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If Sgurr Marcasaidh was a munro or corbett, it would be a highly popular one with a well trodden route along its length. But although it looks far grander than a sub-2000ft marilyn, and feels far grander than a sub-2000ft marilyn (especially by this route), it fails by a few metres to make the grade even as a graham, and so remains off the radar for those coming up to the Highlands intent on bagging higher summits. No bad thing that it's left in relative peace and solitude, both for the occasional hill walkers who head to Glen Marcasaidh to do one or both of the 2 marilyns, and the black grouse reintroduction project present in the glen.
My previous time up Sgurr Marcasaidh was done as a relatively straightforward out and back along the track down the glen, just heading straight up the side of the hill to come out near the summit area at the western end.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=97631I'd enjoyed that walk, but had thought a full traverse of this impressive hill would be even better, heading up the steep eastern end from Luichart Dam and then the 3km or so west over all the lumps and bumps to the summit. The route would have to be done in winter though to avoid the deep bracken on the way up. So start of March, a day of good weather, and I decided this would be the afternoon to do it.
Approximate route:
I parked by the Luichart power station where there was room for a handful of cars, though I could have parked nearer, either just before the "Mon-Fri 0900-1700" gate or through it, up by the dam itself (several work vehicles there today as it turned out). From the view I had from the very start of my walk, I wasn't sure if my memory of the east slope was correct - it looked too formidable to be a good way up. Once approaching the dam I could see it was okay though, so crossed the dam, past some workmen and machinery, through the gate, and straight up the hillside ahead, ignoring the good track curving off to the left (my return route).
- Eastern end of Sgurr Marcasaidh from near the car (passing some of the old transmitting equipment). Taken at the end of the walk, hence the blue skies having gone!
- Heading across Luichart Dam. I'd be going straight up the slope ahead.
- Looking back down on the track I'd just left, and Loch Luichart dam. This hillside would be thick bracken in summer, hence me only doing this route in the more winter months.
The way up is steep and pathless through sparse woodland and over the brown, winter remains of bracken. Eventually I headed right a bit and found a gully which made for easier, though still steep, progress. I had in my head that initial ascent would take me on to the top plateau, but no, after going through some deep heather and over the top of this first lump, I dropped down slightly to a deer fence (no gate or stile that I could see, but easy enough to climb over) and headed over to the next section of steep ascent. I passed one of the comms infrastructure pieces Sgurr Marcasaidh is known for, then initially followed a deer track up before it disappeared and I was into challenging, high heather.
- Even with dead bracken, the steepness of the initial rote was quite tough, so moving to my right and finding this grassy gully made for easier progress.
- Further up, I was going through heather and then came out at the eastern outcrop for this view down through the heather and trees of the way I'd come up. The dam is in the centre of the picture partially obscured by trees here.
- Down through heather, then had to climb over this fence.
- Further along I walked alongside this fence for a short distance, passing more of the comms infrastructure (which was for bouncing signals from the Rosemarkie transmitter on the Black Isle over to the Isle of Lewis). The heather and rock on the hill face ahead were the last obstacles to getting to the eastern top of Sgurr Marcasaidh.
- Heading up through very steep and very thick heather, this was looking back over the bumps of the eastern end of the hill I'd come over so far...
- ...and the view down the glen (my return route) towards the snow covered Strathconon corbetts
The tough going through and up thick, deep heather made me decide scrambling up a crag might be easier. Initially it was, then it got a bit smooth, wet and slippy and I decided to play safe and retrace my steps down, thrashing on through the heather instead. It wasn't actually too bad as I was at the eastern summit soon enough, and the inviting plateau curving round to the main summit at the western end was obvious in front of me. (Doing this hill in future, I'll probably come up the southern face straight up to this point rather than up the eastern end - it should avoid the heather I think).
- Cairn on the eastern top of Sgurr Marcasaidh. The actual summit of the mountain is at the western end. The big bump with patches of snow on it is what I'm heading to from here, though the route curves round to the right first.
- Loch Luichart, Ben Wyvis in the background.
- Good walking along the wide, curving, grassy plateau
From the eastern summit, as I'd hoped, it was a lovely walk to the the western summit; any peat hags or areas of bog were easy enough to zig zag around. There were a few bumps to go over, but they were optional, I just went over them to explore this lovely hill more fully.
- A beautiful clear day, so always obvious where I was aiming for as I continued west.
- A few areas of bog and hags, but never hard to avoid.
- A cold but clear day at the summit
Got to the trig point and enjoyed the views for no more than 5 minutes due to the strong winds making it difficult to stand there comfortably - I was glad I wasn't anywhere higher.
- Summit view back along the way I'd come from the east...
- ...and NE to Ben Wyvis
- Cold and very windy, however nice it looked in photos towards the west, I was happy I hadn't tried for anything higher today.
To descend, I backtracked slightly before dropping down, trying to roughly aim for the burn heading down the hill that I'd more or less followed up as my ascent route last time I'd been up here. Soon enough I was back down at the bottom of the hill on the good estate track, with an easy walk all the way back, parallel to the hill for most of it, then heading back over the dam and back to the car.
- Starting to make my way down the south side from the summit, looking along to the Strathconon corbetts again
- More comms bling up to my left on the descent
- Arriving back on the glen track. This was where I'd headed up the hill last time I was here, so I was back on familiar ground for an easy walk back now.
- Looking back along the length of the hill as I neared the buildings at Glenmarksie. Next time, I'll head up around here to avoid the steep slog though deep heather further east, but still get the enjoyable walk from the east to west tops.
Great walk in great weather on a great hill