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Munros
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A'Chailleach (930m, Munro 251)
Carn Sgulain (920m, Munro 271)
Carn Dearg (945m, Munro 225)
Geal Charn (926m, Munro 260)
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Ascent
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1420m (4650ft)
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Distance
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30km (21m)
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Time
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walking : 9:50hr*, running : 4:30hr
*Naismith's rule : 4km/h distance + 600m/h ascent
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Main route summary
Not the most interesting of hill runs, but generally easy going, following tracks, paths and fence-posts.
Some navigation work may be needed to cover the grassy ground between Carn Dearg and Geal Charn - even in clear conditions !
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profile
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location
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start
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Above Newtonmore
(grid ref : NN694998)
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finish
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Garva Bridge
(grid ref : NN521948)
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maps/guides
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GPX data
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download GPX file of this route
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| terrain |
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easy |
| difficult |
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| navigation |
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easy |
| testing |
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| effort |
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stroll |
| long day |
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| scenery |
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ok |
| stunning |
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| meanings |
A'Chailleach : 'the old woman'
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Carn Sgulain : 'rocky hill of the basket'
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Carn Dearg : 'red rocky hill'
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Geal Charn : 'white hill'
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| main route outline | print route |
Getting there
In Newtonmore, just behind the Blasta Restaurant, Glen Road heads up Glen Banchor terminating at a bridge just after a car-park. This car-park can take around 10 cars.
A'Chailleach
Immediately before this car-park, there is a track heading up the side of foresty. Follow this track, through gate for just over 1km. Look for a small cairn on left side of track, there is a bridge crossing the burn hidden in the heather below. Cross the burn and follow a faint path over wet and grassy ground parallel to the burn, then turn uphill to cross another burn. Aim for a hut - carvings on wood in this hut are over 100 years old ! Follow a faint path from the hut, getting more obvious as it ascends. The path levels off in heather and peat before a last direct haul to the summit of A'Chailleach. A large cairn on the top will shelter you out of the wind !
Carn Sgulain
From A'Chailleach's summit, aim due north, on a faint path at first. The path disappears as the ground drops more quickly down to a burn. Cross the burn and continue north over wet and peaty ground until a line of fence-posts is reached. Turn right(east) and follow fence-posts for less than half a kilometre to Carn Sgulain's small untidy cairns.
Carn Ban and Carn Dearg
About turn and follow path and fence-posts for 5km to Carn Ban (which used to be a Munro). Without the fence-posts, navigation would be difficult even in clear conditions as the view consists of gradual undulating sweeps, making so-called summits difficult to determine. The last 1km before Carn Ban is more bouldery than the grassy easy terrain up to this point. From Carn Ban's cairn, aim south to a bealach with a small lochan (not shown on the 1:50,000 map). Turn south-east up the shoulder and around a short corrie to the narrow summit of Carn Dearg with its small cairn.
Geal Charn
Return to bealach, the turn wnw and pick up the line of fence-posts. Follow fence-posts south-west past a cairn and lochan, the posts then turn north-west and start going downhill. Continue downhill, then uphill following the posts over Beinn Odhair
The posts then turn north-west towards Carn Odhair na Criche, do not follow them ! Instead continue west over grass to cross the Allt Odhar - there are no more paths or posts to follow until near Geal Charn. Some navigational work, even in clear conditions will be required for the next 4km in a general southwest direction. The terrain is easy underfoot, but only occasional wildlife will lighten an otherwise dreary section. Upon passing the peat ground just after the start of the ascent up Geal Charn, another line of fence-posts is met. Follow these posts and a developing path to the large summit cairn. The views from this top are suprisingly quite good and certainly better than on the other three munros
Down to Garva Bridge and return
From the summit head south-west over bouldery ground and a slight rise then pick up a path going downhill. The path travels through heather then over increasingly damp ground to reach the Allt Coire nan Dearcag. A path continues for 1km following the south side of the Feith Talagain. The path disappears, but continue heading south-west to pick up a track to a wooden bridge. Cross the bridge and Garva Bridge is less than a half km further on.
Route not long enough ?
Feeling you've not run enough ? Well you could continue over the Creag Meagaidh hills. These are easily reached from Garva Bridge up through forest and grassy slopes onto Carn Dubh, from where it's a pleasant walk onto Carn Liath. This does assume you've got transport arranged to get from Laggan Dam back to Newtonmore. I've combined these routes a couple of times and would thoroughly recommend them. The terrain is very runnable and the views just keep getting better the further west you continue.
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Looking to Meall Chuaich from the head of Glen Banchor
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Garva Bridge - the start up to Geal Charn
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The 100yr old hut below A'Chailleach
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Creag na h-lolare, the other Geal Charn and A'Chailleach from Ralia
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Carn Sgulain from Glen Balloch
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Looking up Glen Banchor to Carn Dearg and its south top
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Looking up the Allt a'Chaorainn to A'Chailleach
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Looking down the Allt Coire nan Dearcag to Garva Bridge
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A'Chailleach from Carn Sgulain
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Carn Dearg from the west
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Creag Dhubh from the An Leitir Hut
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A'Chailleach from the slopes of Carn Dearg
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Shortening the route, the 3 easterly peaks, returning from Carn Dearg
Geal Charn from Spey Dam Ascent 750m, distance : 14km
Although a bit of a trudge, this route shows that Geal Charn has an interesting side !
Return from Carn Dearg to Newtonmore
Ascent : 1075m, distance : 23km
Bag A'Chailleach, Carn Sgulain and Carn Dearg as above. From Carn Dearg's summit, head south over the South Top to
bealach before Carn Macoul. Turn left (east) and head down over heather to cross the Allt Ballach. Follow the river's eastern side for 2km, there are no obvious footpaths, but there are some deer-paths to ease progress. The ground levels out and you should see the unoccupied buildings of Glenballoch. Aim directly for these, don't aim for the path shown on map - the ground underfoot is soaking regardless of direction ! At the buildings, pick up a track and follow it back to the car-park at the road-end.
Geal Charn from Spey Dam
Ascent 750m, distance : 14km
Although a bit of a trudge, this route shows that Geal Charn has an interesting side ! From the village of Laggan, a single track road heads up the Spey, 3km up this road, there is a sharp turn and the entrance to a farm. Start from here (limited parking). A track up heads up Glen Markie - follow this track for just under 2km to an obvious fire-break in the forest on the other side of Markie Burn. Cross the burn (difficult in spate) and climb up the fire-break. Out of the forest, check out the unusual gash cut out of the hill called 'An Dirc Mhor'. Head up over steep heathery ground, levelling out to much easier underfoot and aim for the cairn on Beinn Sgiath. Some navigation required in mist from here - crags could catch you out - unusual for a Monadh Liath hill. Turn west to the bealach, then up to the summit of Geal Charn. Return the same way, or descend from the bealach to Lochan a'Choire and follow the Piper's Burn. Cross Markie Burn, then pick up the path then track heading down Glen Markie.
East
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Geal-charn Mor
Through beautiful forests to high moorland with hares bounding around. (Coming soon)
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South-east
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Above Glen Feshie
In the heart of Rothiemurchus, heather and juniper cover the lower slopes, upper ground is flat and diffcult to navigate on in mist
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South
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Above the Pass of Dumochter
Three groups of munros can be linked to form one long, but easy outing
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South-west
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The Creag Meagaidh group
Ever-changing views over Coire Ardair and its spectacular cliffs - well famed for their winter climbing.
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West
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Above the Corrieyairack Pass
More running over moorland and heather, but this time with fine views, particularly northwards. (Coming soon)
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| Hotels |
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Eagle View Guest House
Set up in 2005, the plan for Eagle View Guest House was, and still remains, to create a guest house which would offer bed and breakfast accommodation, set within this beautiful location in the Highlands, which was second to none.
www.eagleviewguesthouse.co.uk
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| Food |
The Glen Hotel in Newtonmore
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Ralia Cafe near Newtonmore
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Campsites, Self Catering & Hostels |
Creag Meagaidh self catering
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Laggan Pottery and Bunkhouse
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