It was the first time that the club had stayed at the Dalwhinnie Old School Hostel, https://dalwhinniehostel.weebly.com/. It was very comfortable and an ideal location for winter days with not much daylight. The weather forecast for the Saturday looked terrible with 95% forecast heavy rain and high winds at Dalwhinnie, which gave some indication as to the conditions that might be experienced higher up. The forecast for the Sunday had less wind, rain and was to be sunnier.
So, for the Saturday, two possibilities were proposed; a walk from the hut to the Fiona Meall nan Eagan, NN 59680 87494…or a visit to the Dalwhinnie Distillery for a Whisky Tour – the former prevailed only by a narrow margin. For their route see; https://consumerplatform.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/24719378/241006-meall-nan-eagan--dalwhinnie-?lat=56.947254&lon=-4.283987&zoom=13.6498&style=Leisure&type=2d. Pic taken looking WNW towards Meall nan Eagan from about two thirds along the Allt an t-Sluic. The weather turned out to be much drier than forecast but very windy.
On the eastern shoulder of Meall nan Eagan looking ESE towards the beginning of the track.
Boy it was windy and cold…the happy band of brothers at their lunch just below the summit – SP, centre right having difficulty persuading a glove to go on.
On the descent from the Fiona, MM & SP decided to head south to do a Corbett called The Fara, NN 59827 84409, whilst the others declined due to the expected strength of the wind at it’s top, which was 253m higher than that of the Fiona. Pic shows MM just before the ascent of the northern slope of The Fara. By the end of the day the other four members returned to the hut by more or less the same outward route. However, MM & SP returned a couple of hours later, having had a challenging time standing up in the wind leading to an abandoned attempt on The Fara, descending the SE side to the track by Loch Ericht, minus a map case which was allegedly spotted in Perth that evening.
The Sunday was much more benign. The plan was to do Creag Ruadh, NN 55806 91405, from the northern side starting just east of Sherrabeg, NN 57204 93083. See; https://consumerplatform.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/24719938/241206--creag-ruadh--dalwhinnie?lat=56.999589&lon=-4.374376&zoom=14.2313&style=Leisure&type=2d. Pic shows the view from the top of Creag Ruadh looking NE to Beinn a Chrasgain, NN 60660 98125, centre pic with Glen Markie to it's left.
MM, GB & ARod at the trig point…far less wind this time.
From the trig point looking NW, the group head back retracing their footsteps.
Heading down the NE ridge, blessed with a rainbow and a view of the Spey Dam's reservoir with Beinn a Chrasgain above it.
The FVMC are never happier than having a tea break in the shelter of a forest. There were only five members out that day, SP having returned home that morning intending to stop off at Tiso, Perth to purchase a new map case. A fine day oot, ending a grand weekend indeed despite the poor weather on the Saturday.
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