Walkhighlands

Don't want to repeat what the other's have said about this circuit on their trip reports, but I do have a few general observations and a bit of advice for anyone new to hillwalking for this route. Not many pics on the other reports so I've included a few here of my day.

1) If you are fairly new to this munro bagging/hillwalking hobby do not underestimate this route. It can be rough and tiresome in the beginning and in the descent.

2) Keep a sharpe eye out for the path heading that turns away from the burn and heads 'around the edge of the forestry' as I followed a nice clear path a bit too far and ended up slogging up the mucky lower slope of Carn Gorm.

3) If the cloud and mist is hovering over Carn Mairg you will be fine making it to the summit on the clear path. Once at the top, from the summit cairn, start to retrace your steps back to the rocky tor. Almost between the cairn and the tor a grassy slope will appear and slope to your left. The steep trail down the hill is not immediately clear from the summit, but if you explore this grassy slope you should find it.

4) In cloud and mist the final munro Creag Mhor (Meall na Aighean) can be very tricky. Retracing one's steps to pick up the decent trail is easier said than done. There are plenty of goat paths to confuse novices up there and the descent trail didn't seem to be appearent on the ascent (in the cloud). Myself and two walkers (Nicky and Nicho) searched for about 30 minutes before finally running into the path.

This was a tough day out after doing four munros the previous day. It also reinforced the notion that proper map and compass skills are essential.

Stretch wrote:
4) In cloud and mist the final munro Creag Mhor (Meall na Aighean) can be very tricky. Retracing one's steps to pick up the decent trail is easier said than done. There are plenty of goat paths to confuse novices up there and the descent trail didn't seem to be appearent on the ascent (in the cloud). Myself and two walkers (Nicky and Nicho) searched for about 30 minutes before finally running into the path.

So agree here, even though when I did this there was no mist on this summit, it took me ages to find the right path down as well.

2) Keep a sharpe eye out for the path heading that turns away from the burn and heads 'around the edge of the forestry' as I followed a nice clear path a bit too far and ended up slogging up the mucky lower slope of Carn Gorm.

You headed for the red shed, didn't you? Did the same thing myself not so long ago. What a slog that bit became.


Arrow showing where I should've gone.

Actually Sloosh, do you see that washed out bit of land down by the burn? I'm pretty sure the trail I was on followed that and I had to carefully step over that part. I followed the path on the munro side of the burn but still had to forge up that messy hillside. This might have been a 6 1/2 hour trip had I stayed closer to that forest.

Stretch wrote:Actually Sloosh, do you see that washed out bit of land down by the burn? I'm pretty sure the trail I was on followed that and I had to carefully step over that part. I followed the path on the munro side of the burn but still had to forge up that messy hillside. This might have been a 6 1/2 hour trip had I stayed closer to that forest.

Ah, gotcha. I noticed a trail coming up beside the burn when I was clambering down from the shed side and up the hillside.

I agree with what you say about navigating off the top of the last munro. There's a path that appears as if it's the one you want to take to get off the hill but it in fact goes in a completely different direction - needless to say I discovered that the hard way (although only for a wee bit till I realised my mistake).

Stretch wrote:Actually Sloosh, do you see that washed out bit of land down by the burn? I'm pretty sure the trail I was on followed that and I had to carefully step over that part. I followed the path on the munro side of the burn but still had to forge up that messy hillside. This might have been a 6 1/2 hour trip had I stayed closer to that forest.

Thats the way I went as well, although to be honest I don't think it cost that much time. Mist, wind and rain was more of a reason for slowing me down on that one!

Wish I'd read this report before doing this yesterday headed too far up burn as well and it really is an energy sapper, met a couple ahead of us and they had done the same, adds to the fun of it all
The descent is worth looking out for on the way up the final summit as easier to see from there (assuming no mist)or marking on GPS as waypoint on map, you just want to get down ASAP by then !

I ended up too far along the burn as well. Still sure I never saw a path going off to my left. I was on the right side of the burn, I crossed on the very dodgy metal bridge that bounced when I walked on it but still saw no path!
Was a real slog to get up onto the shoulder but progress was quick thereafter.

les83 wrote:I ended up too far along the burn as well. Still sure I never saw a path going off to my left. I was on the right side of the burn, I crossed on the very dodgy metal bridge that bounced when I walked on it but still saw no path!
Was a real slog to get up onto the shoulder but progress was quick thereafter.

Well that does it, next time I have a spare day (not likely with my PhD) I'm going out there to post a sign or build a cairn where this thing starts.