Baile air an t Sleibhe - Three Munros of Newtonmore

[Collaciotach]

Gleann A' Beannachar , Disairthne 14th An Lunasdal



What a bonnie Glen hidden behind Baile air an t Sleibh , named Gleann A'Beannachar to describe the horn shaped reach of the river, with its association to the chapel dedicated to St Bridget of Kildare ,Cladh Bridghe whose saint's day is 12th February

Gleann A 'Beannachar

Set off from the car at 8 am in a clock wise direction , I m always keen to put in a slog at the start rather than at the end if at all possible

We soon found ourselves heading up the Allt Fionndrigh with good Autumn sunshine

Gleann Fhionndrigh

Easy going here on a decent rough track ,thought about the graham Creag Liath however I want to explore the township ruins some more so will bag that another time ,be nice to visit on a cold snowy day

Once up on to the upper reaches of Glen Balloch it turns into a bit of a búrraidh with peat hags and plenty bog although dryish this week so not to bad that is why I decided to do these on a time after a few rainless days

Good move be poor traveling in the wet !

We were soon in sight of Carn dearg and with dry feet

Carn Dearg

Gu bhith suas

Once on the Bealach it is a short walk to the cairn perched at the edge of creagan

Mullach

We spent a half hour here looking at the sealltain ,there is a sense of space right enough with good views to the Creag Meagaidh lot the Monadh Ruaidh however were under some cloud .

We found a hollow out of the cold wind ,there is snow in the air these day's it is no far away if the weather continues with this pattern.

A'Deas

Monadh agus beinn

The circuit from here is straight forward and we headed off over Carn Ban and the minor tops to find the very indistinguishable Carn Sgulain , a few showers around but hey they missed us

Air Cuil

Monadh Ard

A fairly long slog between the various minor humps and bumps nothing spectacular to view as the cloud was coming in around a nice wander all the same

No problems again with route finding given the iron posts

Carn Sgulain

We did not hang around on the lump known as Sgulain but made our way quickly over to A'Chailleach a lot of boggy hag around this parts best done in dry weather gu dearbh

On the Mullach of A 'Chailleach we stopped again for twenty minutes and thought about the route down over a cup of tea .

A 'Chailleach

An Ear

Air cuil Carn Dearg

We were quickly down from A'Cailleach an hour all told saw me back at the car in Gleann A'Beannachar by 2.30pm.

In 1841 there were eight townships in Glen Banchor, the ruins of which can still be seen marked on OS maps - Easterton, Westerton, Dalvalloch, Dalchurn, Lurgan, Milton, Croft Couneach, and Luib s with 85 inhabitants all told they would be gone by 1876 when the last five families of Clann Chattan were cleared from here to make way for sheep.

It is a pity to see such a place completely devoid of people .

An ghille dubh

Cheerie a 'nis

[BoyVertiginous]

Nice one, Colla, painting a marginally less gloomy picture of these three than Gordie12!

[Johnny Corbett]

I remember when i did this walk in clear weather that there wasn't a lot to see but still anice walk. The Graham was also the toughest climb of the day and not bad views either from it.

[PeteR]

Three much maligned hills, but good to see you seem to have enjoyed your time on them I know I did on my two trips to them Definitely very different to many other hills, but that's why the Highlands are so great............so much variety

[Bod]

Hi Colla, nice one. We enjoyed these hills as a pair in summer conditions and Carn Dearg in winter with a hard crust of snow. Both cracking days out. I know exactly what you mean about the Glen feeling devoid of people, so obvious here that it wasn't always that way....

[Collaciotach]

I remember when i did this walk in clear weather that there wasn't a lot to see but still anice walk. The Graham was also the toughest climb of the day and not bad views either from it.

And I was going to take the missus up that Graham on a nice snowy day .........

[Collaciotach]

Hi Colla, nice one. We enjoyed these hills as a pair in summer conditions and Carn Dearg in winter with a hard crust of snow. Both cracking days out. I know exactly what you mean about the Glen feeling devoid of people, so obvious here that it wasn't always that way....

Aye reckon they would be good walking in the correct kinda snow maybe even on skis , a fair hike though Bod .

That total of yours in progressing nicely

[Collaciotach]

Three much maligned hills, but good to see you seem to have enjoyed your time on them I know I did on my two trips to them Definitely very different to many other hills, but that's why the Highlands are so great............so much variety

Would have been a different tale in miserable weather I m sure

[Collaciotach]

Nice one, Colla, painting a marginally less gloomy picture of these three than Gordie12!

haha Aye I got a better day these would be poor fare in wet conditions though

[rockhopper]

Great day to bring out the best of these hills ...and interesting as ever - cheers

[Collaciotach]

Great day to bring out the best of these hills ...and interesting as ever - cheers

Cheers R .. only a few to go for your big list when is your completion target ?