Mealna Letter and Loch Beanie

Summary

A great circuit climbing to the summit of Mealna Letter with good views before descending to Loch Beanie to return along the Cateran Trail in Glen Shee. Very boggy at the start and near Loch Beanie.

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Please read the WARNING below before setting out on this route.

Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Moorland, pathless in places, very boggy, return on signed Cateran Trail, very short road section.

Hillwalking in Winter

Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. All route descriptions and difficulties given here are for summer conditions. See our Winter Skills page for basic information on the essential skills, techniques and knowledge needed for winter hillwalking.

Getting there

Start

Layby on B951 at Angus / Perthshire boundary between Cray and Fortar.

Public Transport

None to start.

Start Grid Ref

NO153642

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 14km / 8.75 miles
Time (summer conditions): 4 - 5 hours
Ascent: 469m (Profile)

Summits Climbed

Fiona: Mealna Letter (or Duchray Hill)

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Walk Description

User reports (4)

WARNING

The bridge over the Allt Mor at Stage 4 (shown in the photo) has been removed and it may not be possible to find a safe place to cross at times of high water - please let us know if it has been replaced.

The information shown above is the latest we have. If you have an update then please email us.

Stage 1

There is limited parking in a layby on the B951 by the signs for the Perthshire / Angus border and also around 100m east at the forest edge at NO154642. Walk along the road until the edge of the forestry plantation on the north side of the road and turn left through the gate. Ignore the track heading diagonally up to the right and instead walk up along the edge of the forestry; tough but better going than where the terrain track leads. The ground improves as the route climbs keeping to the right of the fence and stone wall with good views back to Mount Blair and Glen Isla.

Stage 2

Pass through a gate in a deer fence across the hill. Later the forest is left behind - continue up the right side of the stone wall to the top of Cairn Derig, following a vague path. You can cross the wall and continue along the path that leads to the cairn marking the summit of Mealna Letter - also known as Duchray Hill. This is a fine viewpoint with expansive views into the Cairngorms and along Glen Shee. Return to the corner of the stone wall and follow it to head down the north east ridge keeping the wall on your right side.

Stage 3

Loch Beanie comes into view below. Once the ground is less steep on the left make your way down to the east head of the Loch. There is a vague path which becomes clearer on the descent to the Loch. At the water follow the soggy path west to pass a small boat house and continue across boggy ground WSW towards the Allt Mòr .

Stage 4

Cross the Allt Mòr on a footbridge and keep following the path west. The path is very faint in places but keeps well away from the water to stay on the slightly higher ground which is less boggy. The ground undulates, when a sparse line of pines comes into view ahead aim for the lone tree on the left still continuing to head west. This leads to a gate in the deer fence, from here continue to the lone pine where you cross a gap in a broken down stone wall with good views up Glen Shee. From here the faint track leads down to a farm gate in a fence. Ahead a large green and white building with pines behind it can be seen, this is near where the route picks up the Cateran Trail.

Stage 5

To get to the building follow the slightly windy grassy track downhill to just above the house at Shallavanach where a track is reached. Turn right and follow the rough track for a short while before turning off to the left as the track heads gently uphill so that you head around the near side of a hillock on sheeptracks to reach a gate with a Cateran Trail heart logo. Keep following these waymarkers and gop through a walker's gate before climbing a small rise with young trees and the barn at Invereddrie visible over to the right. Pass a large boulder and head down and cross the Invereddrie farm track to follow a grassy/boggy track to another gate. Keep near the fence on your left and soon reach and cross a footbridge. Bear left to a gate and then follow the level path towards a small group of pine trees. Turn left at the signpost before the trees to head up towards a gate with a mast beyond.

Stage 6

Go through the gate and turn right to follow the vague path near the wall, passing behind Broughdearg. Don't follow the track heading uphill to a mast but keep an eye out for the walker's gate on the right. Go through this and head directly down across very boggy ground to meet a track at a signpost. Turn left along the track which soon becomes grassy. Pass around the house at Dunmay and soon watch out for a wooden gate on the left near trees (don't take the metal farm gate ahead). Go through the wooden gate and follow the rougher track. When the edge of some forestry is reached the path bears right through a gate and over very boggy ground to cross a burn and then follows the edge of the woods until a track is reached with the river just to the right. Turn left uphill on the stony track with the stone wall of Dalnaglar Castle on your right. Pass a cottage and and keep on the main track, ignoring a forest track to the left to pass the castle and continue along the minor road. At the next road junction turn left to follow the road that climbs over a low pass from Glen Shee to Glen Isla, soon reaching the start point at the top of the hill.

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