Walking Alder way: Ben Alder on foot in a day

[Christopher Pulman]

The week spanning the end of May and the beginning of June 2021 brought continual sun, blue skies and 20-degree temperatures to Scotland. As luck would have it, it was also the week I had booked to stay in Aviemore. Early in the week, I warmed up (literally) walking the Monadhliath Munros and Bynack More. However, I wanted something bigger to end the holiday.

I'm not much of a cyclist or much of a runner. I'm not a fan of camping. So bagging Ben Alder, one of Scotland's remotest Munros, was not going to be easy. But my stamina is reasonable, and I'm pretty quick when walking on the flat (or downhill).

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I started off on the morning of 2 June around 7 am, having been dropped at the car park just beyond the Dalwhinnie station. This was before the level crossing on the direct route to Ben Alder Lodge was closed to walkers (https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/pressure-grows-on-rail-bosses-to-fix-dalwhinnie-debacle/) and I'm very grateful I did not have to walk an extra mile on the way out and again on the way back to use the alternative road that runs under the line.

The start of my route was a 10-mile walk to Culra bothy, 5 miles along Loch Ericht and 5 miles up the glen along the Allt a'Chaoil-reidhe. I took a pair of trainers in addition to my walking boots, so I would have some comfortable footwear for the route in. The road by the loch towards Ben Alder Lodge is smooth and easy walking, idyllic in the early morning sun. Except for the occasional tree tunnel, there are excellent views down the loch all the way.

Tree tunnel on the way to Alder Lodge

Loch Ericht stretching onward

However, the high point of the journey comes after leaving the loch and walking up the short road to Loch Pattack. The valley leading up to Ben Alder is vast, both in width and length, and the Leaches ridges on Ben Alder and the Lancet Edge on Geal-chàrn dominate the skyline. It is difficult to convey the feeling of space in photographs. The highlands feel massive from the path. And I was completely alone, the only sign of civilization being the road I was about to leave and the tiny speck of Culra bothy on the valley floor ahead.

Ben Alder and the Lancet Edge

The path to Culra bothy

I made good time to Culra -- 2 hours, 35 mins to cover 10 miles. It helped that the path along the Allt a'Chaoil-reidhe was well maintained, the ground was dry, and there was a ready supply of fresh flowing water from the stream. There were a few people camping on the other side of the river, but those were the only people I saw all day, beyond a couple of walkers in the far distance on Ben Alder.

I continued along the path on the southeast side of the river. It starts to climb up towards the Loch a' Bealach Bheithe. A smaller path then leaves the main path on the right, marked by a small pile of stones. The guide for this route on Walkhighlands (and the online map) is very accurate. The path can be followed down to the Allt a'Bhealaich Bheithe (which was an easy crossing, given the weather) and up the other side, but then it seems to disappear. I made a beeline for the Long Leaches ridge, aiming to join it just after the rocky crest at the end. The initial ascent to the ridge is quite steep, but not so much so as to present a problem.

I would not describe the Long Leaches ridge as a scramble. It is possible to climb it without ever using one's hands. In fact, I had deliberately to divert from the obvious path to seek out some small sections of scrambling. But it is an excellent route up the mountain, not least for the views, and well worth the trip.

Walking up to the Long Leaches

On the Long Leaches

The path goes round to the left, avoiding a brief scramble

Looking back down the ridge, the way I had come

The top of Ben Alder is a sprawling plateau, very similar to the high Cairngorms. Once at the top of the ridge, it is an easy walk along to the summit, although, despite the heat, there were still some snow fields left over from the cold spell at the beginning of May (snowy photos from Braemar in early May to be provided in a subsequent report). From the top of Ben Alder, it is possible to see the whole of the central highlands, but there was a little heat haze beginning to build up.

The view towards the summit from the top of the Long Leaches

View from the summit looking southwest

The walk onward towards Beinn Bheoil skirts the top of Ben Alder impressive line of cliffs, which drop down to the Bealach Bheithe. There were a few snow fields to negotiate, and the occasional stream pouring over the cliffs. There is a faint path down Sròn Bealach Bheithe, but be warned: the descent is quite steep and the ground is quite loose.

Looking back along the Ben Alder plateau

Ben Alder from the ascent up Beinn Bheoil from the Bealach Bheithe

Loch a' Bealach Bheith

From the bealach, the ascent up Beinn Bheoil is straightforward, again with a faint path. And while Beinn Bheoil looks insignificant alongside Ben Alder, it is a fun ridge walk, sandwiched between two lochs.

Beinn Bheòil

The southern end of Loch Ericht

It also provides spectacular views to the northwest, towards the Leaches ridges and the Lancet Edge.

View north towards Geal-chàrn

Close up of the long leaches, short leaches and the Lancet Edge

As the Walkhighlands guide suggests, it is easiest to descent Beinn Bheoil before the end of the ridge. I think my map is accurate; descend to the left just at the start of the flat grassy area that leads to Sron Dreineach. Although there is no path, the way down is on grassy slopes at a comfortable gradient. At the bottom, it is possible to cut across to the path back to Culra bothy.

Dalwhinnie was a long long way away

Loch Ericht spreading north to Dalwhinnie

At Culra, I swapped back to my trainers, refilled my water bottles, and set off at speed. The 10 miles back to Dalwhinnie took 2 hours 45 minutes (only 10 minutes longer than the walk in), but I was certainly starting to feel the miles. I didn't have much left by the time I made it back to the car park. The round had taken 11 and a half hours, and I had drunk 7 and a half litres of water.

A few notes for other walkers:
-There was still plenty of daylight when I finished. It would be possible to do a 14-hour round, taking a more leisurely pace along Loch Ericht.
-The path to Culra bothy clearly would make a good cycle route. I suspect most people would opt to cycle, allowing the round to be done in 9-10 hours.
-In the dry, the ascent of Ben Alder is not too strenuous, despite the stretches of pathless walking. It is not overly steep, and the ascent begins from 500 metres.

[Phil the Hill]

I did the same route that day, e-biking in from the Dalwhinnie station car park, setting up camp at Culra and bagging the 2 Munros then back to the tent for the night. Looking at your timing, I was probably behind you and my tent would have appeared (a green Laser Competition) when you returned to Culra. It was a great day for the walk and the Long Leachas is a fine ascent route.

[Christopher Pulman]

Now you mention it, I remember a green tent having appeared when I got down from the mountains. Glad you enjoyed the route. It was such a gorgeous day for the walk, one the best I've done, not least because of the walk up to Culra.