The Fara circuit

The Fara from near Dalwhinnie

By car, Dalwhinnie is just off the A9, half way between Perth and Inverness. Alternatively arrive by train, all the way from Euston if you need !

Around 1km north of the centre of Dalwhinnie, the A889 swings northwards then follows the line of the old military road. Just beyond the bend in the road there is a large gate in a deer-fence where an estate track heads westwards - the route begins from here. There is limited verge parking by the gate.

Looking south-west to Alder from the Fara's crest

Leave the roadside, through a gate in a deer-fence and begin following an estate track heading west. Into some forestry, another gate is gone through, by which is a map outlining the walking trails in Chaochain Woods (but lack of detail makes it pretty useless). The track climbs gently and travels through forestfry for around 1km coming to a clearing and junction - keep right.

Another 1km further on, a quarry is passed, beyond which the track becomes rougher. Uphill and onwards, the track comes to its end by a gate in another deer-fence . Head through the gate, beyond which open hillside is climbed while aiming up the fall-line of the grass-covered slope ahead.

At around 700m, The Fara's summit crest is seen ahead with a sparodic line of old iron fence-posts marking a direct route. Higher up and as The Fara's summit is neared, a well preserved wall is met which leads to a very large cairn resting on the highest point of the crest.

Cairn and wall on The Fara's summit

Cairn and wall on The Fara's summit

Looking back up to The Fara from Allt an't Sliuc Lodge

Now on The Fara's wide and delightful grass-covered crest, head north-north-east over pathless ground. Height is gradually lost as the crest steadily veers more north-eastwards.

Just below the 700m contour, the head of another estate-track is met (not marked on my OS Landranger map). Simply head down this track for just over 2km to cross the Allt an t-Sluic via a ford (this may be tricky in spate).

The track meets another just east of the Allt An't Sluic Lodge, which is followed back to the A889 , from where a short walk returns to the route start.