Glen Lyon Munros

Carm Mairg and Meall nan Aighean from Carn Gorm

Meall Garbh summit

Looking back to Carn Gorm from Meall a' Bharr

Carn Mairg summit

The Lawers range from Carn Mairg

Carn Mairg from Meall nan Aighean

Schiehallion from Meall nan Aighean

Monday 4 May 2015
Ascent:      1480 metres
Distance:   19 kilometres
Time:         5 hours 21 minutes

m      Carn Gorm             1029m    1hr  39mins
t        An Sgorr                   924m    2hrs 01mins
m      Meall Garbh             968m    2hrs 25mins
t        Meall a' Bharr         1004m   3hrs 03mins
m      Carn Mairg              1042m  3hrs 39mins
m      Meall nan Aighean    981m  4hrs 21mins

A typical bank holiday weekend. It had rained all day on Sunday and the prospects in the hills were not promising for Monday with strong winds and a wind chill factor at play. Gregor had come home for the weekend in the hope of a day on the hills so we decided to climb the Glen Lyon munros - not too far away from home and a relatively short day - even though I had already climbed them on this round. We picked up Mark at 8:30am and drove via Killin and the Ben Lawers single track road to reach Glen Lyon and then drove down the glen to Invervar. There were only two other cars in the small parking place.

We set off at the same time as two Geordies and struck up the new track that had been built to serve the micro hydro scheme on the Invervar burn that was under construction. We began to pick up pace after crossing the rickety footbridge and started the steepish path that curves round to Carn Gorm. There were snow patches from about 750 metres but we had made good time in reaching the summit. We took a short break and then a 200 metre drop before beginning the ascent of An Sgorr, the top that stands proud at the head of a glen. We were moving well and reached the strange cairn of Meall Garbh shortly after noon. The phalanx of old iron fence posts surrounding the loose jumble of rocks gave us some shelter from the cold south westerly wind and we consumed all our food.

The walk to Carn Mairg is a long march with a short descent followed by a steeper climb and then a longer section along the ridge to the top of Meall a' Bharr. Again we had to work our way through several large patches of fresh snow. There is an easy walk towards Carn Mairg until it reaches a rocky ridge crest and turns south east for the last half kilometre. The cloudy weather of the morning had graduated into sunny periods and the views were quite good towards the Ben Lawers group and Schiehallion, although it is not the best profile of it from here.

After a short stop at the summit we found a long patch of snow to descend. It was steep enough to ski down in boots although Gregor chose to sledge down and reached a good speed before the flatter col towards Meall Liath was reached. None of us could be bothered climbing the adjacent top of Meall Liath, so we headed south and across the boggy bealach at 840 metres before starting a slanting climb to Meall nan Aighean. It was plastered with snow but nothing requiring ice axes or crampons. The sun was now in ascendency as we reached the summit.

We finished our water and admired the surrounding views before setting out on the path down the ridge to Invervar. We followed an old track curving round to the south and then east before finding an excellent path that had a perfect gradient for a fast descent to the glen and then through the gates and back to the car. We had easily beaten the 6 hours for the round and we would be home just after 5pm. It had been a comparatively easy day although it was no stroll following Gregor, he is certainly retaliating for all those days when I dragged him round the munros when he was a boy.