Get Lost Mountaineering

East Monadhliath Munros from end of public road in Glen Banchor

Start/Finish

End of the public road in Glen Banchor at NH 692 998. From the centre of Newtonmore, follow “Glen Road” past the car park. Once past the houses, the road becomes narrow and ends 2 km from Newtonmore where there is parking for about 12 cars.

Distance/Time

24 km     Approx 8 hours

Peaks

Carn Dearg SE Top, 923 m, NH 637017.

Carn Dearg, 945 m, NH 635 023.

Carn Ban, 942 m, NH 632 031.

Carn Ballach, 920 m, NH 643 045.

Carn Sgulain, 920 m, NH 683 058.

A’ Chailleach, 930 m, NH 681 041.     OS sheet 35.

Introduction

In good weather, this walk gives good views of the Feshie hills and the Cairngorms. The going higher up is generally good, either grassy or stony, but lower down can be peaty and boggy. All six summits are very close in height.

Route

(1) Fromthe end of the public road in Glen Banchor, continue, crossing the bridge over the Allt a’ Chaorainn and continue along the track to the bridge over the Allt Fionndrigh. Do not cross the bridge. Instead, follow the track on its E bank. The track is very good for some distance before suddenly deteriorating but a reasonable path trends left to reach a footbridge over the Allt a’ Fionndrigh. On the other side, follow a reasonable, though wet, path on the N side of the burn to emerge on a wide peaty, boggy bealach. From here, the most straightforward route is to descend about 50 m SW to cross the Allt Ballach then ascend, following a burn higher up, to reach the obvious gap in the crags at about NH 640 010, N of Carn Macoul. Continue a short distance W to reach the crest of the Carn Dearg ridge and follow it almost due N on a good path to reach the medium cairn on the summit of Carn Dearg SE Top, 923 m.

(2) Continue over a shallow dip and climb to the medium cairn of Carn Dearg, 945 m, which is perched on the E edge of the ridge.

(3) Continue NNW, on a distinct path, into a dip then ascend, still following the path to reach the medium cairn on Carn Ban, 942 m.

(4) From here a line of old fence posts can be followed all the way to Carn Sgulain. The path, now on stony ground, passes above Lochan Uisge before reaching the medium cairn on Carn Ballach, 920 m.

(5) Continue, still following the line of fence posts, over a few unnamed tops then Meall Bhothan, 909 m. About 700 m beyond this top, the fence tops go right, SE, and down into a very boggy bealach before climbing to another unnamed top before further changes of direction finally lead up to the medium summit cairn of Carn Sgulain, 920 m. The line of fence posts continue to a second cairn about 100 m further but this seems lower than the first cairn.

(6) Return to the fence corner at NH 677 056. From here it is about 1.5 km SSE to the summit of A’ Chailleach across a grassy dip but, especially on the Carn Sgulain side, there is a lot of peaty, boggy ground which may need to be outflanked, usually to the W. Once across the dip, climb easy, grassy slopes, which are peaty lower down, to reach the large summit cairn of A’ Chailleach, 930 m. A good path goes SSE to the summit.

(7) From the summit, an obvious path goes roughly SE heading down towards the Allt a’ Chaorainn in the glen below. Lower down, the path becomes wetter and harder to follow. If in doubt, trend right to reach a small, basic hut at NH 687 022. This hut is often unlocked and would be a welcome shelter in adverse weather. From the hut, head SE, on a faint path, to cross the Allt a’ Chaorainn to reach a boggy track which, in about 400 m, leads to the start of a good track which leads back to the start. If the burn is in spate, it may be necessary to continue down its W side for about 400 m to reach a footbridge which leads to the start of the good track. Should the footbridge no longer exist, then continue further down the W bank to reach a path which leads to the outward track.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 12^th September, 2010.