Creag Meagaidh-Scotland

I felt a little sore this morning after Ben Nevis but the three of us tossed our gear in Nigel’s car and headed down the road about thirty minutes to a trailhead and the start of our days hill walking. We had an excellent trail taking us up  into the moorland valley. We kept looking for a spur trail that would take us up  the ridge until we saw a faint path through the bog that headed more or less straight up through tall grass and thick heather. I struggled a bit getting to the top but once we were on the broad flat hill top a trail led us after four miles from the trailhead to the top my third Munro, Carn Liath. The weather was marvelous. After some photos we headed along the flat summit plateau to the next highest point and my fourth Munro, Stob Poite Coire Ardair. This summit stop was shorter than the last and our next destination looked quite some distance away. The route dropped steeply several hundred feet to a notch in the ridge then up the other side onto another broad ridge top ending at our final summit of the day and my fourth Munro, Creag Meagaidh. The 360 degree views provided a life time of hills and peaks to climb. The sun didn’t provide much physical warmth but mentally it was uplifting, a summit in the sun without blowing rain or fog was very much appreciated. We had a number of miles to reach the car and headed along the other side of the valley now making a beautiful traverse. The easy ridge top walking ended at the last hill and we began our descent of almost 2000 feet of steep heather, ferns, tall grass and bog. It was brutal as I struggled my way down. Tim and Nigel were some distance ahead but eventually we found a truck track and was able to follow it back to the main trail and to our waiting car. My knees and feet were pretty sore by the day end, time for food and some cold pints of beer. Journal: “I have once again taken Suzanne’s handmade backpack on a little adventure. With every trip it keeps her in my thoughts. It has been two years since her death on Denali and it seems important to me to keep her memory and her adventurist spirit alive.”