walkhighlands

Beinn Bhreac and Leathad an Taobhain from Glen Feshie

Route: Beinn Bhreac, from Calvine

Corbetts: Beinn Bhreac, Leathad an Taobhain

Date walked: 03/05/2017

Time taken: 10.6 hours

Distance: 42.6km

Ascent: 1404m

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.... :shock: 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.

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

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.
thumb_IMG_0592_1024.jpg
Feshie flats, a good place to leave the bike
thumb_IMG_0604_1024.jpg
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.
thumb_IMG_0603_1024.jpg
The crags above the path in the Slochd Beag
thumb_IMG_0605_1024.jpg
Looking back down Glen Feshie
thumb_IMG_0606_1024.jpg
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.
thumb_IMG_0609_1024.jpg
Walking along the Allt Lorgaidh
thumb_IMG_0612_1024.jpg
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.
thumb_IMG_0616_1024.jpg
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.
thumb_IMG_0619_1024.jpg
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 :roll:, but hang on, waaaiiiit!!!! :)
thumb_IMG_0624_1024.jpg
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.
thumb_IMG_0626_1024.jpg
The summit!
But what's this I see? :shock: 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 :D And I get my photo taken.
thumb_IMG_0628_1024.jpg
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
thumb_IMG_0629_1024.jpg
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 :shock: :shock: :shock:
thumb_IMG_0640_1024.jpg
Snowy Cairngorms
thumb_IMG_0644_1024.jpg
Looking back...gosh, wasn't the going easy?
thumb_IMG_0648_1024.jpg
Looking towards Glas-leathad Feshie and Leathad an Taobhain
thumb_IMG_0651_1024.jpg
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. :D
thumb_IMG_0659_1024.jpg
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 :D :D :D
thumb_IMG_0663_1024.jpg
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.
thumb_IMG_0668_1024.jpg
Looking back to Leathad an Taobhain
Steeply up onto Meall an Uillt Creagaich, and the most superb view of the Cairngorms from the top.
thumb_IMG_0669_1024.jpg
Meall an Uillt Creagaich
And then it's just a bash down the track and past the lovely Lochan an t-Sluic
thumb_IMG_0672_1024.jpg
The way home
thumb_IMG_0676_1024.jpg
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. :D :D :D Just in time for a lovely sunset while driving back. Wow! What a great day...

Click to mark this as a great report. Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Comments: 12



Glas Bheinn Route Update: there's a hydro scheme in the way.

Corbetts: Glas Bheinn (Kinlochleven)
Date walked: 18/04/2017
Distance: 20.75km
Comments: 5
Views: 3024


Derbyshire can be just as fun as Scotland

Attachment(s) Date walked: 10/03/2016
Distance: 11km
Ascent: 367m
Comments: 4
Views: 2300


Meall Glac Tigh-fail - size is definitely not everything!

Attachment(s) Sub 2000s: Meall Glac Tigh-fail
Date walked: 15/02/2016
Distance: 10.7km
Ascent: 628m
Views: 1825

GillSte


User avatar
Activity: Munro compleatist
Munro rounds: 1

Munros: 282
Corbetts: 222
Fionas: 219
Donalds: 39
Wainwrights: 107
Hewitts: 221
Sub 2000: 559
Islands: 69



Filter reports


Statistics

2017

Trips: 2
Distance: 63.35 km
Ascent: 1404m
Corbetts: 3

2016

Trips: 2
Distance: 21.7 km
Ascent: 995m
Sub2000s: 1


Joined: Jan 30, 2016
Last visited: Apr 24, 2023
Total posts: 187 | Search posts