Two wee ones at the end of Glen Strathfarrar

[Hills4dogs]

Still working on rehabbing my knee and had a half day to do some hill walking so decided to try these two hills in my favourite Glen. I had a late start due to an early work commitment but decided to take the risk that the gate would still be open because it was a Thursday outside the school holidays (<25 cars permitted). Got through fine and arrived at the wee parking area near Loch Monar dam just before noon. I love this glen, it is so beautiful and the road up the glen meanders along next to a river which just makes it a stunning location. I had planned the route out on OS maps as this isn't a hill with too many walk reports on it. In general the ground was great, in places a bit soft but not really boggy, could be lot worse in the height of the wet season!

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After leaving the car, I set off east, down the road alongside the steepish sides of Meall an Tuirbh until there was a wee dirt track off to the left.

The outflow from the dam which becomes the Farrar river

First hill of the day Beinn na Muice from the dirt track turnoff

Taking this track we walked over the soft ground and headed up toward the wee bealach.

Route upto the first bealach, soft under foot but not too bad

View back down the glen with Sgurr na Diollard in the distance

View over Loch Monar

View south to the Loch Mullardoch munros

Once on the bealach we traversed around the base of the hill for a short while, until we were levelish with Monar lodge and then headed up the slopes to the top. There were lots of boulders coming through the low heather but the route up was very simple to plot with no hardships at all despite there being no track. About halfway up, we stopped for our first lunch on a rock which is always Dillon's favourite part of the walk! Once on the top there was a short walk to reach the summit where the views were great and we had lunch #2!

At the top with the Strathfarrar munros in the background

The second target of the day. Meall Innis an Loichel, it really is wee!

The glen Carron munros with Maoile Lunndaidh looking impressive at the front

After lunch we strolled easily down the hill, back the way we came but this time heading closer to Monar lodge and getting onto the track there so that on the way out Dillon could have a swim in Loch Monar (his second favourite part of a hike).

A wee swim between hills

I had originally been planning to traverse Meall Innis from west to east but as we crossed the dam, the vegetation looked "lusher" immediately next to the dam, possibly due to the constant spray of water coming from the dam, so decided to tackle this first.

The outflow from Loch Monar

We jumped over the wee barrier behind the building at the end of the dam and traversed through the small bushes for a while before heading upto the ridge and then climbing up to the top. This is really a very small hill! At the top we stopped for a cup of coffee and a good look around at all the stunning surrounding hills.

View from the top of MIaL over Loch Monar with Maoille Lunndaidh in the background

Then it was just a quick decent back down the west side of the hill onto another track and a return over the dam back to the car. On the way back along the glen I stopped and picked up two other hikers who were walking between the car parks for the Strathfarrar four munros and also stopped to give Dill a good swim in the river Farrar.
All in all a fab day out in my favourite Glen

[gld73]

I've always got to the gate for 9 am thinking people would be fighting to get in, but other than when I did the 4 munros, I've rarely seen another car at that time and never met anyone else walking the same hills, so always regretted not having an extra hour in bed I've still to do Beinn na Muice, but might take your lead and go for a later start for that one. Lots of goats and a couple of kids on my last trip down the glen. I keep meaning to do 1 or 2 of the munros usually done from the Mullardoch side from Strathfarrar too, really need to dig out a map and make definite plans for that soon.....

[Hills4dogs]

I keep meaning to do 1 or 2 of the munros usually done from the Mullardoch side from Strathfarrar too, really need to dig out a map and make definite plans for that soon.....

I wondered about that too, but not sure how far I could get out that way, given the gate timing issues!

[Graeme D]

On the way back along the glen I stopped and picked up two other hikers who were walking between the car parks for the Strathfarrar four munros

Where were you last month when my two mates and I were dying on that stretch of tarmac!!!??? I did mention the possibility of Beinn na Muice to them as we descended the stalkers path from the final Munro but was met by stony silence!