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Always planned to do the six of these with an overnight in the bothy/camp, nice cycle in though so 2 trips is not a problem. the whole trip took 8:15, bike to the bothy was 1:15 then about 5:40 on the hill and just under an hour back on the bike as it was mainly downhill (times taken from GPS, otherwise I'd have no idea). Rest of the time spent gabbing/messing about with bike.
WH suggests taking 8-9 hours for this trip from the bothy, but you're starting from a high point so there isn't a lot of ascent and not much of a drop between the hills, also the return is on a good path. With a bike, it's an easyish day trip from Dalwhinnie.
Parked at the station, not many cars when I left but busier when I got back. Dalwhinnie is rife with midges so get the repellent on before leaving the car! Crossed the railway and started down the road, good condition & potholes are filled in. At the gatehouse there are 2 gates, the one on the right has a turnstile for walkers to get through and there's a faint path up on the grass to the right of the gate for bikes. Loch Ericht:
Passed various estate buildings with turrets etc, the route to the hills is always to the right of these. A few steepish hills but didn't have to get off & push. Track goes up to the right of the main lodge, then over a bridge and into the open. Soon the hills came into view, there's a path heading towards them but I was going for the second one next to the hayrick, there's also a large passing place marking the start. View to the hills just before the cut off:
The path is a bit rougher, bothy soon in sight - Alder on the left, Lancet Edge & Carn Dearg on the right:
Parked at the bothy and had a chat with 3 guys who were touring on the bikes. Bothy is comfortable and the aroma of bacon sandwiches was in the air, but it was to the hills & a steep pathless grassy ascent of Carn Dearg:
Actually, the bothy's altitude is over 450m and the slope eases around the 700m mark so it's not too hard going, bit cloudy further up:
Over to Alder:
Bit rocky towards the top and on the descent, cloud lifting now. Grassy hill then a ridge to Geal-charn, again not much descent/reascent:
Lancet Edge/Loch an Sgoir:
Up to the plateau:
Geal-charn cairn looking onwards:
Next 2 hills, good walk along a ridge. Bumped into another bothy resident here, the only other walker I saw today. Again, not a lot of ascent to these two:
That's A'Clachair:
Top of Aonach Beag:
Then more ridge.
Other end of Loch Ericht, Schiehallion looking pointy in the distance:
Last bit of ascent:
Beinn Eibhinn has the dual cairn arrangement on top, as usual the other one looks higher:
Loch Ossian:
Mamores & the Ben:
Route back, not a lot of ascent required for these 2:
Then back to the bealach and down the pathless grassy hill to the stalker's path on the other side of the burn:
Hill was boggy in places with peat hags on the lower slopes. Didn't take long to get to the path though:
Fine walk along a good path, Long Leachas:
Lancet Edge:
Culra bothy and horse:
Cycle back was easier as there was more downhill, still a couple of steepish climbs along the side of the loch though. Soon back at the car and the midges had left - result!
