Meall na h-Aisre, from Garva Bridge

Summary

Meall na h-Aisre is a typical Monadhliath hill, with rounded uppermost slopes. If climbed on its own it as described here it makes for a relatively short day. Keen baggers could extend the walk across some very boggy terrain to Gairbeinn.

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

Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Boggy faint tracks for approach; hill is pathless, mostly heather and grass.

Getting there

Start

Garva Bridge.

Public Transport

None to start.

Start Grid Ref

NN522947

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 13km / 8 miles
Time: 4.5 - 5 hours
Ascent: 611m (Profile)

Summits Climbed

Corbett: Meall na h-Aisre

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Walk Description

User reports (9)

WARNING

The road to Garva Bridge and the start of the walk will be closed from Monday 7th September to Thursday 10th September, and again from Tuesday 15 September to Friday 18th September.

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

Stage 1

Start from the parking areas on the left side of the road, just before Garva Bridge, some distance up the minor road past the Spey dam. Cross the double-span stone bridge, built by General Wade as part of his route over the Corryairack Pass. This is a lonely piece of countryside, with vast herds of red deer; apart from the Munro-baggers heading for Geal Charn there are few visitors. Take the next right turn along a track which leads off north from the road. Go straight across a rough track built for the construction of the nearby substation and powerlines, and follow the grassy track through a gate, remaining on the west side of the burn.

Stage 2

The track forks after about 600m above a bridge; take the right branch to head down to and across the bridge. The track - now faint and boggy in places - can be followed on the far side as it heads NNW, keeping above the east side of the burn.

Stage 3

After about 1.5km strike off northeast up the open slopes. These remain wet at first but become drier as height is gained. As the ridge line is eventually approached a post-and-wire fence is reached; this can be followed to the left for a time but must eventually be crossed (as it heads back downhill) before heading up to point 844m.

Stage 4

A rocky knobble at 843m is the most prominent feature in a vast open sweep of moorland plateau. Descend to a featureless peat-hagged bealach before the steady pull up the slopes of Meall na h-Aisre.

Stage 5

The summit is marked by a cylindrical trig point, close beside a line of fence posts. The views are surprisingly extensive in good conditions, and the keen eye may be able to pick out Ben Nevis far to the west.

Stage 6

The easiest descent route is to retrace your steps. A rougher route instead descends southwest for a kilometre or so until easier slopes lead down into Coire Iain Oig. There is some boggy going here and several small side burns to cross before a fence is reached lower down. The start of a faint grassy track leads through a gap in the fence and then continues down the glen to rejoin the outward route. Retrace your steps to return to the start.

Route Profile

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