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Rannoch Moor walking

Rannoch Moor walking


Postby Benaden887 » Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:57 pm

Munros included on this walk: Càrn Dearg (Corrour)

Corbetts included on this walk: Beinn Pharlagain, Leum Uilleim

Date walked: 22/05/1999

Time taken: 9.25 hours

Distance: 34.5 km

Ascent: 1606m

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Rannoch moor walking 22/05/1999 Leum Uilleim, Meall na Meoig of Beinn Pharlagain and Carn Dearg 35km 1600m 9.15h
What we do in life can sometimes be triggered by the oddest of things – like, while watching the film “Trainspotting” I recognised a todo Corbett plastered oer the screen, It seemed to cry. “come an get me”. So early drive to Dalmuir stn. catch the Caledonian Sleeper N to Corrour for a walk over Rannoch moor an bag a pair of Corbetts. Corrour being a “request stop” the rear brake coach stops outwith the platform, so I swing down to the track, yell thanks as the train leaves and walk on to the platform of the highest railway stn in the UK. Built in 1893/4 by the North British Railway co. - it sports an island platform, a passing loop and a siding on the E side in common with the lines two other remote passing places at Gorton and Glen Douglas, ( both now defunct.) Intended only as a passing place, it was first named Luibruaridh, after the nearest habitation on the old Rannoch to Spean bridge drove road. A tall signalbox and low annex where in the signalman lived, became a subpost office then a PO telegraph stn as Corrour became a postal town. The island platform in use as a station by estate workers, became known as Corrour and so was renamed. Later a house was built for the signalman with the older buildings now home to the PO. to eventually close by 1977. A mile long track was laid down to meet the drove road at Loch Ossian and service the lodge which brings us nicely to the present day. Cross the rails heading W on a path to Leum Uilleim. The day is dry an clear wi a nice breeze as first a wee detour to see a large boulder that has a spindly tree growing out of it. Amazing the struggle for survival. Back to the path cross a large burn, easy climb onto An Diollaid`s narrow ridge that broadens on becoming Tom an Eion. Pass a cairn ignore a better track off L for the pink stone cairn of Beinn A Bhric @ 876m. A wee break here. Great views of the Grey Corries, Mamores, the Buachalles and Blackmount. A steep sided corrie here opens to the Blackwater rsvr some way below deer graze the slopes. The browns and blacks of winter are giving way to the brighter hues and clean smells of summer. Pass a drystone shelter for the well stacked cairn of Leum Uilleim @909m and rest. Over 2h to get here butstill a ways to go. Visit the “pile o stones” before dropping S then SE from steep to easier ground for a good path under the railway to the Coffin road. Pass pools of black water, growing plantlife and bleached roots: cross a deep burn, view the ruins of Lubnaclash with its radio mast beyond. My track meets the “Drove trail” as it climbs and winds round to Old Corrour Lodge another ruin lying beneath the W ridge of Carn Dearg. This was known as the highest home in Scotland being it sat on the 550m contour, or 1740ft above sea level in old money. A break here as a train runs by, then strike uphill beside a burn an just under an hour gains the 850 m contour of Bealach nan Fiadh. I look into a long verdant U shaped glen capped here by two Munros I`ve clocked a few times in my travels. My next Corbett lies some 4k on the glens far side, so I need to cross this. A steep drop into the glen is short lived as I am immediately attacked by black flies, thousands of them an I`m wearing shorts. Head face arms and legs, are covered and they bite! Blinded I turn and head back up to the ridge to meet a breeze. The flies drop back as I wipe blood an I examine my bite marks. After a swallow and Mars I`m still smarting so decide to slight Coire Eigheach, and add the Munros to my day. Gear up, then climb steeply to the cairn of Carn Dearg@ 941m. Good views here of Lochs Ossian an Ericht, the Alder group with Meggie beyond, Beinn a Lap and the Easians. My first time here was with Darren and Andy, idea being to do these two and the Lap between trains. We drove to Bridge of Orchy, waited on a train that was 40min late due to a hill fire at Tyndrum - to be told our return train (the same one) would be at the stated time. Nuf said we ran around these three Munros in record time. Drop to the Mam Ban col @730m then having done a time and mapchk it dawns on me the late sleeper jist may not stop at Rannoch stn. leaving me here overnight. Thus no time for Sgor Gaibhre (+1hr) instead follow the 750m grassy contour to Bealach Leathman.(28mins) Pause here for a better view of Loch Ericht, the Alders, an that wee white dot could just be the haunted cottage. Thread two lochans for the large cairn of Meall na Meoig of Beinn Pharlagain @ 868m. Some mouthfull, I can see deer in the corrie below me. Climb an entertaining wee tor @ 838m, pass the 807m “unnamed top” of Ben Phalagain, now time to pick up the pace. A long SW downward run, grass to heather leaves the confines of the glen behind to reach the drovers track, Eigheach burn crossing and open moorland again. The track rounds a hillside, forestry and lochs here, pass another cluster o bricks, someones once home. Green patches on the land hints of worked crofts, hard to believe Rannoch was once home to a thriving community of 2500 people. Round a bend to stop at a SROWS sign that reads “ the road tae the isles.” Dip under the power lines and striding pylons that run wi the railway to Bridge of Orchy. Thro a gate meets tarmac road to size up the “Heart Stone” or “Clach Cridhe,” a well known ancient landmark on the Moor`s old road to the isles. Viewed as an obstacle during construction of the B846 section to Rannoch stn. it was drilled and split. Then following a public outcry, it was moved in the 1950s to its now location to prevent being submerged by an enlarged Eigheach Guar rsvr. ( re an information board at the stn.) Drovers routes across a featureless moor were marked by cairns built on knolls, other prominent feature like large shaped boulders etc. were also used to point correct route and give safe passage. A long glance at Loch Eigheach and birds there on, cross a bridge spanning the now river Eigheach and a hurried walk reaches Rannoch stn in good time to catch the diesel train home.
So good day Two more ticks, plenty deer, birds and clegs, hadn't see them since the lake District. Saw no one on the hills, five folk train waiting at Rannoch stn.
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Benaden887
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 167
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:153   Donalds:89
Sub 2000:7   Hewitts:46
Wainwrights:39   
Joined: Apr 8, 2012
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