Meall Dubh from Glen Moriston

The A87 travels from the A82 at Invergarry in the Great Glen towards Kintail and eventually on to the Isle of Skye.

As the road climbs westwards from Invergarry then drops northwards through Glen Loyne down to Glen Moriston, it meets with the A887 approaching from Invermoriston on Loch Ness.

Around 4km east of this junction is the entrance to the Beinneun Windfarm and on the opposite side of the road off-road parking is available in a long tarmac'd lay-by.

This is all assuming you are intending to cycle up the track for the windfarm. If you'd prefer to hike up Meall Dubh, have a look at the final section on this page which briefly outlines a direct route in from Glen Loyne.

On the south side of the A88, cross through the large gate in the deer-fence and begin to cycle uphill on the estate the track heading southwards. The ascending gradient is fairly gentle to begin with as the track turns west then south (ignore track off left) and heads into a forest plantation.

In the forest, a junction is met, keep left as indicated by a sign pointing the windfarm's direction.

Out of forest, keep on the main track heading eastwards on more level ground and another junction is met - this time keep right (left takes down to substation). Just beyond the junction, an interesting standing stone rests by a patch of trees, with eratic boulder sitting on top (wonder if the windfarm constructors were having a bit of laugh ?).

The track continues eastwards, begins to climb again and after around 2km meets yet another junction . Keeping right, the track veers southwards.

Having climbed around 100m from the previous junction, the windfarm's first turbine is met. From this point onwards, all junctions that are met have signposts indicating the direction to the numbered turbines - keep following the signs for number 1 !

Having turned west by the first turbine met, in around 2km you'll meet Lochan a' Mhàim , beyond which track turns south and drops around 50m to come to one last junction - keep west (right) and finally you'll come to turbine 1 . Leave bikes here.

Having left your bike by turbine 1, head up the hillside directly above, aiming initially south-west over heathery ground.

A line of old iron fence posts is met and followed up the ridge line ahead, Druim nan Eun. Out of the undergrowth, the remains of an old wall occasionally emerges and a faint path to follow appears from time to time.

As the ridge begins to drop , leave it and turn north-west, away from the old fence line, following a faint path through heather. Heather gives way to grass with Meall Dubh's summit less than 500m away.

Just north of Meall Dubh's highest point sits a large cairn, an astounding viewpoint from where, due to Meall Dubh's isolated position, 360⁰ far distant views can be savoured on clear days.

An about-turn and retrace of the route up returns to Glen Moriston.

I did contemplate a traverse over Meall Dubh, attempting a cycle or push of my bike to the top wind turbine on the south-west of the summit followed by a cycle down the track through the windfarm west of Meall Dubh. Rather glad I didn't, as terrain on Meall Dubh's crest was just a bit rough for my liking !

Way back in the day, my first adventure on Meall Dubh was in full winter conditions in early February, so there no point in attempting to cycle up tracks! In addition the windfarm was in the late stages of construction and access wasn't permitted from Glen Moriston.

Looking for an alternative, I parked just north-east of Loch Loyne Dam and began hiking from the track which starts in forestry (now felled) from a point marked 'Garbh Dhoire' on OS maps.

Through the forest and leaving the estate track behind, I made a direct line following the course of the Allt Bealach Odhair uphill.

Checking out maps and such, I had followed a route close to all-terrain vehicle tracks, but with deep snow on my visit, these were not visible to me and instead I was bounding my way through thigh-deep powder. The tracks lead much of the way towards Meall Dubh, leaving only a short distance on pathless terrain to the summit.