walkhighlands

This forum is for general discussion about walking and scrambling... If writing a report or sharing your experiences from a route, please use the other boards.

ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY


Postby tartancat » Wed Aug 06, 2014 2:50 pm

HELLO,
CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE WHOLE STORY OF ACCESS TO THE GLEN TO GET TO THE 4 MUNROS IN GLEN STRATHFARRAR? I KEEP GETTING CONFLICTING REPORTS.
THE MofS SAYS THE GATE TO THE GLEN OPENS AT 9AM AND CLOSES AT NIGHTFALL (WHICH IS 8PM ACCORDING TO THEM). WE CAN DRIVE AS FAR AS THE POWER STATION AND PARK. HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT THERE IS ANOTHER GATE WHICH OPENS AND ALLOWS YOU TO DRIVE UP PAST BRAULEN LODGE. WHAT'S THE STORY AND HOW FAR IS IT FROM THE POWER STATION TO THE WEST END OF THE CLIMB TO START UP SURR FHUAR-THUILL?
MANY THANKS FOR ANY INFORMATION.
tartancat
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 13
Joined: Jul 17, 2012

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby IamAJMiller » Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:02 pm

There is indeed a gate with access to the Glen which is locked until 0900, there is no negotiation here, I know some people who have tried and failed to get in at 0730.....they had to read a book for 90mins! :wink:

From there on there are no other gates to get through and we drove past Braulen Lodge to leave our car at the bottom of Sgurr Fhuar Thuill and cycled back along the road to the start of the walk. Gate closing times vary month by month though so last month it was 8PM but it will start getting earlier.
User avatar
IamAJMiller
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 739
Munros:13   Corbetts:31
Fionas:2   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:18   Hewitts:51
Wainwrights:78   
Joined: May 17, 2010
Location: Perthshire

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby Kevin29035 » Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:15 pm

Indeed, there's just one road up the glen. No negotiation in the morning, I got there early and nipped into Beauly for breakfast. Got back to a big line of cars all going for the Munros :)
User avatar
Kevin29035
 
Posts: 1221
Munros:173   Corbetts:173
Fionas:73   Donalds:17
Sub 2000:92   Hewitts:8
Joined: Sep 13, 2008
Location: Glasgow

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby BlackPanther » Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:34 pm

I live around the corner and still haven't climbed the four... The time limit is quite off-putting to be honest. I'm actually thinking about parking before the gate (large free car park there) and cycling in an out of the glen (roughly 10km each way). That would take the time limit off my shoulders.

For everyone who needs info on the access, here is the link to MCofs website:
http://www.mcofs.org.uk/strathfarrar-access.asp
User avatar
BlackPanther
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 3839
Munros:268   Corbetts:182
Fionas:136   
Sub 2000:75   
Joined: Nov 2, 2010
Location: Beauly, Inverness-shire

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby Kevin29035 » Wed Aug 06, 2014 4:45 pm

BlackPanther wrote:I live around the corner and still haven't climbed the four... The time limit is quite off-putting to be honest. I'm actually thinking about parking before the gate (large free car park there) and cycling in an out of the glen (roughly 10km each way). That would take the time limit off my shoulders

I've thought about that myself! Loads of amazing campsites in the glen, and probably a great cycle on the tarmac too.
User avatar
Kevin29035
 
Posts: 1221
Munros:173   Corbetts:173
Fionas:73   Donalds:17
Sub 2000:92   Hewitts:8
Joined: Sep 13, 2008
Location: Glasgow

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby BlackPanther » Wed Aug 06, 2014 5:49 pm

Kevin29035 wrote:I've thought about that myself! Loads of amazing campsites in the glen, and probably a great cycle on the tarmac too.


We cycled up to the Monar dam and back a few times and it's easy indeed, not much of up and downs. There is no ban on overnight camping for "non-motorised tourists" - guess that includes folks on bikes :lol: Actually, cycling in the evening before, camping at the bottom of the hills and doing them in the morning - that's even a better idea. I considered doing it all in one day.
User avatar
BlackPanther
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 3839
Munros:268   Corbetts:182
Fionas:136   
Sub 2000:75   
Joined: Nov 2, 2010
Location: Beauly, Inverness-shire

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby Sgurr » Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:14 pm

In the days before Sunday opening at nine ( then opened 1 p.m. on Sundays) we had taken bikes, just in case, so set off up the glen cycling at 9 a.m. and then did them. It was the most exhausting day of my entire hill-walking life, The clag was down so low at the end of the day that husband actually cycled into the gate before he saw it (but we had been going very slow as it was dark by then, and we only had one light between us). However, fitter people than us (we were in our 60s by them) could probably do them with a lot more time to spare. And of course there is no bar on starting much earlier.
User avatar
Sgurr
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 5679
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:569   Hewitts:172
Wainwrights:214   Islands:58
Joined: Nov 15, 2010
Location: Fife

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby ptc* » Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:33 pm

I was last there two or three years ago and got the code for one of the padlocks from the MCofS to let myself in, it was winter and I think that might be a winter only arrangement?
I remember the advice was not to be too early or two late so I didn't annoy the gatekeeper. So I raced back out at night and hot a pothole on the old tarmac. The speed wobble on my bent suspension was a joy on the A9 all the way home.

I think cycling in would be a great way to do it, the road is lovely and the hills themselves have lots of places for a high camp to split it up over a couple of days.
User avatar
ptc*
 
Posts: 235
Joined: Feb 18, 2010

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby gammy leg walker » Wed Aug 06, 2014 8:25 pm

A well timed post thinking of this round weekend after next,is walking all the way silly.
User avatar
gammy leg walker
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 3464
Munros:282   Corbetts:7
Fionas:4   Donalds:3+0
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:7
Joined: Jan 30, 2010
Location: Central Region
Walk wish-list

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby IamAJMiller » Wed Aug 06, 2014 9:51 pm

Of course using a bike from the gate would mean no time restrictions but this month it's open from 9am to 8pm, eleven hours. When we did it we were aware that we couldn't linger too long but weren't running and we were back at the gate for about half four. Anyone who's reasonably fit an healthy should be able to complete this round in decent time*.

*disclaimer - Andy accepts no responsibility for not making the gate and missing out on your tea. :wink:
User avatar
IamAJMiller
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 739
Munros:13   Corbetts:31
Fionas:2   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:18   Hewitts:51
Wainwrights:78   
Joined: May 17, 2010
Location: Perthshire

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby Sgurr » Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:42 pm

gammy leg walker wrote:A well timed post thinking of this round weekend after next,is walking all the way silly.


I only looked at the map that had the hills on when I said "Yes" to that particular excursion. The next door map has the access road, and you end up doing approx 13 miles each way to get to the dam & back. If you are carrying a tent and taking a long weekend, you could prob do it. Depends how gammy your leg really is. ....and without a bike, how are you going to escape from the big blue bird that lives about 4 miles from the start ?
Image
User avatar
Sgurr
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 5679
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:569   Hewitts:172
Wainwrights:214   Islands:58
Joined: Nov 15, 2010
Location: Fife

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby razzah » Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:29 am

I was there 2 weeks ago and the gate opens at 9am. The woman who opens it lives right beside the barrier. Don't toot the horn when you need back out again - it will be very rude (we heard reports she gets very annoyed at this!) I don't know about the other gate at Braulen Lodge. I drove up to the top of the glen where we intended to come back out into the glen when walking the Strathfarrar munros, dumped the bikes, then drove back down to the start. This greatly helped cut down the time and also meant we didn't face a long tarmac plod for miles when we were tired.
Also the Struy Inn is fantastic if you're there. This is just by the start of the turn off for Glen Strathfarrar. They could not have been more hospitable to us - offered to let us camp in our campervan in the carpark, food was delicious, and even put our soaking wet clothes in the tumble drier when we visited for a drink after our walk. Well worth a visit.
razzah
Wanderer
 
Posts: 64
Munros:282   Corbetts:77
Fionas:22   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:58   Hewitts:11
Wainwrights:16   Islands:36
Joined: Jul 9, 2013

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby tartancat » Thu Aug 07, 2014 8:37 pm

Thanks so much for all the replies fellow hillwalkers. I accessed the MoS link and they stated again that cars can only go as far as the power station, but it sounds like that isn't correct. Is the road really tarmac the whole way?
Also, is the start and finish of the route obvious when parking and dropping off bikes? Oft times it isn't.
tartancat
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 13
Joined: Jul 17, 2012

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby Gigha » Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:12 am

Just to clarify the situation, once through the access gate there are no other locked gates and you can drive the 17 miles up the Glen and over the Monar Dam to the Power Station at Gleann Innis an Loichel. It is tarmac road all the way but is becoming a bit pot holed in places now.

OS map of the Glen
Image

The Culligran estate has 4 holiday Chalets and a cottage for rent. I have stayed in the Chalets several times over the last few years. They are fairly basic but are an excellent base if you are walking in the area. [No TV but has limited WiFi that is OK for email] They also give you a key to the gate so you can come and go as you please.

The usual start / finish points are not way marked but are fairly obvious if you can read a map or have a GPS.

Hope this helps
Gigha
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 43
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:213   Donalds:89+43
Sub 2000:60   Hewitts:54
Wainwrights:106   Islands:30
Joined: Jun 28, 2007
Location: East Lothian

Re: ACCESS TO STRATHFARRAR GLEN VIA STRUY

Postby BlackPanther » Fri Aug 08, 2014 10:06 am

Just remembered I once wrote a report on the cycling route to Monar dam, some photos of how the road looks like:

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=22255
User avatar
BlackPanther
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 3839
Munros:268   Corbetts:182
Fionas:136   
Sub 2000:75   
Joined: Nov 2, 2010
Location: Beauly, Inverness-shire

Next



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to General discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: BoyVertiginous and 22 guests