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Stob Coire Sgriodain & Chno Dearg from Fersit

Start/Finish

From Spean Bridge, follow the A86 east for about 8 miles, past Roy Bridge, before taking a right turn, signposted Fersit. Drive for over two miles to the end of the narrow public road where there is space for several cars to park.

Distance/Time

15 km       About 6 hours

Peaks

Stob Coire Sgriodain, 979 m, NN 356 743.

Stob Coire Sgriodain South Top, 958 m, NN 359 739.

Meall Garbh, 976 m, NN 371 727.

Chno Dearg, 1046 m, NN 377 741. OS Sheet 41.

Introduction

This is a lovely walk over two Munros and two tops. There are superb views which include the Easains, Creag Meagaidh, Beinn na Lap and the Beinn Eibhinn range. Having walked this route, with minor variations, three times the best route up Stob Coire Sgriodain is to gain its N ridge as soon as possible and follow it up on a reasonable path. The path then goes all the way to Chno Dearg although it can be temporarily “lost” on some of the stony ground.

Route

(1) From the car park, follow the minor road E past the houses at Fersit. Just before two large modern barns, there is a gate on the right which gives access to the open hill but with no obvious path over the boggy ground. Head almost due S, weaving around any knolls in the way. There is a faint path by the side of the obvious burn which improves with height. Resist the urge to follow it and head for the N ridge of Sron na Garbh-bheinne. Carefully pick a way up the steep and craggy grassy slopes. All apparent difficulties are easily avoidable. Once on the crest, a path will be found almost immediately. Ascend the crest to reach the top of Sron na Garbh-bheinne. Continue, still S, on a fairly level shoulder before the crest narrows and climbs to the large cairn which marks the summit of Stob Coire Sgriodain, 979 m.

(2) Care is needed on the next section if visibility is poor but the path helps a lot. Descend S to a well defined bealach then ascend SE to reach a medium quartzite (white) cairn which marks the summit of Stob Coire Sgriodain South Top, 958 m. There is a samller pile of quartzite just to the N.

(3) Continue SE, the line of the two piles of quartzite, descending then ascending to the uncairned SE top which appears to have two tops! Continue descending SE to pass some small lochans (on the right). The ground is now more grassy. Continue and ascend easily on to the Meall Garbh ridge. There is a small cairn on its N top then walk about 300 m S along a grassy path to reach a large cairn which marks the summit of Meall Garbh, 976 m. It is a fine viewpoint, especially for the long ridge of Beinn na Lap.

(4) Retrace to the N top then follow the path NE across a shallow grassy col before ascending up towards Chno Dearg. As you climb, look back at Meall Garbh and its very rocky steep E flank. When the path levels off, a stony plateau is reached where there is a very large cairn which marks the summit of Chno Dearg, 1046 m.

(5) From the summit, walk NNE directly back to Fersit. The slopes are mainly grassy and not steep but they can be wet, sometimes sodden.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 30^th May, 1994, 29^th May, 2006, and 4^th August, 2013.