walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Strathcarron to Fort William and Corrour to Dalwhinnie PT 2

Strathcarron to Fort William and Corrour to Dalwhinnie PT 2


Postby mountainstar » Sat Jan 09, 2010 2:14 pm

Date walked: 28/06/2009

Distance: 143 km

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Part 2. Corrour to Dalwhinnie. Aprrox 21.9 miles


our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



Day 7. Sun 28th.
Corrour to Culra Bothy. Approx 12.7 miles

Weather Cloudy, cool and breezy.
From Fort William I had decided to catch a train to Corrour to start my walk there. (this trek could be extended by walking up Glen Nevis and possibly stopping in Luibeilt Bothy or Stoineag Bothy overnight before heading for Corrour)
21 sunset over Ben nevis from Staoineag July 2006.jpg
Ben nevis from Staoineag July 2006

With the limited Sunday service I only had 1 option of the 11.45pm train. So I left a hot and sunny Fort William but was disappointed as I was moving into more and more cloud as the train travelled further to the east.. I disembarked at Corrour (12.30pm) and quickly changed from the shorts and t-shirt I was wearing to warmer clothes, with sudden shock in the change of temperature. After 1 mile I passed the YH then walked along the southern side of Loch Ossian, not the best of views here today, with the cloud low down the hillside and hazy visibility. From the east side of the Loch, a good path slowly rises up the glen following the river, at a point high up where the path peters out, a short climb got me to a higher path which then leads up to the pass at 720 metres. Here I met a group of teenage girls doing the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, who looked absolutely knackered as I passed them. By now for some reason my feet were becoming rather painful underneath, so after walking down the excellent path it was good to see a very welcoming looking Culra Bothy, by now it was 5.45pm.
22 Wildcamp by Culra Bothy.jpg
Wildcamp by Culra Bothy

The last time I stopped here was in March earlier this year, when I did a 2 nighter from Dalwhinnie which included a night Ben Alder Bothy also.
23 Culra bothy.jpg
Rainbow after passing shower, Culra bothy

24 Inside Culra bothy, March 2009.jpg
Inside Culra bothy March 2009

27 Culra bothy March 2009.jpg
Culra bothy March 2009

This Bothy was also my first ever one that I stopped in around 17 years ago when I was doing the Munro’s, a virgin Bothier am I no more, having since visited or stopped in all but 3 of the Highland bothys.
I decided to camp outside this time, the group of teenagers turned up about 1.5hrs later, (together with there 3 teachers just after) the girls rested for an hour at the Bothy before moving on to camp about 2 miles further on to the east. As well as the teachers only 2 others were stopping in the Bothy that night.

Day 8. Mon 29th.
Culra Bothy to Dalwhinnie Approx 9.2 miles.

Weather. Cloud early but clearing to leave sunny periods, hot.
Up at 7.30am, with a 3hr10mins walk ahead (after doing it in March it was handy knowing this exact time with a train to catch) and my train arriving at 12.27pm; I left the Bothy with plenty of time to spare at 8.30am. After 40mins I passed the teenagers who were busy packing up their tents, I think they were glad it was nearly all over, as I informed them they only had just over 2hrs or so to get to Dalwhinnie, at least their wilderness adventure and D of E medal will look good on their CV. I dropped down to the Disney like Ben Alder Lodge on the shore of Loch Erict.
25 Loch erict March 2009.jpg
Loch Erict 2009

26 Loch Erict March 2009.jpg
Loch Erict March 2009

From the Lodge it’s a long walk along the estate road to Dalwhinnie and the statiom, reaching at 11.40am, in plenty of time for the arrival of the train. So after getting the train back to Aviemore I drove to Glasgow for a night (what a contrast) before heading home early the next day.
And so that was another great trek done.
Last edited by mountainstar on Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:38 am, edited 4 times in total.
User avatar
mountainstar
Walker
 
Posts: 2507
Munros:282   Corbetts:221
Fionas:24   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:20   Hewitts:217
Wainwrights:214   Islands:24
Joined: Dec 7, 2009
Location: Wrexham

Re: Strathcarron to Fort William and Corrour to Dalwhinnie PT 2

Postby mountain coward » Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:55 am

Enjoyed reading that... think a couple of your times are out though - your train did a spot of time-travel! You put that it sets off at 1345 but arrives at 1230! :)

I gather you're the best person on here to ask about bothies in future seeing as you've nearly done them all! I'll remember that :D
mountain coward
 

Re: Strathcarron to Fort William and Corrour to Dalwhinnie PT 2

Postby mountainstar » Sun Jan 10, 2010 1:23 pm

Thanks for pointing out my mistake...edited now, although it does seem like going back in time sometimes getting off at Corrour!
I love stopping in bothys, roll on Febuary when I'll be heading back to a few more Scottish ones, weather permitting.
User avatar
mountainstar
Walker
 
Posts: 2507
Munros:282   Corbetts:221
Fionas:24   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:20   Hewitts:217
Wainwrights:214   Islands:24
Joined: Dec 7, 2009
Location: Wrexham

Re: Strathcarron to Fort William and Corrour to Dalwhinnie PT 2

Postby mountain coward » Sun Jan 10, 2010 1:58 pm

I think I like bothies better in summer - but I've only stayed in 2 so far... Culra in August - that was nice apart from when you had to go out in the middle of the night and get midged! And then the Tarf Hotel trip from off here at the end of November. I'm planning to do quite a bit more bothying this summer tho... :D
mountain coward
 

Re: Strathcarron to Fort William and Corrour to Dalwhinnie PT 2

Postby fedupofuserids » Sun May 09, 2010 11:46 am

stopped in glen Nevis SYHA on the last night after doing the west highland way, and when booking asked if i could leave the car there before for the week, which they agreed to with no charge. probably the safest place of all that have been suggested, and worth stopping in for 1 night just for that alone.

PS I am the person who wrote the trip report here:-

Excellent reports :-
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2875
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2878
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2879



also check out this Report for the alternative "inland" route:-
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3090
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3091


mountainstar thought i better post here so has not to hijack that thread.

All your reports and pics are excellent. I'm still in the planning stage and plan to start it about this time next year, although I'll probably try to do it in two sections.

Do you have a preference between the two routes ?
fedupofuserids
 
Posts: 835
Joined: Mar 24, 2010

Re: Strathcarron to Fort William and Corrour to Dalwhinnie PT 2

Postby mountainstar » Sun May 09, 2010 12:06 pm

Both were good, but I'd always go by the western route, more dramatic & sceanic, & more lochs, bothys and the added bonus of a shop at Shiel bridge to restock.
User avatar
mountainstar
Walker
 
Posts: 2507
Munros:282   Corbetts:221
Fionas:24   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:20   Hewitts:217
Wainwrights:214   Islands:24
Joined: Dec 7, 2009
Location: Wrexham

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bushbaby, PDuncan82, superdon and 45 guests