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 !

monadh liath and newtonmore weblinks 
See todays conditions on the nearby Cairngorm webcam
Get the local area weather forecast here
Superb accommodation at the Eagle's View
Things to do and see in Newtonmore & Laggan
All day food and internet access at the Ralia Cafe
Home baking or a stay in Laggan Pottery Bunkhouse
Try serious mountain biking at  Wolftrax

main route outline   
In Newtonmore, just behind the Capercaillie Cafe, Glen Road heads up Glen Banchor terminating at a bridge just after a car-park. 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 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 !

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 n over wet and peaty ground until a line of fence-posts is reached. Turn right(e) and follow fence-posts for less than half km to Carn Sgulain's small untidy cairn.

About turn and follow path and fence-posts for 5km to Carn Ban (which used to be a Munro). The last 1km before Carn Ban is more bouldery than the grassy easy terrain up to this point. Aim south to a bealach with a small lochan (not shown on the 1:50,000 map). Turn se up the shoulder and around a short corrie to the narrow summit of Carn Dearg with its small cairn.

Return to bealach, the turn wnw and pick up the line of fence-posts. Follow fence-posts sw past a cairn and lochan, the posts then turn nw and start going downhill. Continue downhill, then uphill following the posts over Beinn Odhair
The posts then turn nw towards Carn Odhair na Criche, do not follow them ! Instead continue w 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 sw 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

From the summit head sw 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 sw to pick up a track to a wooden bridge. Cross the bridge and Garva Bridge is less than a half km further on.

Feeling you've not run enough ? Well you could continue over the Creag Meagaidh hills (as long as you've got a lift back from Laggan Dam) !

Geal Charn from Spey Dam    
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 and a track up Glen
Markie (limited parking)
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 w 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

Return from Carn Dearg to Newtonmore
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 (e) and head down
over heather to cross the
Allt Ballach
Follow the river's eastern side
for 2km, no obvious footpaths,
but there are some deer-paths
to easy progress
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 - ground is soaking regardless of direction ! At buildings, pick up a track and follow back to car-park