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Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?


Postby Joanna05 » Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:13 pm

Hi there,
My family and I are visiting the Scottish Highlands for the summer, and I have found the beautiful Loch Einich. I am wondering if there is a relatively quick way to walk there from Achlean?
There doesn't seem to be any path according to Google Maps, but after looking on Google Earth, I am wondering if there is a way to walk up Sgor Gaoith along one of the rivers(as shown in the photo in the link attached), and eventually end up overlooking the lake?
Or are there perhaps any other easy and short routes?
I would be grateful if anyone knows and could help :D :D
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby denfinella » Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:50 pm

Hi Joanna,

Yes - there is mostly a path, and it's a lovely walk. You would still need a good walking map and know how to to use it for navigation.

Here is the Walkhighlands route guide - you wouldn't have to do the tougher return route if you didn't want to. https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/sgor-gaoith.shtml

I wouldn't personally suggest using Google Maps or Google Earth as your main method of planning routes, as they aren't detailed enough, though they can be a useful tool in addition to a proper walking map (1:25000 or 1:50000 Ordnance Survey map).

Good luck! :)
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby jmarkb » Sun Jun 13, 2021 6:41 pm

It is also possible to follow a good path from Achlean up onto Carn Ban Mor, from where it is an easy walk (still with a path) across the plateau to Sgor Gaoith. If you actually want to visit Loch Einich itself, there is a good track from Whitewell / Loch an Eilein, suitable for mountain bikes as well as for walking.
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby Joanna05 » Sun Jun 13, 2021 9:29 pm

denfinella wrote:Hi Joanna,

Yes - there is mostly a path, and it's a lovely walk. You would still need a good walking map and know how to to use it for navigation.

Here is the Walkhighlands route guide - you wouldn't have to do the tougher return route if you didn't want to. https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/sgor-gaoith.shtml

I wouldn't personally suggest using Google Maps or Google Earth as your main method of planning routes, as they aren't detailed enough, though they can be a useful tool in addition to a proper walking map (1:25000 or 1:50000 Ordnance Survey map).

Good luck! :)

Thank you very much this is exactly what I was looking for!
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby Joanna05 » Sun Jun 13, 2021 9:31 pm

jmarkb wrote:It is also possible to follow a good path from Achlean up onto Carn Ban Mor, from where it is an easy walk (still with a path) across the plateau to Sgor Gaoith. If you actually want to visit Loch Einich itself, there is a good track from Whitewell / Loch an Eilein, suitable for mountain bikes as well as for walking.

Ah ok interesting, thank you! Is there maybe a link to the path from Achlean to Carn Ban Mor?
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby gaffr » Mon Jun 14, 2021 4:55 am

Hello, No need for a link... Just obtain an Ordnance Survey map for the area or pay 20 pounds for an annual subscription to have both the 1:50,000 and the 1:25,000 maps on line and on your phone.:-)
Proper maps... Not micky mouse maps.
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby jmarkb » Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:11 am

Joanna05 wrote:Is there maybe a link to the path from Achlean to Carn Ban Mor?


It's described as the first part of this walk: https://www.stevenfallon.co.uk/feshie.html and also in this report: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=50084
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby Mal Grey » Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:20 am

Without wanting to spoil things for you, you should realise that even in summer, the hills of Carn Ban Mor & Sgor Gaoith are wild mountain places where the weather can change very quickly, and visibility drop to nothing. The terrain is quite featureless, until you suddenly come to the massive drop down to Einich. To climb them, you need to understand hill navigation with an Ordnance Survey map and compass, and there is no guarantee of being able to see anything from the top.
If your prime motivator is to go hillwalking, then crack on, gen up on some navigation skills, keep an eye on the forecast and you'll have a great day. If the main motivator is simply to see Loch Einich, in my opinion you'd be better approaching from the north but would have to drive round to get to the start. (I'm assuming your based near or at Achlean hence the question)
Glen Feshie itself is truly lovely, especially further up, and you'll also get some great walks there.
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby AJ01 » Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:23 pm

It is difficult to give advice when one has no idea of the capabilities of the person being advised, but I would endorse Mal Grey's comments about the difficulty of finding your way around the featureless Carn Ban Mor / Sgor Gaoith ridge in bad visibility. The day I climbed Sgor Gaoith the clag was so dense that visibility was down to about 5 yards, so finding my way from the summit to the head of the path back to Auchlean with just map and compass was the toughest bit of navigation that I've done in 40 years of walking in the mountains.

So if, Joanna05, you're fairly experienced at navigating in the mountains, perhaps using a GPS to give a constant record of your location, then weather conditions might not concern you too much. But if that doesn't apply to you, then I suggest only attempting the route in weather conditions that will guarantee excellent visibility all the day. Hope this helps.

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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby Joanna05 » Tue Jun 15, 2021 11:33 pm

Mal Grey wrote:Without wanting to spoil things for you, you should realise that even in summer, the hills of Carn Ban Mor & Sgor Gaoith are wild mountain places where the weather can change very quickly, and visibility drop to nothing. The terrain is quite featureless, until you suddenly come to the massive drop down to Einich. To climb them, you need to understand hill navigation with an Ordnance Survey map and compass, and there is no guarantee of being able to see anything from the top.
If your prime motivator is to go hillwalking, then crack on, gen up on some navigation skills, keep an eye on the forecast and you'll have a great day. If the main motivator is simply to see Loch Einich, in my opinion you'd be better approaching from the north but would have to drive round to get to the start. (I'm assuming your based near or at Achlean hence the question)
Glen Feshie itself is truly lovely, especially further up, and you'll also get some great walks there.

Yeah thanks for this. I am aware that the weather in the highlands can be very inconsistent even during the summer, so obviously if we did climb up Sgor Gaoith we would have to make absolutely sure that the weather permits it.
Admittedly, the main motivation is to see loch einich, however I don't mind going hillwalking as it can feel rewarding and it's worth it once you're at the top.
With regards to approaching the lake from the north, I would love to do that, and our location is not a problem. However, the only path I have found seems to be approx. a 20 kilometre round trip after the car has been parked, which doesn't seem worth it, unless you know any quicker paths from the north!
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby jmarkb » Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:01 am

Joanna05 wrote:With regards to approaching the lake from the north, I would love to do that, and our location is not a problem. However, the only path I have found seems to be approx. a 20 kilometre round trip after the car has been parked, which doesn't seem worth it, unless you know any quicker paths from the north!


There is no shorter route - however it is a very scenic walk and, because the height gain is a lot less, it would take about the same time to get to Loch Einich that way as it would to climb Sgor Gaoith from Glen Feshie.

On the track in Gleann Eanaich:
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby rgf101 » Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:04 am

It's a lovely walk, as said, and the loch would be a fantastic place to have a picnic and wander about. I suspect it'd be a very good bike ride if you fancy hiring some bikes, but maybe let someone else chime in on that.
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby WalkWithWallace » Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:54 am

gaffr wrote:Hello, No need for a link... Just obtain an Ordnance Survey map for the area or pay 20 pounds for an annual subscription to have both the 1:50,000 and the 1:25,000 maps on line and on your phone.:-)
Proper maps... Not micky mouse maps.


Walkhighlands also has free mapping, that's probably an under used resource, perfect for planning before you leave:

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/maps/
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby gaffr » Wed Jun 16, 2021 2:15 pm

Hello, Yes, I have been aware of the Maps available on here. Never much used them. I have my own Ordnance Survey maps on the PC and on the Phone.
Perhaps you could explain that when you click on the bar/scale thing that on the third and second from the top of the scale that both of these show more paths than on the top of scale map which relates to the maps that I have. Fewer paths shown on the top of scale map. I guess this would be relevant to the person asking about the area of Sgor Gaoith and Eanaich.
Additionally the cairngorm area is badly served by the lack of updating of the O.S.maps. For example the creation of the parking space at the Allt Ruadh has extended the the path that was prominent in the past, now upgraded, up to the ford at the allt a'Chrom-Alltain..now this path will take you up to the area .1012. Possibly now this access to Sgor Gaoith is the popular way now?
I can recall descending this way forty years ago when there was still then a bit of a path, fading at times, so I guess in the past a way up for the sporting folks. :)
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Re: Is it possible to walk from Achlean to Loch Einich?

Postby Moder-dye » Wed Jun 23, 2021 3:37 pm

Cycling up to Loch Eanaich from the north is a great ride, though obviously all up hill on the way there, but that makes it even better going back down to the Rothiemurchus area with little effort at all. I've done it a couple of times and is much easier and quicker than walking with my dodgy knees.
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