Black Craig and Creag Ruadh from Feagour

At Feagour

The A86 runs westward from the A9 at Kingussie, passing through Newtonmore and on towards Laggan. After passing Laggan Wolftrax, the road straightens for a long stretch and just before reaching the end of this and before the Pattack Falls car park, there is a side road marked for Feagour along with right-of-way sign indicating an old drovers' route to Dalwhinnie.

There's space to park a car or two near the bins at the junction.

In Black Wood, the signs to look out for

From the parking spot, cross the road, through a gate and follow a forestry track uphill. The track soon reaches a junction beside a small, overgrown lochan - veer right here to continue. As you ascend, you'll pass occasional signposts marking the 'Blackwood Walk' route.

At another junction deeper in the forest, turn left, following the track as it climbs gently westward before curving northeast. Emerging briefly from the trees, and before entering another stretch of forestry, look for a weathered wooden sign on your left pointing to 'Hilltop / Fort' .

Looking back down the path from Pt 560m

Looking back down the path from Pt 560m

Old iron posts leading towards Creag Ruadh

From the summit of Black Craig, retrace your steps briefly before striking southwest through woodland and across grassy terrain, navigating occasional marshy patches to meet a fence enclosing dense forestry to the north. Follow the fence line to its edge , where a gap allows passage onto open hillside.

Now on rougher ground, briefly follow a line of old iron fence posts before crossing heather-clad slopes north of the bealach between Creag Ruadh's two summits.

Looking to Creag Dubh from Creag Ruadh's summit

Looking to Creag Dubh from Creag Ruadh's summit

Creag Ruadh's trig point and view over Loch Laggan

For the descent, retrace your steps to the col between the summits, then head towards the mast on the southern side of Creag Ruadh's lower summit.

Before reaching the mast, pick up a grassy rake leading down through bracken to a deer-fence enclosing felled forestry.

Where the fence crosses an indent - possibly the dried remains of a burn - there is a wooden slatted gate of sorts that can be lifted to clamber under. Once across, aim downhill, descending over rough ground with scattered tree remains to locate the faint remnants of an old forestry track.

Follow the track through a tangle of gorse, bracken, and trees, eventually returning to the overgrown lochan near the start of the route.