| Date | 29 June 2025 |
| Route | Link to Route |
| Enjoyable | |
| Difficulty | |
| Conditions | Cold at times in the wind, but mostly warm |
| Summits | ✔ (T) Meall nan Tarmachan South Top [Meall nan Tarmachan SE Top] ✔ (M) Meall nan Tarmachan ✔ (T) Meall Garbh ✔ (T) Beinn nan Eachan |
Ailidh off on a school trip to Munich, so decided to make use of the early 4am Airport drop off by heading off to try and complete the Tarmachan Ridge which we didn't complete a few weeks ago due to weather.
Again I stopped in the Ben Lawers car park and followed the same route up over the the Munro top, Meall nan Tarmachan South Top, before heading down a short distance before heading up what always looks like quite a steep ascent, but it is far easier than it looks.
Just at the corner before the main summit I had a fuel stop in the shelter of the rocks, while taking in the great views of the Lawers range. Once out of the shelter the wind was quite gusty, reminiscent of our previous time here, but not quite as strong and dry!!
The Munro, Meall nan Tarmachan has a small cairn, but has some great views. Following the well defined path I headed towards the second Top of the day, passing a lochan before heading up to the summit of Meall Garbh. The Top is quite exposed and requires some care when heading along the narrow ridge towards the main target of today, the Graded scramble.
As my first graded scramble I was a little nervous, but once I got my poles away and my hands on, they disappeared, likely due to having to concentrate on hand and foot holds. At one point there was a couple of different ways to go, but I kept to the face away from the drop and found this much easier going. There were some damp parts, and I think this would have been pretty difficult in the rain, definitely would have been easier on ascent rather than the guide routes descent.
The ascent to the last Munro Top, Beinn nan Eachan, was pretty straightforward, and the views from the small cairn are really good. From here the descent to the bealach is pretty steep, but keeping to the path its no problem at all.
Once I reached the turning for descent off the ridge, it was decision time, do I first take in the deleted Top, Creag na Caillich? Since I had plenty in the tank, and it was great weather, I decided to tack in on. It turns out this was a great decision, it only took twenty five minutes there are back, including time to soak in the the fantastic views towards Ben More and Ben Challum !!
Returning to the bealach, I headed off the ridge, firstly through some wet sections, wishing I packed my gaiters. After about a mile you join the track at the old quarry. From there to the gate and stile taking you in the the Ben Lawers nature reserve there is a grass path along the edge of the track saving your feet a little, but disappears after the stile. The track is pretty easy, but a little hard on the feet, especially as I tend to set a pretty tough pace when solo. Eventually I rejoined the path to the car park which I used at the start of the day.
On the way up I did pass a few others, but after the Munro I only ever saw a few figures in the distance, I had the rest of the ridge all to myself.
