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Fort Augustus trio

Sub 2000s: Beinn a'Bhacaidh, Burach, Meall an Tarsaid

Date walked: 12/06/2013

Meall an Tarsaid - 2.88km
Beinn a'Bhacaidh - 4.33km
Burach - 7.2km


The fine weather from the weekend was coming to an end as a front of cloudy wet weather swept over Scotland midweek. I did have Munro's planned for today however I decided to give it a miss as I'm not one for climbing without the views and poor visibility.

I chose to keep myself at low altitude and explore 3 subs at the south end of Loch Ness starting at Meall an Tarsaid.

Meall an Tarsaid

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On the edge of the village White Bridge you can approach the sub and park at a double passing place just north of the summit. The OS map marked a track skirting around the north side which I felt was the easiest route, an old grassy and stony 4x4 track. As the track came to the nearest point of the fence on the OS, this was the point of crossing to start the climb up. It was here I noticed it wasn't any fence but a deer fence, not 1 but 2 :roll: This explains the track as access to erect the new fence.

Ok once clambered over, it was a steep heathery climb up to the summit. There is a cairn easily visible to follow up but this is just a false top, the highest point is a bit further south marked with another cairn. With out hanging about I returned the same route taking 1 hour 30 minutes to do.

001 Meall an Tarsaid.JPG
Meall an Tarsaid


005 Double deer fence.JPG
Double deer fence


006 Wid Primrose (Primula vulgaris).JPG
Wild Primrose


007 False top, Meall an Tarsaid.JPG
False top


015 Bog Cotton.JPG
Bog Cotton


018 Beinn a'Bhacaidh.JPG
Beinn a'Bhacaidh next


025 White Bridge.JPG
White Bridge


030 Heath Spotted Orchid.JPG
Heath Spotted Orchid


Beinn a'Bhacaidh

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2nd summit Beinn a'Bhacaidh is closer to Loch Ness promising fantastic views towards Fort Augustus. I parked at the end of a forestry track on the road to Knockie lodge. Taking this track gives an easy approach before climbing. I arrived at a deer gate which I passed through to find another metal gate off to the left. This is a rougher 4x4 track which isn't shown on the OS map, the path follows the tree line running on the south east of the summit.

When I felt I wasn't climbing any more on this track I chose to cut off north west to the summit. It was steep, heathery, rocky and boggy in places. A few deceiving false tops until I finally found the true summit, oh and wild goats to add to it. I walk back using the same route, returning after 1 hour 30 minutes.

035 Starting Beinn a'Bhacaidh.JPG
Beinn a'Bhacaidh approach


087 Beinn a'Bhacaidh approach.JPG
Deer gate on left


041.JPG
Rough track along tree line


052 Wild goats.JPG
Wild Goats


053 Loch nan Lann & Loch Knockie.JPG
Loch nan Lann left, Loch Knockie right


057 Burach.JPG
Burach for later


061 Glas-beinn Mhor left, Meall Fuar-mhonaidh right.JPG
Glas-bheinn Mhor left, Meall Fuar-mhonaidh right


063 Loch Ness, rain ahead.JPG
Raining in the north end of Loch Ness


075 Fort Augustus.JPG
Fort Augustus


Burach

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I love the word Burach, the Scots/Gaelic for 'mess' The hill sort of lived up to its name in the sense it is a long slog to get to it. Driving through Fort Augustus on the A82 towards Inverness you come to the Allt na Criche forest walks car park on the left, an ideal start point for climbing Burach. There is a white trail which follows the Allt na Criche burn uphill. Ignore the OS map which shows a trail on the east side which seemed non existent until later. You will reach a vehicle bridge but continue on the west side of the burn uphill. You come to a 2nd bridge which you cross, a footbridge which continued a better footpath on the east side. At this point you come out the tree line and the path frizzles away. This becomes the slog... A grassy, heathery openness towards the visible summit. It's not steep just a gentle incline that goes on forever. I took a direct path across to the summit, taking the same route going back down. The full walk taking 2 hours 30 minutes.

095 Allt na Criche burn.JPG
Allt na Criche burn


097 Allt na Criche.JPG
The 2nd bridge


102 Burach summit.JPG
The summit in view


111 Meall Fuar-mhonaidh.JPG
Meall Fuar-mhonaidh


117 Fort Augustus & Caledonian Canal.JPG
Fort Augustus


Overall all 3 summits have some access getting so far but eventually you will end up into rough vegetation and some difficult terrain. Not ideal for an easy, comfortable walk. Only advisable for the intention on bagging.

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gyles


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Location: Forres

Munros: 33
Corbetts: 5
Fionas: 6
Sub 2000: 23
Islands: 2
Long Distance routes: Dava Way   



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Statistics

2013

Trips: 12
Distance: 114.26 km
Ascent: 863m
Munros: 3
Corbetts: 1
Fionas: 2
Sub2000s: 10

2012

Trips: 5
Distance: 74.3 km
Ascent: 519m
Munros: 7
Sub2000s: 2


Joined: May 08, 2012
Last visited: Jan 15, 2024
Total posts: 66 | Search posts