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Munros
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Beinn Bheoil (1019m, Munro 112)
Ben Alder (1148m, Munro 25)
Beinn Eibhinn (1102m, Munro 48)
Aonach Beag (1116m, Munro 37)
Geal-charn (1132m, Munro 26)
Carn Dearg (1034m, Munro 98)
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Corbetts
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The Fara* (911m)
* see alternative routes below
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Ascent
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2550m (8,400ft)
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Distance
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56km, incl 30km on bike (35m)
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Time
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biking/walking:13hr*, biking/running:8:30hr,
*Naismith's rule : 4km/h distance + 600m/h ascent
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Main route summary
High plateaus, lochans, ridges, river crossings, fantastic views - they're all here !
A cycle in on good tracks alongside lochsides to a remote bothy encircled by mountains, far away from civilisation.
For fit and keen walkers, the cycle in cuts the walking required to bag the 6 Munro peaks down to just 20km.
Most people prefer to bike in to the bothy and stay a night, taking the summits in at a more leisurely pace over two or more days (see 'Alternative Routes' below for details).
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main route outline
Getting there
By car, Dalwhinnie is just off the A9, half way between Perth and Inverness. Alternatively arrive by train, all the way from Euston if you like !
Beinn Bheoil
Get to Dalwhinnie, drive up the road to towards the railway station, turning left just before it and continue along 'Alder Road' past some houses to the railway crossing where parking is available. Cycle from the crossing down the lochside, through a gate-house built in the late '90s - if locked, it is possible to get around it. Continue cycling past another house down to Alder Lodge and turn right at the next gatehouse, cycling uphill. Cycle to the highest point on this track, then down towards Loch Pattack. Don't take the track heading off left at the green shed, it's very mucky along this, instead continue to the loch and around its south side. There is a track on the gravel beach to a wire and wooden bridge. A bit further on a peat-bog can block passage if wet, thereafter reach the bridge over the Allt a'Chaoile-reidhe. The track from here has recently been improved, follow it to the bridge before Culra Bothy and leave the bike. Cross the bridge, pick up an excellent path and follow south side of the river. After 1½km, the path turns south and starts to head uphill, follow for 1km, then leave the path and cross heather, grass and occasional hidden boulders to strike up to the north shoulder of Beinn Bheoil. The smallish summit cairn is reached via a fair slog over easy gravel ground.
Ben Alder
Leave the cairn and head south-west to reach the next bealach - careful navigation is required if in mist, as the path can be vague in bits. A clearer path is picked up and followed uphill to the bouldery plateau of Sron Coire na h-Iolaire, the summit of which has great views along Loch Ericht. Aim south-west, again navigation will be required in mist, to pick up the path again to Bealach Breabag. Uphill north-west, the path is vague and very wet as it tries to avoid the burns and twists through the rocks. Further up Ben Alder's ridge, Sron Bealach Beithe is attained and followed north-west over an obvious path. After a dip, and on ½km, the summit of a rise is reached, turn north-east, find the lochan and jog over easy ground to the trig point and cairn. Being the highest hill in the area, there's a fantastic panorama to take in, there's also a ruin just north from the summit.
Beinn Eibhinn
Compass out again ! Easy running west-north-west from the summit dropping slowly on grassy ground for around 2km. The descent steepens and ground becomes wetter then more heather clad as the Uisge Labhair gets nearer. Cross this river just below the junction with the burn coming out of Coire a'Charra Bhig then head directly steeply uphill over heather, then grass. Reach the north-east east shoulder of Beinn Eibhinn, turn right and carry on towards the summit over easy ground, going carefully as the coire drops sharply off on your right. Top bagging ? - there are two tops west of the summit, but expect a detour of just under an hour to reach them and return to Beinn Eibhinn.
Aonach Beag
From Beinn Eibhinn return down the ridge and continue north-east on the obvious path to the bealach before Aonach Beag. It's straight up Aonach Beag, sticking to the path on the ridge.
Geal-charn
As the path is a bit vague on leaving Aonach Beag's cairn, a bit of navigation might be required to aim east. Downhill to the bealach above Coire na Coichille to the north and Coire a'Charra Bhig to the south. Uphill on the path to Geal-charn's small cairn sitting above Coire na Coichille with some cracking views.
Carn Dearg
Head north-east from Geal-charn's cairn, and reach the edge of the coire. At the edge of the coire, turn right (east) and with some careful navigation, find the ridge that heads north-east between the two lochans - this can cornice over in winter and crampons may well be needed. A good path travels down to the narrow bealach and continues over the wide bump of Diollaid a'Chairn. It becomes more faint, drops slightly, then climbs gently uphill over grass then a boulder-field to Carn Dearg's summit - good views back to Geal-charn and towards Beinn a'Chlachair.
Return to Culra Bothy and Dalwhinnie
Head north-east on a path, then the descent steepens, as it levels out, turn se over grass then heather and some wet sections down to Culra Bothy. Return back to Dalwhinnie.
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Carn Dearg from the approach in
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The Fara from Loch Pattack
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Ben Alder from the bridge over the Allt a'Chaoil-reidhe
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Beinn Bheoil from Sron Bealach Beithe
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Ben Alder from Carn Dearg
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Above Garbh Choire
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Sron Bealach Beithe and Garbh Choire from near Ben Alder's summit
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Loch Ossian from Ben Alder
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Geal Charn above Sgor Iutharn from Ben Alder's ruin
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Looking up the Coire na Lethchois ridge
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Beinn Eibhinn from on the way up Aonach Beag
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Aonach Beag from Geal Charn
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Culra Bothy, the new Culra Lodge and Sgor Iutharn
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Culra Bothy infront of Ben Alder and Sgor Iutharn
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Carn Dearg above Loch Pattack
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Combine the Ardverikie Munros with Carn Dearg to Beinn Eibhinn
Two ridges head up Ben Alder from the east, Coire na Lethchois ridge is the finer
The Fara can be walked on the way in to Culra Bothy, or done on its own from Dalwhinnie
Carn Dearg to Beinn Eibhinn from north-west
Ascent : 1100m, distance : 20km
From Luiblea on the A86, just south of Loch Laggan, do the Ardverikie Munros (in the order Creag Pitridh, Geal Charn and Beinn a'Chlachair). From Beinn a'Chlachair, return north-east for just over 1km, then head down Coire Beag a'Chlachair and cross the Allt Cam. Head up the Cean Chioch a'Chairn to approach Carn Dearg's summit from the west.
Go along the ridge over the Munros Geal-charn and Aonach Beag to Beinn Eibhinn as described in reverse of the main route.
Head west from Beinn Eibhinn's summit then north down Sron an Fhuarain. Pick up the wet path heading north, to join the track back to Luiblea.
Ben Alder via the Coire na Lethchois ridge
Ascent : 1050m, distance : 15km
Two ridges go up Ben Alder, the Coire na Lethchois being the finer. From Culra Bothy, follow the path on south side of the burn, cross the Allt a'Bhealaich Bheithe (difficult in spate), then heather and head directly up the ridge in front. Enjoyable easy scrambling to reach the north shoulder of Ben Alder. Keep the coire tightly on the left so as to get some good photo opportunity detours on the way. Reach the summit of Ben Alder and take in the views. Head around Garbh Coire, down to Bealach Breabag, up Beinn Bheoil and return to Culra as described in reverse on the left
The Fara - a fine Corbett above Dalwhinnie
Ascent : 600m, distance : 9km
In Dalwhinnie, head up to the railway station and along Station Road to the level crossing. Over the level crossing, run or bike it along a track, pass Alder Estate main gate house and reach a second granite house. Just beyond this house, a fire-break divides the forest above. The grass covered ground between the trees is quickly ascended to the edge of the forest. A line of old fence-posts can then be followed uphill to find a wall that climbs to the summit with its large cairn. Return by the same route, or more enjoyably, aim north-east and follow the shoulder downhill. A fast descent reaches a recently constructed track to trace to the A889 and back to Dalwhinnie.
North
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Ardverikie
Fine hills in a fairly compact group with good paths linking the ground below them
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East
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Drumochter Munros
Three groups of munros can be linked to form one long, but easy outing
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West
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Around Loch Ossian
Take a train journey into this wonderful area which has seen significant investment in recent years
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North-west
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Above Loch Treig
Imposing high grey peaks west of Loch Treig contrast with the grass covered slopes on the east
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