinn na Lap and the imposing Ben Alder group.  We felt truly privileged to be there, but also well aware that this was wild land, and it was our responsibility to work at getting back safely!

After the summit of Carn Dearg, we almost went wrong immediately, strutting off down the northwestern spur before correcting ourselves with a compass bearing!  From there it was plain sailing down and up onto Sgor Gaibhre, simple even on snow.  Only the return down into the glen was problematic as the meltwater streams hiding under the snow were plentiful and deep.

Once back to the path the long stride out beckoned, but a lone hiker in the distance provided a quarry to keep a pace on, and we were soon enough back at the car.

Looking down the glen before the final climb:

Wild Rannoch!

Loch Ossian:

Sgor Gaibhre from Carn Dearg:

Getting closer:

Ben Alder:

Paul on Sgor Gaibhre:

And me: