Meall nan Tarmachan

Climbed by year and month

Climbed by year and month

The forecast was generally dry but with north-westerly winds gusting 40mph again. I looked at the map and hoped most of the usual Tarmachan route might be relatively sheltered. Getting out of the car the weather didn't seem promising with gusts rocking it alarmingly. I phoned Paul to whine at him pathetically.

I headed up the track, and turned right on the path towards the ridge.

Lochan na Lairige reservoir and dam

Loch Tay

Looking up at some of the ridge walk I wasn't going to do this time

At some point I met up with Lorne, and then another chap who helped Lorne to adjust and put on his crampons properly at the bealach before the final climb up to the Munro summit. This chap took a bearing just before the summit and disappeared off into the cloud. Brief glimpses of the ridge looked fantastic and I resolved to revisit it on a better day.

Lorne and I made the summit. The wind was so strong a plastic bottle was whisked out my rucksack side pocket and thrown over the cliffs! On the way down Lorne went ahead of me and found it laying on the slopes near the path and picked it up.

Lorne

The snow was somewhat soft, slushy and deep. On the slope just left of centre you can see some people at the bottom. I discovered that the method of arresting a slide, when you have managed to leave your ice axe in the snow above you, by digging your hands into the snow does actually work. Well, work in soft snow. I wouldn't like to try it on anything with a harder crust. I doubt I was going to go far anyway as the snow was just too soft to build up any kind of speed.

The dam far below and Lawers in cloud

I didn't hurry down. Out of the summit wind it was actually a pretty alright sort of day. More snow had melted, the sun shone, and I whistled or sang quietly to myself as I walked!