Creag Meagaidh

There are some hill-days which stick out from all the others as truly memorable. Stob Binnien, my first Munro, the curved ridge on the Buachaille, An Teallach, Beinn Alligin, Liathach, Lochnagar, Ladhar Beinn, the ring of Steall, Ben Lui, and Cairn Toul all spring immediately to mind, as days I hope never to forget.

There are other hill-days which have been lamentable. Failing to find the summit of Ben Chonzie in fog, starting to climb Ben Lui from the wrong car-park and not being able to ford the river, the disgusting weather the 2nd time I climbed Stob Binnien, and having my feet sliced by old boots on some dreary Geal Charn or other, all spring to mind.

Yesterday is a hill day I wil never forget. I am glad to report however that this is for all the right reasons. Perth's self-styled Victor Meldrew, picked me up at 8 and by 9:45, we were heading up the track from Loch Laggan into the Coire Adair - the heart of the great mountain Creag Meagaidh. We gained height gradually, on the maintained path that takes you, first around the farm and then, high into the Glen. The track terminates at a beautiful lochan, with really tasty, clean water, where fish were jumping and where the sun broke through the clouds for the first time that day. Immediately behind the lochan are the most amazing cliffs which drop hundreds of meters sheer down to the water. Vast shards of rock thrust skyward from the valley floor, and we stood in awe underneath the vast triple-buttress which makes this hill famous.

From the Lochan we started up the steep climb up to 'the window' the narrow rocky notch in the ridge through which Bonnie Prince Charlie is said to have effected an escape. 'The window' is a desolate, cold, and rocky place, through which icy winds funnel - even on a hot day like yesterday, it was freezing cold here! We made the mistake of not going through the window to the far side, where a gentler path leads up the back of the mountain, but turned immediately into the steep hillside, soon making the summit plateau. The summit was cloudy, but by following the Northern cliff-edge we soon found "Mad Meg's Cairn" and then the true summit.

From the summit we headed back to 'the window', following the route of the path which itself followed some old fence posts. From here a simple climb took us along the cliff-edge to the understated summit of Stob Poite Coire Adair. By now the sun was streaming down, and the only cloud to be seen was clinging around the summit of Meagaidh - and rolling gently down the window like dry-ice.

The ridge from Stob Poite.. to Cairn Liath is long and undulating, with a few twists and turns. Navigating could have been tricky in cloud, and had we done the walk in reverse we would have had to have done this. However by mid-afternoon this was no more than a delightful summer high-level amble with views opening up on all sides. From the fourth top the views back into the Coire Adair were 'breathtaking' (for want of a suitable adjective). However, with the sun shining from behind Creag Meagaidh the lochan and cliffs were too much in shadow for good photos. That sun had also badly burnt the backs of my legs!

I was pleased with how I managed this hill - the first Munros of 2006. I'm unfit and had a sore back, but still managed to do the whole hill (21K distance, 1,275m ascent) without too much problem. My sense of achievement was put into perspective though when we met three lads running around the same route as us, one of whom was completely blind.

The day ended with a good piece of steak at the Monadliath Hotel, where Victor Meldrew and I ate outside in the evening sunshine - before the drive back home.

If only it could be like this all the time.