Tarmachan Ridge September 2010

Picture of Ben Lawers/Beinn Ghlas from Taramachan

Meall nan Tarmachan is one of the 'easier' Munros to reach, thanks to the high level start point at the Ben Lawers visitor centre car park (in the process of redevelopment).
Meall nan Tarmachan is at the eastern end of a 'mini mountain range', whose twisting skyline, the Tarmachan Ridge, provides a dramatic and gothic backdrop to the wee village of Killin. The ridge snakes and 'undulates' along the skyline for around 3 miles.

Its a mixture of broad, narrow, rocky, grassy and boggy terrain. There is a newly renovated path from the parking area, leading quickly, but steeply to the Munros summit. The path continues along the ridge which is rocky, airy and has a short challenging scramble on the decent from Meall Garbh. From the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan, the ridge flows over three lower tops, Meall Garbh coming at you first, followed by a 50m narrow and hairy arete. You then decend first to a bealach before a steep climb on to Beinn nan Eachan and then to Creag na Cailliach which has a further three tops itself. Then you decend into Coire Fionn Lairge for a trudge along an old landrover track to the car park.

I've climbed Lawers and Ghlas, opposite, several times and looked at this ridge with great interest.Its a great wee range, with navigation easy going as is the ground underfoot.This 10k round route took me just under 5 hours to complete. The wind today could be best described as extreme!! At one point it was so strong that when my nose ran, the wind blew my 'snot' back up my nose!! Weird.

The views were stunning all around today despite the wind. The Lawers car park was full to bursting when i arrived, but i only met two people all day.Most folk were i presume climbing Lawers and its attached peaks of Ghlas and An Stuc.

Great day!!!

So, i've got the Baxters River Ness 10k in 7 days time.......