Beinn Bhreac and Leathad an Taobhain from Glen Feshie

[GillSte]

Beinn Bhreac anyone? Possibly the most remote, shy and retiring Corbett of them all. The voie normale goes up to Bruar Lodge, but that involves a big up and down on your mountain bike, and we all know what that means on the way back.... So how about Glen Feshie? You can bag 2 Corbetts for the price of one, plus the bike ride to the start is dead easy. And even better, you walk up through the amazing Slochd Beag, over the watershed to the headwaters of the Feshie and then get a great ridge walk back to base.

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I parked on the Forestry track at NN842 996, about 1 km further than the new Achlean car park. But this is offset by the bike ride being very easy on this side of the Feshie, mainly on tarmac and fairly flat, so you can peddle along admiring the trees, the river, the blue skies and sunshine, and having a wonderful time. I left the bike at Ruigh-fionntaig, downed half a sarnie and set off up the Slochd Beag.

Feshie flats, a good place to leave the bike

Slochd Beag

There's a brilliant, well constructed stalkers path up Slochd Beag, snaking across deep ravines, zig-zagging up the screes, and then heading up onto the edge of the Slochd, giving really stunning views.

The crags above the path in the Slochd Beag

Looking back down Glen Feshie

Emerging from the Slochd

The path along the Allt Lorgaidh is also excellent, but peters out once the river starts to flatten out. But it's really easy going on grassy river flats. Amazingly, there are several stone bridges, exactly as marked on the map. They don't make 'em like that any more.

Walking along the Allt Lorgaidh

All the bridges are still there

The path gives up at the watershed, a huge area of peat, but easy to walk on when dry, leading down to the Caochan an Duine. The descent is easy, on grass and moss, and on a nice path further down.

Heading down to the Feshie

You're soon at the headwaters of the Feshie, a very special place and a real privilege to be there.

The headwaters of the Feshie. And no, that's not Beinn Bhreac

I headed downstream, on the river flats, but the river winds around a lot, and needs to be crossed many times. This got a bit repetitive, so I headed uphill on rough stuff, crossing Coire nan Cisteachan (hags), and hitting very easy going as I climbed towards pt 837. I traversed along Coire Creagach to the 792 m col. It was only when I got very high up that I could finally see Beinn Bhreac. Talk about an elusive hill! It looks a bit small and insignificant really , but hang on, waaaiiiit!!!!

The first sight of Beinn Bhreac.

The climb to the top is dead easy and the views are amazing: the Glen Tilt and Tarf hills, the Cairngorms and out west to Ben Alder et al.

The summit!

But what's this I see? Out of all the wildernesses in Scotland, where would you get 2 baggers arriving at the summit within seconds of each other? We talk a while: he's come from Bridge of Tilt, on foot all the way! Deep respect And I get my photo taken.

Just proving that I was really there.

I'm in loafing mode, but he's in a hurry to get back, and heads off towards Glen Tilt

My new pal heading off towards Glen Tilt.

Eventually, I tore myself away from the lovely view, and headed down and along the ridge. Cutting a long story and a long walk short, the going is very easy in some places but there are also areas of horrible peat hags, right up the sides of the hills

Snowy Cairngorms

Looking back...gosh, wasn't the going easy?

Looking towards Glas-leathad Feshie and Leathad an Taobhain

A nice view of Beinn Dearg

So it's up and down, up and down, bog trotting, moss, tundra, and it looks like it's all more of the same. But...just before the climb to Leathad an Taobhain, there's a surprise, a deep river valley, looks steep. But the great thing is that there are no peat hags.

Sting in the tail (1)

But, once you top out of the rift, it's peat hags almost all the way to Leathad an Taobhain. Tired baggers legs had had enough of rough stuff , and it was soooo good to get onto the lovely mossy summit plateau, and see the trig

The summit of Leathad an Taobhain

More tea, trying to resist the urge to put on hat, fleece and gloves, and failing - it was jolly chilly, despite the wall to wall sunshine. Down into another steep notch ON A PATH! What luxury.

Looking back to Leathad an Taobhain

Steeply up onto Meall an Uillt Creagaich, and the most superb view of the Cairngorms from the top.

Meall an Uillt Creagaich

And then it's just a bash down the track and past the lovely Lochan an t-Sluic

The way home

Lochan an-t Sluic

Umm, I felt a bit tired when I got to the bike But I guzzled the bottle of water I'd stashed there, ate the last sarnie and snickers bar and I was jet-fuelled again biking back to the car. Just in time for a lovely sunset while driving back. Wow! What a great day...

[Borderhugh]

Looks great Gill and great weather to boot. I love that whole Glen Feshie area.

[gaffr]

Hello,
That had me scrabbling away to look up the old hills logbook. Almost to the day in 1980 I went by way of the Slochd Beag to reach Fhidhlair and An Sgarsach....using an old road bike to get to roughly where you left your bike. A very fine day in out and in similar weather to what you found. I returned via Glen Feshie and recovered by bike to get back to Kincraig after a ford of the river in low water. The Corbett came my way much l later, when I had an off road bike, on my way down to Glen Tilt etc.
I do recall a rather ruined shelter before dropping down to the captured upper river Feshie on my way out to the higher hills.

[GillSte]

Looks great Gill and great weather to boot. I love that whole Glen Feshie area.

Thanks Hugh! I've been very lucky with the weather this trip, so many good walks...

[GillSte]

Hello,
That had me scrabbling away to look up the old hills logbook. Almost to the day in 1980 I went by way of the Slochd Beag to reach Fhidhlair and An Sgarsach....using an old road bike to get to roughly where you left your bike. A very fine day in out and in similar weather to what you found. I returned via Glen Feshie and recovered by bike to get back to Kincraig after a ford of the river in low water. The Corbett came my way much l later, when I had an off road bike, on my way down to Glen Tilt etc.
I do recall a rather ruined shelter before dropping down to the captured upper river Feshie on my way out to the higher hills.

That sounds like a great way to do those 2 Munros! You're really out in the wilds when you're high up the Feshie

[Jaxter]

Fantastic Gill! I love how you can meet people when you least expect to...I mind finally finding my to the top of Beinn Chabhair a couple years ago on a weekday in the worst weather ever only to find a couple of other folk there, was so surprised This was before I realised there people as nuts as me

We missed you on our quiz team at the last meet

[nigheandonn]

Lovely - I was up Carn a'Chlamain yesterday, looking at all the tantalising emptiness beyond!

[BlackPanther]

That's an interesting way up BB, thanks for posting! It's our last unclimbed Corbett in this area and we were leaning towards bike & hike from Bruar, but TBH I prefer walking to cycling, so this option may come handy. If I manage to convert my bike loving husband

[GillSte]

Fantastic Gill! I love how you can meet people when you least expect to...I mind finally finding my to the top of Beinn Chabhair a couple years ago on a weekday in the worst weather ever only to find a couple of other folk there, was so surprised This was before I realised there people as nuts as me

We missed you on our quiz team at the last meet

Great isn't it? I like these random meetings, it makes the day.

Surely you won the quiz easily without me???

[GillSte]

That's an interesting way up BB, thanks for posting! It's our last unclimbed Corbett in this area and we were leaning towards bike & hike from Bruar, but TBH I prefer walking to cycling, so this option may come handy. If I manage to convert my bike loving husband

I hope you enjoy it! The bike ride really is ever so easy....

[ancancha]

A grand day oot
Nice report

[Graeme D]

This is wonderfully remote country! In DofE season I consider it my back garden!

[BeinnBhreac]

Gill, we met on the summit ! A great day. I see you have now completed the Corbetts, so you have been busy. I got back to my car at 9.00 pm that day, so a very long day. I went back by Gleann Diridh, a much better route than my outward route. Too late to get a meal, so I spent the evening rehydrating on tea, but what an amazing, unforgettable day.
Great photos, you took a lot more than I did.
Robert.