Carn Faire nan Con (Tarvie marilyn)- patience rewarded

[RCFC]

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Date-Sunday 10th January 2010
Hill-Carn Faire nan Con 1215ft (sub 2000 marilyn)
Distance-5 miles
Time-3hrs 50m
Ascent-1015ft
Walkers-Just me
OS Map-26
To say I have been wanting to do this Marilyn for a long time would be an understatement. I have been wanting to save it for a good day because of the potentially good views from its summit and today my patience was well rewarded. I see it on a regular basis throughout the year and often it looms large over me and the temptation to go and do it is strong but I am glad I waited as today was a belter (which is more than can be said for yesterday)
I took some pictures during the summer and it’s amazing what a difference snow makes to the appearance to a mountain.
CREAG A CHAORUINN

CARN FAIRE NAN CON

A lot of you will have driven past this hill as you speed west and probably most of you have not really noticed it. It’s easy to find the start as it is not far from the snack bar at Tarvie. Going west you will see a sign pointing to the trout fishery a few hundred metres past the snack bar and it’s up that hill you need to go.
TURN LEFT AT THE SIGN ON THE A835 AT 426 589

I actually parked my car at the foot of the hill as I didn’t know what it was like further up but I found a place at 421 585 which seems perfectly viable.
POSSIBLE PARKING SPACE

I walked up the hill to Tarvie and I got my first glimpse of the first hill of the day
CREAG A CHAORUINN FROM ROAD

I walked up to the end of the road to the suggested parking area and came to a gate which lay across the other side of a small stream
GATE

An old sign said ‘beware of the bull’ and ‘no dogs’. Some cows were in the field and so I pressed on. Once over the gate I followed a fence line uphill towards the house marked on the map.
I FOLLOWED THIS FENCE LINE

This led me to the deserted looking house at 416 584
LOOKING TO HOUSE

A frozen track led past the front and some activity had been going on as footprints were seen but also a lot of cow pats as well. It seemed all quiet so I pressed on past the house then over a fence before starting the hard work.
The snow was deep all the way, knee deep in fact
HARD WORK

CREAG A CHAORUINN AHEAD

It was tough going and a real toil at times heading up the steep slopes of the first hill, the views however made me stop and take a rest from time to time.
MARILYN TORR ACHILITY BEYOND LOCH ACHILITY

LOCH RUITH A PHUILL AT TARVIE. MARILYN CNOC MOR IN DISTANCE

WINDFARM ON BEINN AN RUBHA RIABHAICH BEYOND LOCH AN EILID

An hour and twenty minutes of huffing and puffing saw me finally at the top of the first hill of the day-Creag a Chaoruinn. From the top the Marilyn did seem a long way off through all the deep snow!
LOOKING TO CARN FAIRE NAN CON FROM CREAG A CHAORUINN

BEN AND LITTLE WYVIS

MARILYN SGURR MARCASAIDH

FROZEN LOCH GARVE

I stayed on top for 5 minutes before descending steeply to the col. I enjoyed a really good bum slide down the frozen slope and it was a joy to cover a few hundred metres with ease. At the col though the slog continued as I carried on wading through the soft snow.
Breaks did allow me though to grab some pictures of the fine views
STRATHCONON CORBETTS

DISTANT CORBETT BAC AN EICH AND MARILYN CREAG LOCH NAN DEARCAG FOREGROUND

CRAGGY FACE OF CARN FAIRE NAN CON

It was really hot work, despite the fact it was -12 as I went through Urray in the morning on the way to the start.
I went over one knoll before contouring around another. This led me to the final steep pull up the Marilyn. It was as I have said steep and the snow was deep so I thought I would do a quick check on the slope to see what the avalanche risk would be like. I know it’s a small hill but I think its always good practice to do one.
I dug my test block out and then checked the snow and soon saw that the top few inches were slab on top of powder beneath
TEST PIT

I walked up to the top of it before walking down to it and thankfully the ground held until I stepped on the block which immediately released the slab on top.
RELEASED SLAB

I felt it was OK to carry on as the ground had held until I stepped on it so I gathered my gear and began the final 130m of ascent. As I sat down putting the gear away I looked up and saw that magical colour combination of days like today. The beautiful blue sky with the brilliant white snow is a sight to behold.
BEAUTIFUL

LOOKING BACK TO CRAGGY CREAG A CHAORUINN

Finally one hour and fifty minutes after setting off I reached the summit. On top is a small cairn with another group of rocks on top of a boulder a few metres away.
First job was to get my new jacket on as the wind had picked up and it became quite chilly . Once done I took in the views and they were as good as I had hoped.
STRATHCONON CORBETTS BAC AN EICH AND MEALLAN NAN UAN

Across Loch Luichart lay the Marilyn Sgurr Marcasaidh. This hill has given me the finest view I think from all the hills I have ever done.
MARILYN SGURR MARCASAIDH

BEINN DEARG

SUMMIT CAIRN AND CREAG A CHAORUINN

FANNICHS

LOCH LUICHART

BEN AND LITTLE WYVIS

I had my lunch and took in the views. It always great to sit down and pick out hills and remember the trips up them. I managed to see as far away as the Corbett Carn Ban and the distant Graham Beinn Tharsuinn. It was a great day when I did those with Meall a Chaorainn.
I would have liked to have stayed longer than the 20 minutes that I did stop for but I knew a long walk out faced me as I had to retrace my steps so I packed away the gear and turned around and walked out the way I had come in all the while stopping to take in the views.
Whilst walking off I saw these tracks. Mr Fox had been this way.
FOX

I saw lots of different tracks, grouse hare and deer but saw little else. I did see some bullfinches and some redpoll though on a rowan tree near the end of the walk which was great.
Once back on Creag a Chaoruinn I began my descent back to the old house. Whilst doing so I happened to glance across to Loch Garve and to my utter astonishment I saw a person walking 2 dog’s right across it! I couldn’t believe my eyes. Where they were the loch is almost a third of a mile across and 30-35ft deep. You can make your own mind up as to what I thought.
UNBELIEVABLE

I made it back to the car just under 4hrs after setting off. The 5 mile walk would on a decent day take me far less but once again the snow adds a lot of time to the day.
If I can add a piece of advice regarding this hill it this. Bracken grows densely on its slopes in the summer so be warned.
A brilliant day and should you be passing on the way to the west one day glance up (if you are not driving of course!) and have a look at his hill, or better still go up it as its only a small diversion.

[Squiz]

Brilliant. Another on my to-do list in that area.

[bowlesy]

Interesting report their, if I go by that way again I will make sure to look out for it. You made an excellent decision to delay 24hrs as your pictures show.
Can't believe that guy would walk across that Loch, madman

[foggieclimber]

Terrific report with lots of pics.
Really useful as I have been looking into Marilyns in this area and have been eyeing up Torr Achilty and Cnoc Mor.
Loch an Eilein, nr Aviemore was similarly frozen over yesterday.

As for the guy walking across the loch, if he had went in I suppose it would have been 'natural selection'.
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[peterb]

Looks like your patience in waiting for a good day was well rewarded, the pictures look fantastic. If the weather stays the same I might follow in your footsteps up there.

[kinley]

Ah - blue skies and snow - lovely

You can certainly get a good day's effort out of a small hill these days

Nice walk and great views - smaller hills do seem to give great returns right now

[JimH]

Lovely crisp clear views

I was up a local Marilyn this morning and it was all very grey.

[keithpostie]

Great report with pics to match! Have this hill in my sights as it's only a short drive away for me. I remember going fishing at Tarvie Lochs with Mrs keithpostie & never caught a thing between us! And as for the guy walking across the loch -

[fmck]

Superb RCFC would be worth the journey and has got me thinking.


Gene selection there isnt a emoticon for yawn, every winter

[Cuillin]

What a cracker of a viewpoint and loved all your pictures, particularly those with the inky blue sky. Looked really hard work though but well worth it.

I saw a car parked at the end of the Tarvie fishery road when I drove through at about 9.30 a.m. and it must have been your new car.
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Being on the hills gives you a sense of where you are, where you've been, where you're going and why!

[fertg1234]

[Hils]

Fantastic Edward, glad you got your walk in, always such depth to your reports, loads of handy info.

[Davelaid]

A stunning day out Edward, bet you were chuffed to bits.
What a difference a day makes

[kets]

Stunning pics and view Ed. Also good stuff your bit about the snow/avalanche check!

Nice one

Al Kyes
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<div>&nbsp;&nbsp; OMG Please! pleeeease! Just one....the one....bacon sandwich!</div><br />