A bit rough hill for Kids but worth it for the great views
Fionas: Càrn Breac
Date walked: 28/11/2023
Time taken: 6.3 hours
Distance: 12.2km
Ascent: 550m
Graham Carn Breac from Loch Sgamhain in Glen Carron near Achnasheen with Kids (10, 13 y/o)
Hill no. 183 - Graham no. 37
There are two Grahams close to each other in this area - Carn Breac and Beinn na Feusaige. Hikers usually complete both hills at the same time as a circuit. The area there is very rough, therefore I decided that it would be easier for the kids if we did each hill separately. We did Beinn na Feusaige in February this year. Now the time has come for Carn Breac. We did it from the same starting point as Beinn na Feusaige.
On the OS 1:25 000 map, a path from the A890 to the ridge is marked. It is an old stalker path. We planned to follow this path and then continue to the summit of Carn Breac along the ridge. In fact, the first 1.7 km is a good track to the hydro dam. The track is marked on the OS 1:50 000 map. The next 2 km or so are remains of the old stalker path, overgrown and boggy in many places, but still followable and still better than pathless walking over the rough ground there. We lost the path a few times and managed to find it again thanks to GPS. The stalker path petered out on the ridge, but once we were on the ridge, the terrain became easier and the going was much better.
And then finally at the summit of Carn Breac... The views were spectacular. Absolutely gorgeous!
Stats:
Total distance - 12.2 km
Total time - 6h19m
Altitude gain - 516 m
Map of our route:
Elevation profile of our route:
We parked just off the A890 where a stretch of the old road leaves the main road (OS Grid Ref: NH 08945 53025).
There is a low gate (padlocked) on the old road and therefore it looks like the start of the track to the hydro dam, but it is not. The hydro track starts 250 m further along the old road. The old road was a bit slippery in the morning.
We walked along the track to the dam. The old stalker path starts a few meters before the dam on the right, but its start is not clear. We just walked through the grass in the direction where the path should be and found it a few meters away.
The path was overgrown and boggy in many places. The area was very wet. Luckily, the ground was frozen in many places. I cannot imagine walking on it after heavy rain .
We lost the path a few times and I had to use the GPS to find it again. But the path we followed is not exactly identical to the one shown on the OS 1:25 000 map. Roughly the first kilometer runs closer to the burn (Allt Coire Crubaidh).
The old stalker path was overgrown and boggy in many places, but I think it is better to follow it than to walk pathless over the rough ground.
Once we were on the ridge, the view began to open up.
We continued along the ridge towards the summit. The ridge was grassy and closer to the summit stony, mostly easy to walk. The ground was wet, but it was all frozen.
The views were excellent.
Closer to the summit larger cairns helped us navigate.
After 3.5 hours we reached the summit of Carn Breac.
Since it was quite cold, we took a short break for food and then quickly took some pictures of the superb views.
We returned the same way. I considered doing a circuit through Coille Bhàn and Coille Breac, but since it was about 2.5 hours before dark , I decided it was better to go back the route I knew rather than through unfamiliar terrain.
On the way back we met a few locals .
Hill no. 183 - Graham no. 37
There are two Grahams close to each other in this area - Carn Breac and Beinn na Feusaige. Hikers usually complete both hills at the same time as a circuit. The area there is very rough, therefore I decided that it would be easier for the kids if we did each hill separately. We did Beinn na Feusaige in February this year. Now the time has come for Carn Breac. We did it from the same starting point as Beinn na Feusaige.
On the OS 1:25 000 map, a path from the A890 to the ridge is marked. It is an old stalker path. We planned to follow this path and then continue to the summit of Carn Breac along the ridge. In fact, the first 1.7 km is a good track to the hydro dam. The track is marked on the OS 1:50 000 map. The next 2 km or so are remains of the old stalker path, overgrown and boggy in many places, but still followable and still better than pathless walking over the rough ground there. We lost the path a few times and managed to find it again thanks to GPS. The stalker path petered out on the ridge, but once we were on the ridge, the terrain became easier and the going was much better.
And then finally at the summit of Carn Breac... The views were spectacular. Absolutely gorgeous!
Stats:
Total distance - 12.2 km
Total time - 6h19m
Altitude gain - 516 m
Map of our route:
Elevation profile of our route:
We parked just off the A890 where a stretch of the old road leaves the main road (OS Grid Ref: NH 08945 53025).
There is a low gate (padlocked) on the old road and therefore it looks like the start of the track to the hydro dam, but it is not. The hydro track starts 250 m further along the old road. The old road was a bit slippery in the morning.
We walked along the track to the dam. The old stalker path starts a few meters before the dam on the right, but its start is not clear. We just walked through the grass in the direction where the path should be and found it a few meters away.
The path was overgrown and boggy in many places. The area was very wet. Luckily, the ground was frozen in many places. I cannot imagine walking on it after heavy rain .
We lost the path a few times and I had to use the GPS to find it again. But the path we followed is not exactly identical to the one shown on the OS 1:25 000 map. Roughly the first kilometer runs closer to the burn (Allt Coire Crubaidh).
The old stalker path was overgrown and boggy in many places, but I think it is better to follow it than to walk pathless over the rough ground.
Once we were on the ridge, the view began to open up.
We continued along the ridge towards the summit. The ridge was grassy and closer to the summit stony, mostly easy to walk. The ground was wet, but it was all frozen.
The views were excellent.
Closer to the summit larger cairns helped us navigate.
After 3.5 hours we reached the summit of Carn Breac.
Since it was quite cold, we took a short break for food and then quickly took some pictures of the superb views.
We returned the same way. I considered doing a circuit through Coille Bhàn and Coille Breac, but since it was about 2.5 hours before dark , I decided it was better to go back the route I knew rather than through unfamiliar terrain.
On the way back we met a few locals .
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