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I had a weeks annual leave to use up before the end of March and hoped to head away for the week. Unfortunately a sprained ankle on the Friday, then a bug on the Sunday and Monday didn’t see me getting away straight away
The weather was looking cack for the majority of the week, with Wednesday looking like the only good day
I couldn’t sleep on the Tuesday night as I had a serious runny nose and developed the cold !
Anyhow I made a decision that no matter what, I was getting up and out on at least one walk during on my week off. I checked the weather on the Tuesday night and it looked not too bad up the west coast so decided on tackling the two corbetts at Loch Arkaig.
Left the house in Dumbarton just before 7am. The views from Bridge of Orchy through Glencoe and really for the majority of the day were stunning
- Buachaille etive mor
I stopped off on route in McDonalds Fortwilliam for brekkie and then headed towards Gairlochy.
I crossed over the Caledonian canal and followed the signs for Loch Arkaig.
- Loch Arkaig
Parked at Achnasaul where it was signposted marine harvest Loch Arkaig Salmon Farm.
- Starting point
From here I headed over the bridge over the Allt Dubh and turned left to pick up the path on the east side of the stream. WH mentions a faint path but at present a building site awaited me signposted workmen only. The Site manager waved me in and I followed a huge broad bulldozed track up past the mast. The foreman just advised me to be aware of the diggers further up on the track.
- Through the building site
I passed the mast and headed up the track. The track drops down and concrete blocks run alongside the bridge. The track heads over the bridge and then turns right and up the hill. There was a man made track for about 1km. This made the walk fairly straight forward albeit a little steep on occasions. As i passed the digger they stopped digging politely to let me pass by. It looked as though they were laying pipes all the way from the road up towards the foot of Glas Bheinn.
I caught up with a lovely couple from Forfar who were climbing the graham Glas Bhein and walked with them for a good 20 minutes. They have nearly compleated the Corbetts with the one at Lochnagar still to do and had compleated their munros. Well done. I considered joining them on the graham but didn’t want to intrude. At the foot of Glas Bheinn the track becomes a bit of a stony path. We continued together for approximately 1km until they left the path and headed east up towards Glas Bheinn.
I continued on the easy going stony path following the Allt Dubh as it wrapped around Glas Bheinn. As the path peters out I headed across some very slightly boggy ground and up towards the wee 681 marking on the 1:50 000 map.
- Over to Glas Bheinn as heading up Meall na h-Elide
Here I stopped to refuel and then headed northeast and eventually picked up a fence post towards the summit of the Corbett Meall na h-Elide. I reached the summit in 2hours 45 mins.
- Summit of Meall na h -Elide
I took a couple of summit pictures and sat for 15minutes to admire the cracking views – over to Ben Nevis which was clear all day and over to the Loch Lochy munros. The wind began to pick up and it soon became pretty cold.
Another guy appeared as I was sitting at the summit but he decided to head for some lunch out of the wind.
After a few photos I headed west down towards the Bealach an Easian and then north west up towards Meall Coire nan Saobhaidh following the line of the fence posts. The going was pretty good underfoot and I gained height quickly.
- Meall Coire nan Saobhaidh
From Meall Coire nan Saobhaidh I headed south west up steep snowy slopes towards Geal Charn.
The pull up had quite a bit of snow which Involved kicking a few steps in between walking over some grassy parts to reach the summit.
- Heading up Geal Charn
I reached the summit of Geal Charn 45 minutes after leaving Meall na h –Elide.
- Summit of Geal Charn
- Over to the Ben and Anochs. Zoomed
I took a quick summit picture and didnt hang about as the winds continued. I headed south east in the direction towards Glas Bheinn. I crossed over the Allt Dubh and picked up the same path and headed back along the path, and onto the track and back the way I came. A great day out with the flu/cold symptoms disappearing until back in the car . Funny that !Total time 5hours 30minutes
- Caledonian Canal and Ben Nevis