| Date | 17 Oct 2024 |
| Route | Link to Route |
| Enjoyable | |
| Difficulty | |
| Conditions | Windy with some mist early on |
| Summits | ✔ (M) Geal-charn ✔ (M) A' Mharconaich |
Another nice stay at Kennacoil, but trip down was slow due to rain and debris on the road, including at one point the road being blocked with a large number of Pheasants!
Parking beside the Balsporran Bed & Breakfast (no vacancies for our trip), we crossed the railway line in between quite a lot of trains this morning, then headed up the track. As per the route guide we took the second fork on the right to slowly ascend the first Munro, Geal-charn. Ailidh really struggled towards the top, our breakfast not sitting right, never trying the Fuel porridge pots again, and us both at the tail end of colds, however, with a little persuasion, she made it to the top.
We took a mid morning break at the summit, sheltering from the wind that had gotten quite gusty, but taking in the lovely views to the west over Loch Ericht. Originally we were going to attempt all four Munros, but due to the wind and how we were feeling, decided to cut it short and just attempt the smaller circuit of two.
Following the well worn track we headed south / south-west to the bealach between the two Munros, before taking a path of the track to the left which has some nicely sized steps in places heading up to the second Munro (not a fan of high or narrow steps).
Once on the ridge there is a very clear path heading north east to the summit of A' Mharconaich, our 40th Munro since last August. We stopped in the shelter cairn just past the summit for our lunch.
The path off the summit follows the ridge and is quite steep for a start, no issue today, but could be quite slippy in the wet or snow. Once off the ridge it became quite boggy, at one point I found a pot hole that was deeper than my walking pole! The path continues all the way to the wrong side of the river beside the railway crossing where you need to wade across.
Later than evening, Kate (my wife), who also has the cold found out she has Covid again. Turns out we all have Covid again, luckily our symptoms are mostly gone, otherwise I doubt we would have managed the two Munros.
