Get Lost Mountaineering

Beinn a' Ghlo from Loch Moraig near Blair Atholl

Start/Finish

Rough car park by Loch Moraig on Monzie Farm road, From the centre of Blair Atholl, take the minor road on the E side of the Bridge of Tilt and follow the signs for Monzie. Parking is limited and may fill up early on a good weather day and especially at weekends.

Distance/Time

21 km      About 7 - 8 hours

Peaks

Carn Liath, 975 m, NN 936 698.

Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain, 1070 m, NN 946 724.

Carn nan Gabhar, 1121 m, NN 971 733.

Airgiod Bhein, 1061 m, NN 962 721. OS sheet 43.

Introduction

Save this walk for a day when the air is crystal clear and you will be rewarded with excellent views in all directions which include Ben Lawers, Schiehallion, Carn a' Chlamain, Beinn Dearg, Sgor Gaoith, Braeriach & Cairn Toul, Ben Macdui, Beinn a' Chaorainn, Beinn a' Bhuid, Ben Avon, Glen Ey hills, Carn an Righ, Cairnwell hills, Ben Vuirich & Ben Vrackie plus probably a few more!

Route

(1) From the rough walking area, walk further up the road for about 200 m where a gate, on the right, gives access to a track. Follow the track over a small hill to reach a large wooden shed. Leave the track and follow the path, roughly NE, towards Carn Liath. An old stone wall helps with the direction but the initial going is quite boggy and detours may be necessary. The wall leads to a very well defined path which zig zags up the steep NE ridge. The route is very obvious. When the going eases, some large cairns lead towards the trig point which sits inside a shelter cairn and marks the summit of Carn Liath, 975 m.

(2) In clear weather the continuation is obvious and, even in mist, the path is very distinctive. Descend NNW then NE down gentle grassy ridges then NNW down a steeper section to reach a small well defined bealach. A descent path goes off SE here for those not continuing. The continuation path is, again, very obvious, and goes initially E before turning N then NE to reach a plateau where a medium cairn marks the summit of Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain, 1070 m.

(3) The continuation to Carn nan Gabhar is, again, very obvious in clear weather but, in mist, the path is less distinct than before in places. Descend roughly E then NNE along a grassy ridge which is steep sided to the right, SE. After about 250 m of walking NNE, the steep side relents a little and a path, not obvious at first, descends to the well defined bealach towards Carn nan Gabhar. Walk up the very obvious path on the other side of the bealach which leads up on to the SW ridge of Carn nan Gabhar. As the top is neared, the path gets lost in the rocky ground. A prominent rocky mound is passed, then the trig point which is about 200 m before the large cairn which marks the summit of Carn nan Gabhar, 1121 m.

(4) Retrace, picking up the path down the SW ridge and follow it across the shallow bealach then up to the medium cairn, just before a rocky outcrop, which marks the summit of Airgiod Bhein, 1061 m.

(5) Descend down the rocky, but well defined, SW ridge where there is an intermittent path. Lower down the ridge splits by a grassy scoop which could be confusing in mist. Stay on the right hand ridge where the path is now well defined. A little further down, the path goes off, fairly steeply, down the rocky scree of the W flank. When the gradient eases in the grass and heather, cross the obvious burn flowing S to reach a path which leads through the heather and is very boggy in places. Follow the path, taking each right turn to go around Beinn Bheag and Carn Liath and reach the outward track which can be followed back to the wooden shed and then the start.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 15^th April, 1995, 1^st May, 2005, and 7^th October, 2012.

(b) An alternative descent of Airgiod Bhein which has not been checked out is to stay on the crest of the descent ridge – there is an obvious path – until it reaches the heather and grass. From there, either go across to the path around Beinn Bheag and Carn Liath or aim for the path from Glen Loch and follow this to the track at Shinagag then take the track back to the start.