Monadhliath Munros

Monadhliath mosses 

The Monadhliath hills by Newtonmore are frequently dismissed as amongst the least worthy in Scotland. There are four munros on the south east edge of a vast desolate plateau that stretches to the Great Glen fault. But like so many hills they have an appeal which increases with every excursion. After weeks of rain and low cloud, there was a dry day in store and I needed to get out on the hills. I had previously climbed them twice in winter and twice in spring so I decided to visit the Monadhliaths, it was after all supposed to be summer.

Stalker's hut on ascent of A' Chailleach

Carn Sgulain over the moss

A' Challeach from Carn Sgulain

The Monadhliath plateau

Ptarmigan

Carn Dearg from Carn Ban

Open Access to Glen Ballach

Gate pot

Saturday, 21 July 2012
Distance: 27 kilometres
Ascent:   1115metres
Time:      5hrs  51mins

m   A'Chailleach        930m          1hr 28mins
m   Carn Sgulain       920m           1hr 59mins
t    Carn Balloch        920m           3hrs 7mins
t    Carn Ban              942m          3hrs 40mins
m  Carn Dearg           945m          3hrs 54mins
t   South-east Top      923m           4hrs  5mins

We drove up Glen Road from the centre of Newtonmore and parked at the road end where the Allt a' Chaorrain joins the river Calder. The intention was to climb the three easterly munros and for Gregor to continue over to Gael Charn, which I had climbed last year.  I would return to the car and drive round to the Spey dam above Laggan to collect him. He was keen to descend by the route we took about ten years ago when we happened upon three golden eagles, including a young bird in Glen Markie.

There is a good track from the car park that climbs steadily for a couple of kilometres along the river and we were able to cross the river without too much difficulty, it was full but not swollen. We headed for the stalker's hut at about the 500 metre contour and from there found the diagonal path that cuts up to the shoulder of A' Chailleach. The last 250 metres of climbing is over some peat hags and then onto a grassy slope which takes you directly to the modest cairn.

There was no reason to stop so we descended to the deep gorge over a wonderful carpet of heather and mosses and then climbed back up through more peat hags to Carn Sgulain. With the exception of the vandalised summit of the Cairnwell, this must be one of the least impressive munros. The views to the north are over an endless desolate plateau and only the fence posts break the Monadhliath monotony. We had some food and started the long trek across to Carn Dearg along the apex of the ridge.

There are a series of long shallow dips but after the top at Carn Balloch there are more rocky outcrops and we saw seven families of Ptarmigan. The chicks were all flying but they kept in family formation as they skittered away from us. Carn Dearg is the most impressive hill and you leave the long ridge to walk out to the summit which is an airy perch over the impressive Glen Ballach. It had taken almost two hours but we were ahead of schedule. Gregor headed off to the west, another 10 kilometres of undulating terrain to reach Gael Charn. I went over the south east top and dropped to the Glen via a steep gully and then made a beeline for the river. The ground became increasingly difficult to negotiate as the vegetation and wet underfoot conditions conspired against progress. There was 5 kilometres of this down to Dalballoch and then along the boggy ground to Glenballoch house.

I had made good time and I was back at the car by 4pm, arriving at the same time as an ex soldier from Teeside who had done the round in reverse. We had stopped for a chat with him on the walk as we passed on the ridge just below Carn Ballach. He was midway through a munro round and seemed well organised and equipped for the venture with a very energetic golden labrador for company. We talked for a while and then I drove down to Newtonmore to buy some lemonade in the brand new Coop supermarket. The Coop have become increasingly impressive over recent years and seem to be benefiting from their sound ethical principles, like paying the farmers a better price for milk than the increasingly disliked big supermarket chains.

It is a beautiful drive down the A86 to Laggan and then just a couple of miles up to the Spey dam. I was early but Gregor came running down the track after 10 minutes and it was only two hours home, the A9 surprisingly empty for a Saturday.