Carn Dearg (Monadhliath) from Newtonmore

[Caleb Wright]

Having completed the other Monadhliath, Carn Dearg was the remaining one and it would turn into quite a long adventure. The day was thankfully dry after a lot of recent rain. We walked up the single track road out of the town and towards the Shephards Bridge car park, here we crossed the Allt a' Chaorainn and followed a good track towards the ruined township of Glenbanchor, here we saw a herd of deer surprisingly low down. Here we turned right before the bridge over the Allt Fionndrigh and followed a good track as it gently ascended the glen.

Lovely view just outside Newtonmore

Close encounter

The good track starting our ascent

Good track beside the Allt Fionndrigh

The track remained good until a junction, just passed the Allt Creag na h-lolaire, here we turned down a boggy track on the left and crossed the Allt Fionndrigh on an interesting wooden bridge! The track then ascends and is briefly good, after it gets to the top of a short rise it turns into a bog fest! The track is very obvious but was essentially like walking through water. After getting close to the Allt Ballach, we made a decision that we would extend the walk to avoid more of the bog, which we were warned would get worse, and take in a few tops by an unconventional route.

Interesting wooden bridge

Last bit of the good path

The bog trot

We aimed to leave the bog as soon as possible and followed a vague path that soon disappeared below Meall na Ceardaich. The walk up this way soon improved and as we gained height we were back on good firm land. It was at the point that an eagle flew overhead. Until this year I had never seen one, this was my third encounter of the year. Also this route provided a great view of the Munro, looking across the glen to it. We continued the ascent meeting the line of fenceposts just to the west of Carn Ballach, From here we followed the fenceposts over to the surprisingly rocky Carn Ban. We detoured slightly to touch the summit cairn and then made our way to the path to meet the bealach with Carn Dearg.

The eagle on the ascent

Carn Dearg from near Carn Ballach

Rocky Carn Ban

As we ascended Carn Dearg the wind picked up, it was a very cold wind for August and the remainder of time high up would feel decidedly chilly. Carn Dearg will probably go down as my favourite of the Monadhliath, not only because it is the only one I have had views from but it seems a much more shapely mountain. The cairn is perched close to a steep drop and there were views out to the Laggan munros and east towards the Cairngorms. It was incredible to see the vast Monadhliath range, empty lands stretching out for miles.

Carn Dearg summit

Towards Lagan

The view south

East towards the Cairngorms

After a short lunch, we descended and took some shelter from a brief shower in a hollow not marked on the map. We had decided rather than cross all of the bog below we would follow our outward route back. Whilst with the cold wind it wasn't as pleasent as on the way, it was still preferable to the bog below. As we descended back to the bog we saw the eagle in similar place to the last time. Next it was the return to the bog, but thankfully not too for two long and we were chased off it and back to the track by the only midges of the day. The rest of the walk was a nice slow amble stopping plenty of times to take in the scenary. It seemed that cloud and rain (as well as darkness) were following us back down the glen to Newtonmore. The darkness caught us, thankfully the cloud and rain didnt. Upon arriving back at Newtonmore we dodged the most amount of bats I have ever seen. Though we had made a meal of what to many is quite a straightfoward munro, it was a good meal and I am glad we went this way.

Looking back at the summit

Carn Ban

Eagle on the descent

Leaving the bog

Looking back up Glen Banchor

[AHillTooFar]

The Glen Banchor area was quite nice by my recollection although I made a meal of it and went up the quite steep Carn Macoul and then down the boggy Gleann Ballach.