Carn a Choire Ghairbh - unfinished business

[Strathlassie]

I've been wanting to climb this hill for a while now so what better time to do it than before the tourist season (hopefully) starts. We didn't meet another car driving up the glen to the car park and were pleasantly surprised to see that the car park was empty - Glen Affric to ourselves! I'd been scouring the walk reports on here and we decided that the best route up was to walk along the lochside and take the zigzag path starting at around 143211. So we started strolling along the path only to hear the sound of a chainsaw being used on the estate - so we didn't have Glen Affric to ourselves. The zigzag path was fantastic - nice gentle gradients with views to the north of the loch that were to die for.

Start of the zigzag path

Start of the zigzag path opposite a fishing hut

Nice easy slopes

What a day to be out! The zig zags eventually petered out and we began the 1.6 km walk to the summit across snowy slopes. Amazing views for 360 degrees.

Summit cairn

But sadly the clouds were amassing on the surrounding hilltops so we beat a quick retreat to the small cairn at the top of the zigzags to eat our butties.

Cairn at the top of the zigzag path

Back down the zigzags and along the shoreline to the car park and home. No tourists in sight!!

[gld73]

I did this walk today (...though somehow managed to lose the path twice on the descent, despite having no trouble sticking to it on the way up...I've got to stop daydreaming when I walk!). Since you did it a month ago someone has obviously taken issue with the little pile of stones/tiny cairn marking the spot to leave the track and go up to the zig zaggy path, as it's no longer there. I walked right past it, realised I'd gone a little bit too far, came back and got on the path no bother, but I did see the stones have been scattered so they're no longer in a pile marking the spot clearly. Personally I don't see the problem in a little pile of stones marking where a route leaves a bigger track and starts, but evidently some people do!!

[Strathlassie]

It’s a great walk. Like you, I don’t understand why people have to demolish a tiny cairn, it’s not harming anybody. I loved the fishing hut on the shores of the loch near the start of the zigzags. I met a guy where I live who used to be invited to picnics by the old Affric Lodge owners. They used to take a boat from the lodge to the end of the loch and have picnics on the shore! I’m sure you wouldn’t get that for free from the present owners! Lol.

[gld73]

Ha, yes, think I'll have to stick to taking my own sandwiches rather than wait for the lodge owners to invite me for a picnic

Beautiful views of Affric yesterday, not a cloud in the sky:

Glen Affric pano on the way up Carn a Choire Ghairbh