Càrn Dearg and Sgòr Gaibhre

Loch Eigheach with Meall Buidhe beyond

West of Pitlochry, the B8019 follows the northern shore to Tummel Bridge, from where the B846 continues onto Kinloch Rannoch and eventually Rannoch Station.

Before reaching the end of the public road, Loch Eigheach is around 2km east of Rannoch Station. Access gates limit the amount of roadside car-parking here to around 4 vehicles .

Old Corrour Lodge and view to Leum Uilliem

On the north side of the road, by a right-of-way sign and through a gate, a track heads north-west under some pylons. Follow this track for around 3km to cross the Allt Eigheach via a bridge .

Now on the west bank of the river, pass a generator house sympathetically embedded into the hillside, then head around an area of forestry .

A junction in the track is reached - if you are cycling and with the intention to return over Meall na Meoig (see below), you'll need to leave your bike here.

Keeping on the main track (left), continue for a further 4km to reach the sad and intriguing ruins of Old Corrour Lodge , where Càrn Dearg looms directly above to the north-east. If cycling, leave bikes here.

Looking up Càrn Dearg from Old Corrour Lodge

Looking up Càrn Dearg from Old Corrour Lodge

Aiming to Sgòr Gaibhre from Càrn Dearg

From Càrn Dearg's summit, pick up a faint and worn path initially heading east. The path quickly turns north-east and heads down Càrn Dearg's broad north-eastern shoulder.

Further on, the path becomes more obvious as it cuts a route through heather to arrive at the bealach between Càrn Dearg and Sgòr Gaibhre. Called Màm Bàn (meaning 'white pass'), this bealach is peaty and depending on recent weather, can be rather soggy in places.

From Màm Ban, easy progress continues along the path as it starts climbing gently uphill on Sgòr Gaibhre's grass-covered western shoulder. Some impressive erratic boulders are met on the way. A small pile of stones marks the summit of Sgòr Gaibhre .

Beginning a descent of Càrn Dearg

If you've cycled to the ruins of Corrour Lodge, then about-turn, hike back up Càrn Dearg and retrace your steps to drop back to the ruins of Old Corrour Lodge. After picking up your bike, enjoy a free-wheel for the most part back to Rannoch.

If you've walked in, then there is a fine option to aim south from Sgòr Gaibhre over Meall na Meoig and Beinn Pharlagain on a circular route returning to the Allt Eigheach (see below).

A mist Meall na Meoig above the dam on the Allt Eigheach

The summit of Meall na Meoig, a Corbett, is an interesting spot just above two lochans and some 3 km south of Sgòr Gaibhre. The terrain is between these summits is quite rough with occasional patches of boulderfield to tackle and there are no obvious paths to follow. Below Meall na Meoig, the pathless grass and heather clad slopes are pitted with peat-bog, although a track reaches a dam on the Allt Eigheach, some 2km south-west of the summit.

Including Meall na Meoig in an itinerary with Càrn Dearg and Sgòr Gaibhre would make for a delightful circuit above the Allt Eigheach, though would miss out on a cycle to Corrour Old Lodge.

To reach Meall na Meoig, cycle in from Loch Eigheach as detailed above, cross the bridge over the Allt Eigheach , around the forestry and reach the junction on the track . Turn right and head up a track heading northwards. The track hits a steeper section and briefly becomes quite rough before levelling out and travelling to a small dam on the Allt Eigheach (as a side note, the OS Landranger map currently doesn't show this track and neither the OS Landranger or OS Explorer maps show the dam). If you've cycled to this point, leave bikes here - a track does continue northwards of the dam on the west bank of the river, but it is rough and not really cyclable.

Crossing the Allt Eigheach below the dam is a doddle, then over grass and heather covered terrain aim north-east, making a bee-line for Meall na Meoig. There are no paths to follow, but ground is pleasant to cross and gradients are fairly gentle. Meall na Meoig's summit is quite flat where an erratic boulder and small cairn rest make for debate as to the highest point.