Date: Monday 7th May 2018
Company: Myself, Becky and Cuillin
Distance: 12.5km Ascent: 735m
Time: 4Hrs 50Mins
On reviewing the MWIS forecast on Sunday evening, the forecast looked pretty-good for the Eastern Cairngorms. We therefore packed our hillwalking gear and set off in the van to spend the night parked-up in Glenshee. In 2017, we ascended Glas Maol, Cairn of Claise and Cairn an Tuirc. On this visit we intended again ascending Glas Maol but also Creag Leacach.
On Monday morning we set off walking hoping the weather would improve, to be as forecast.
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
The ascent of Glas Maol was very familiar territory. This would be my tenth logged ascent of Glas Maol but possibly my eleventh in total as I may also have ascended this one with my school hillwalking club long before I logged my hills. This would be Cuillin's third ascent of Glas Maol and Becky's second ascent.
This was my first walk in years without carrying and using my bulky DSLR. I decided to just use my iPhone. My only regret was during the initial ascent on spotting some mountain hare. While the iPhone is good for landscapes, it lacks za-za-zoom!
Looking down to my van and across to the Cairnwell:
It was great to get back out onto the hills with Becky to undertake her first Munros of 2018.
Descent towards Ski Hut:
Becky:
Approaching Ski Hut:
On reaching an avoidable snowpatch, we decided not to skirt or bypass it but instead I kicked steps into the snow and Becky followed in my steps.
Ascending Meall Odhar:
After a quick photo stop at Meall Odhar we continued on towards the summit of Glas Maol.
At the summit of Meall Odhar:
During the final ascent it started to rain fairly heavily so we stopped to put on waterproofs before continuing on to the summit.
Looking back towards Meall Odhar and across to the Cairnwell:
Before reaching the summit we came up into low cloud which actually dropped a couple of hundred metres during the walk instead of rising or dissipating. On reaching the summit we took shelter in the shelter for a drink and bite to eat. I also got my compass out and took a bearing towards Creag Leacach.
Becky and Cuillin at the summit of Glas Maol:
Using the compass was not that essential as we just had to follow rusty fenceposts and then the dyke all the way to the summit of Creag Leacach.
Following the dyke out to Creag Leacach:
By the time we reached Creag Leacach the rain was pouring down, it was cold and windy and we could see nowt. Becky did not particularly like the wet slippery rocks so we held hands en-route to the summit and on the return.
I decided it would be easier, and less steep, to return to the van via the same route albeit this would mean re-ascending Glas Maol.
At the summit of Creag Leacach:
It didn't take long to get back to the summit of Glas Maol where we again made use of the large shelter to have a drink and some food. Cuillin particularly enjoys foot stops!
Summit selfie back at the summit of Glas Maol:
From the summit of Glas Maol, we returned to the van via the same route.
I suspect I have now climbed Glas Maol (and Cairnwell) a sufficient number of times. I have climbed Lochnagar an even greater number of times but will continue to revisit Lochnagar.