WESTERN WINTER MUNROS

Loch Treig & the Western Highlands

Creag Meagaidh to Chno Dearg

Lochan Dubh & Stob Coire Sgriodain

Frosted grass

The 'Easains' and Loch Treig

Creag Meagaidh from high on SC Sgriodain

'Easains' and Loch Treig

Stob Coire Sgriodain from Chno Dearg

Beautiful ice formations in the burns

Will this be completely frozen soon?

This fine spell of very cold weather on the Munros continues. Sub zero temperatures at glen level this morning. A day of clear skies throughout much of the Highlands was forecasted. We headed west for a change of scenery, somewhere quieter and two new Munros for Karen. It must be over 15 years since I last walked the Munros that overlook Loch Treig. There are four Munro summits, two on the east side and two over toward the west of this fine, long loch. We chose to climb Stob Coire Sgriodain & Chno Dearg from the sleepy hamlet of Fersit. Stob Coire Sgriodain is the more shapely and finer viewpoint of the two. Giving superb views down to Loch Treig from its summit cairn which is perched on the edge of the broken cliffs. Loch Treig is the major water source for the aluminium works at Fort William. A major hydro pipeline runs from the loch for some 20 odd miles. There is also a fine train line that runs along the side of the loch. The West Highland line form Glasgow to Fort William and Mallaig is one of the finest train journeys in the world!
The path up from Fersit to our first Munro is mostly pathless and the lower reaches quite wet and boggy in the summer months. Today it was virtually all frozen, drier feet always a bonus when walking on the west coast hills. Despite the sun it was still way below freezing on the tops. There is snow from around 700m but quite a light covering compared to The Cairngorms. The rather non descript Chno Dearg is easily gained within 1 hour between the two summits. The wind had picked up by the time we reached our final mountain and the cloud had rolled in from the west, heralding the next weather front. The long, easy angled walk back to Fersit was made easier by the frozen terrain. We never saw anyone else on the hill apart from a couple of guys some 20 minutes in front of us.
More snow on the way, especially on Tuesday when a big dump is forecast. The Cairngorms already have a fab covering. Brilliant start to the season and the sustained low temperatures are set to continue up to next weekend and maybe beyond.