Walk report - bagging Meall a'Bhuiridh (1,108m) and Creise (1,100m) in Glencoe (05.01.22)
Little walk report below from last week's hike up the munros of Meall a'Bhuiridh (1108m) and Creise (1100m) in Glencoe.
Having parked at Glencoe Mountain Resort, I headed straight up the path directly below the chair lift - ignoring the temptation to catch a ride up.
On reaching the lift station at the top, I headed right (NW) towards the high point of Creag Dhubh, to avoid what looked like frozen / boggy ground to the west, before veering left (SW) to take the broad and stony north shoulder of Meall a'Bhuiridh up to it's summit. Crampons were required towards the top, with hard ice covering the rocky ground.
I lingered on the top of Meall a'Bhuiridh for a good 20 minutes, soaking in the amazing 360 degree views across Rannoch Moor to the east, the Black Mount and munros around Bridge of Orchy, Crianlarich and Tyndrum to the south, Glen Etive to the west and the Nevis range to the north. With mountains in every direction, it's a fantastic vantage point to take a break.
Having refuelled, I descended west into the bealach between Meall a'Bhuiridh and Creise. This is a simple descent, with a bit of easy scrambling up the other, steeper, side of the bealach to join the Creise ridge.
From here, the climbing is pretty much done, and it was an easy 20 minute plod along the ridge to the summit of Creise. Cornices were starting to form on the lip of the ridge, so something to watch out for on this section in winter.
Having bagged the second munro of the day I simply retraced my steps, reaching the summit of Meall a'Bhuiridh in time to enjoy a beautiful sunset. With the light fading I made it back down to the car park just before dark, without the need for my head torch. A great day in the hills, in a beautiful part of the highlands.
The high start point, and ski centre presence on Meall a'Bhuiridh, make this a relatively easy winter munro bagging hike, both from a physical and navigational perspective. Probably not a bad choice for those looking to bag their first winter munro.
Goes without saying, while the mountains in winter are amazing and to be enjoyed, they do demand extra respect, experience and equipment. Always check the Mountain Weather Information Service and Scottish Avalanche Information Service for the area you're going to. Similarly, bring ice axe and crampons, and know how to use them... I needed both on this hike. Would highly recommend doing a winter skills course if you're new to winter hill walking. We did one at Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms a number of years ago, which was excellent, but there are plenty of qualified instructors and operators to choose from.
My GPS recorded total distance of nearly 14km, with just over 1200m ascent.
Chris (05.01.22)