This long hillwalk includes ascents of three of the four Monadh Liath Munros. The hills themselves are undistinguished (particularly Carn Sgulain), but Carn Dearg has a feeling of remoteness and the long trek across the plateau from this peak to the others has a feeling of space, given favourable weather.
Summary
Rough going for much of the route; tracks lower down and featureless hills higher up. A line of fenceposts is an aid to navigating across the plateau.
Terrain
NN693998
Grid ref
25km/15.5 miles
Distance
Grade
Safety warning: Hillwalking when there is snow or ice lying requires ice-axe, crampons and the ability to use them. Some featured routes can become technical ice climbs. Check out our Winter Skills information provided by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland.
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1. Park at the end of the minor road leading from Newtonmore into Glen Banchor. This is an attractive, surprisingly wild little glen given its position close to the town. Continue on foot along the track up the glen, almost immediately crossing the bridge over the Allt a Chaorainn. The track leads past a plantation and passes close to the site of a deserted township. Just before the bridge over the Allt Fionndrigh, turn right onto a fainter, grassy track. This leads up into Gleann Fiondrigh, which lacks the open aspect of Glen Banchor, being hemmed in by the foothills of the Monadhliath.
Photo: Graeme Dewar
2. Continue on the track up Gleann Fionndrigh until it ends after just over three kilometres. Take a path on the left which crosses the river by way of a fairly dilapidated footbridge. This old stalkers path then zigzags first to the right and then left as it climbs up out of the glen, keeping just below a steep bank. The ground begins to flatten out onto a low bealach; keep on the stalkers path which curves to the right (climbing slightly) here, and not the branch which heads left. The path contours the hillside to come alongside the Allt Ballach in upper Gleann Ballach.
Photo: Graham Lewis (Grinner)
3. As the head of the glen is reached the path peters out at last. Carn Dearg lies directly to the west but steep ground and crags bar this approach; instead continue up to the boggy bowl at the very head of the glen. Here there is a wide grassy break which enables an easier climb southwest, keeping to the north of the crags, to reach the bealach between Carn Ban and Carn Dearg. Detour southeast from here to visit the summit of Carn Dearg, which at 945 metres is the highest of the Monadhliath; the position of the cairn on the edge of the steep drop to Gleann Ballach, with the ground also falling away to the west, makes it the finest of the range as well.
Photo: Doogz
4. Return to the bealach and this time continue northwards onto the stony ground around the summit of Carn Ban. North and west from here stretches the vast, empty and almost featureless plateau of the Monadhliath, as little visited as any ground in Britain. Our onward route is generally northeast, passing over the top of Carn Ballach and then reaching Meall na Creughaich; all the time the ground underfoot becomes less stony and boggier. Another three kilometres from here, now heading eastwards, is Carn Sgulain, the second of the day's Munros, and one of the most featureless on Sir Hugh's list. Finding the route all across the plateau from Carn Ban to this Munro would be difficult indeed in bad visibility but a line of old metal fenceposts offers guidance.
Photo: Graeme Dewar
5. There is little to detain you on Carn Sgulain's summit, so return a short distance southwest to the last bealach, then bearing south-southwest to cross the Allt Cuil na Caillich. This stream has cut a steep little 'v'-shaped valley into the plateau, so heading this way is necessary to avoid too much descent. Once across the stream and above the steep bank beyond, continue easily southeast to the third Munro, A'Chailleach. This is a popular destination in its own right for walkers staying at Newtonmore, and the summit is marked by a huge cairn (visible for miles around across Badenoch), with a windshelter set into one side.
Photo: Doogz
6. The descent route has the benefit of a rough path for much of the way. Head southwest at first before the path swings left and descends southeast into the glen, with great views down towards Newtonmore. Three-quarters of the way down you'll pass a little corrugated iron hut which offers very rough shelter on a wild day. Further down it is necessary to cross the Allt a'Chaorainn to reach a better path on the far side; if the stream is in spate, there is a wooden footbridge about half a kilometre downstream (it can be hard to spot). Follow the path down the far side, which almost immediately becomes a track. This leads directly down the glen, passing the forestry plantations at its foot to return directly to the start.
Photo: Graeme Dewar
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