M239 | 937 m. | 3074 ft.
Translation: Nose of the rough corrie
Pronuncation: srawn a corriie ghirav

The second hike of 2016 was scheduled for a set of two Munros which I had visited twice before on each occasion bagging one of them. I had climbed one with Alex (Sron) and the other one with Mike (Meall). Today Frank and I were to combine them in one hike from the Cam Bealach (or at least Frank had to combine them since he still needed the ticks in his list).

From the parking just before the farm in Kilfinnan we followed the usual approach on the forest road, passing a few holiday homes or huts and then took the upper branch of the road through the dense fir plantation. It was an overcast day and occasionally a few drops of rain fell from the clouds. When three or three and a half kilometres were behind us we left the road took the good path branching off to the right and started the climb beside the Allt Glas-Dhoire. This path is steep at first but soon after you leave the forest the gradient eases. The continuation up the Cam Bhealach is quite scenic since both Sean Mheall to the north and Beall Dubh to the south of the glen hold interest for the wandering eye with their rocky faces and gullies. We made good progress and after maybe six kilometres were covered we reached the bealach between the two hills.

Here I decided that one Munro would be enough for today (no summit views) and Frank set of towards Sron aíChoire Ghairbh climbing the very well-engineered stalkers (?) path which leads almost all the way to the summit ridge and level summit of the Munro. I lay down in a comfortable spot close to the bealach and dozed for maybe 40 minutes. Then another walker reached the bealach also from the Loch Lochy side and we chatted a bit.

Soon Frank was back, we took a short break and then left our rucksacks in the vicinity of the bealach. The continuation to Meall na Teanga involved a steepish climb up the northwest flank of Meall Dubh, a more flattish section cross the connecting at the head of Coire Leacachain, another pull this time up the north ridge of Meall na Teanga and a final ridge walk in the clouds to the 917m summit. At the cairn we took a break and enjoyed the views of absolutely nothing: The clouds enshrined us. Just now and then we had glimpse of some rays of sunshine from above our heads.

Then after a summit chat with a friendly solo hiker we retraced our steps towards the Allt Glas-Choire, picked up our rucksacks at the bealach and returned to Kilfinnan by the way of ascent. We arrived there maybe six hours after we had started. An easy day and an easy hike of quite a benign character but with no summit views whatsoever. Well, there’s nothing you can do about that but also not much to complain about either: Alba and the clag go together like Guinness and white foam. You can’t have one without the other… 🙂

 

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2006/b> This day Frank took a break and dropped Alex and me (Cord) off at Kilfinnan. We agreed that he would meet the two walkers at Clunes 10 km down Loch Lochy. The weather promised to be a mix of showers, rain and occasional sunshine. On our way high above the northern shore of Loch Lochy we had to wear our rain gear, had to take it off again because the sun got too strong, had to put it on again etc. Soon conditions settled, however, and the rest of the day was fine with no rain at all. When we reached the junction with the path along the Allt Glas-Dhoire we left the forrest road and headed up the glen. The easy and scenically interesting path delivered us at the bealach between Sron a’Choire Ghaibh and Meall Dubh in due time. From the bealach we followed the path up the broad southern shoulder of today’s Munro easily gaining height during the ascent. In no time at all we had reached the flat upper region of the hill and headed north-west to the summit cairn of Sron a’Choire Ghairbh which we reached about 30 minutes after having left the bealach. The view from the top was quite good: Ben Tee, Meall na Teanga and Ben Nevis. After a few minutes of contemplating the views Alex and I headed back to the bealach and took the less well trodden path down into the flat corrie overseen by Meall na Teanga, Sron a’Choire Ghairbh and Meall an Tagraidh. Where the path veers north we left it and walked over the flat moor to cross the Abhainn Chia Aig at the Fedden ruin. Heading south-west from the ruin we followed the developing path on the north side of the river for two kilometers to the bridge where we crossed to the south side. Soon we reached the forrest – and the point where the ascent of Meall na Teanga begins – continued on the footpath, forrest road and another footpath to the parking at the Eas Chia Aig waterfall, where Frank picked us up. Gratifying walk off the beaten track. We saw only one other hill-walker and thoroughly enjoyed the silence and comparative remoteness of this walk. Thanks to Frank for making this non-circular walk possible.


Description Sron a' Choire Ghairbh and Meall na Teanga rise steeply above the north-west side of Loch Lochy, their lower slopes being densely forested along much of the length of the loch. The two mountains are well seen from the A82 road on the opposite side of the loch, and from there they appear to be rather steep and inaccessible, except for the path which climbs to the pass, the Cam Bhealach, between them. Sron a' Choire Ghairbh on the north side of this pass is the highest point of a long level ridge which encloses the head of Coire Glas. The west slopes of this ridge drop towards the remote head of Gleann Cia-aig. On the south side of the Cam Bhealach, Meall na Teanga is the highest of a group of three steep hills, the others being Meall Dubh and Meall Coire Lochain.The ascent of both Sron a' Choire Ghairbh and Meall na Teanga can be made from the highest point of the path which goes over the Cam Bhealach between Loch Lochy and Gleann Cia-aig. From there a stalker's path zigzags steeply uphill on the north side of the pass and ends below the ridge not far from the summit of Sron a' Choire Ghairbh. On the south side of the pass the route to Meall na Teanga starts with a traverse below the scree-covered west side of Meall Dubh to reach the north ridge of Meall na Teanga. If returning to Gleann Cia-aig from Meall na Teanga, the quickest way is to traverse to Meall Coire Lochain and descend west along the ridge over Meall Odhar.