free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Monday, 31st. July, 2017:
Having walked south from the western end of Loch Monar on Sunday, Chalky, Tommy and I had intended to push on towards Affric and camp - but the persistent heavy showers meant that the abandoned house (and fireplace) at Carnach gave us a much needed chance to dry out so, putting aside worries about asbestos, we took it. The house is in a truly beautiful location and is relatively modern - but a broken window and open door meant that it was fouled with sheep droppings inside the entrance and we had to clear out a dead bird from the main upstairs room. This seems such a waste as another few years of neglect will see the house derelict unless the owner of the estate (or someone like the MBA or the YHA) steps in to save it; even conversion to a holiday cottage would be better than the fate that currently awaits it.
![Day 4b - Chalky and Tommy drying out in the abandoned house at Carnach.JPG]()
- Chalky and Tommy drying out in the abandoned house at Carnach
At any rate, our overnight stay left an easy day through to the hostel in Affric for Monday and it started in sunshine with a steady climb alongside the spectacular waterfall of the Allt Coire Easaich into Gleann Gaorsaic. The subsequent landrover track, rather inevitably, deteriorated and the usual boggy trudge ensued but, after crossing the Allt Thuill Easaich as it thundered down from Sgurr nan Ceathramhnan, it was an easy descent to the stepping stones and roofless ruin at the north end of Loch Gaorsaic.
![Day 5a - Me on the stepping stones below A'Ghlass-bheinn.JPG]()
- Me crossing the stepping stones at the north end of Loch Gaorsaic
![Day 5d - Chalky electing to wade the stepping stones below A'Ghlass-bheinn.JPG]()
- Chalky electing to wade
![Day 5e - Tommy by the ruin below A'Ghlass-bheinn.JPG]()
- Tommy by the ruin at the north end of Loch Gaorsaic
After having a bite of lunch in what was effectively a sunny hay meadow by the ruin, we left our heavy bags and headed up A' Ghlas-bheinn - an easy climb but one which, thanks to some form of food poisoning, I found very draining; it took me several rests to get to the cairn! Once there, though, the views of Affric and Loch Duich made the effort worthwhile... although it was clear that heavy rain showers were, once again, beginning to blow in from the west down Glen Affric.
![Day 5g - A peep into Affric from A'Ghlass-bheinn.JPG]()
- Chalky and me looking south east to Affric and A'Chrailreag from A' Ghlas-bheinn
![Day 5h - Down to Loch Duich from A'Ghlass-bheinn.JPG]()
- Tommy and Loch Duich
The sun was still out as we descended and re-crossed the stepping stones to resume the boggy trudge to Affric - but we didn't have to walk too far before we picked up the track from the Bealach an Sgairne and, although heavy rain didn't add much to the experience, this soon became a high quality path and sped us to the hostel.
Hannah, the warden, was unchanged from our previous visit in 2014 - it was fantastic to be welcomed with a mug of hot tea - and, after four days out and with the weather stuck on heavy showers, we decided that tomorrow would be a rest day.
Next Report:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=74765.
