Walking the Corbetts Vol 2 North of the Great Glen. Brian Johnson
for the inexperienced in bad weather or poor visibility. The River Gour must be forded twice, which won’t be a problem in normal conditions but could be if the river is in flood.
Beinn na h-Uamha is a rocky hill between Glen Gour and Glen Scaddle set among the rocky peaks of Ardgour. It appeared on the 1 inch:1 mile OS maps at 2499ft, but appears as 762m on the 1:50,000 map and was promoted to Corbett status in 1981. Its twin peak, Sgurr a’ Chaorainn, is shown as 761m on the latest OS map. The recommended ascent up Glen Gour is through a deep glacial valley with much bare rock on the steep valley sides.
Beinn na h-Uamha over Loch nan Gabhar
There has been a car ferry crossing the Corran Narrows of Loch Linnhe since 1934. Prior to that, the ferry was a rowing boat, later replaced by a motor launch. In those days a lot of cattle and sheep were brought from the Ardnamurchan Peninsula to the market in Fort William and were taken across the Narrows in a large rowing boat. Horses were expected to swim behind the boat (see www.ambaile.org.uk for more on Highland history and culture).
See map in Route 6. Cross the bridge and turn right along the track, signed to Strontian, up the left-hand side of the River Gour. Pass Loch nan Gabhar and fork right at a junction. Eventually the track deteriorates and veers right, down to the River Gour (1hr 20min, 55m, 92550 64770). Cross the river, on stepping stones when the water level is low. The grassy, often boggy, track continues up the glen. If you lose the track just continue up the glen until you reach the burn draining the corrie between Beinn na h-Uamha and Sgurr a’ Chaorainn (2hr, 155m, 90910 64980). Head N up the burn, staying above the edge of the gully through which the burn flows, until you reach the foot of the rocky SW ridge of Beinn na h-Uamha (235m, 90720 65360). Head NNE up the ridge, either up the rock slabs or steep grass slopes, veering right as the gradient eases on the approach to the knobbly summit plateau. The summit cairn is on a knoll at the far end of the plateau (3hr 35min, 762m, 91710 66410). There is about 200m of descent between Beinn na h-Uamha and its twin peak Sgurr a’ Chaorainn so it is possible that both of them, either of them or neither of them is actually a Corbett!
Great care is needed in descending the E ridge. Initially head ESE down easy grass slopes, dodging round crags on the ridge. Veer SSE at a knoll (92600 66040) to another knoll, Stob an Uillt Dharaich (470m, 92720 65730), surrounded by crags. Wind your way down steep grass slopes between these crags, initially heading roughly ENE and veering SE when below the main crags, eventually reaching the Allt an t-Sluichd burn which is followed to the River Gour (5hr, 20m, 94140 64440). Ford the river and head S across boggy ground back to the track in Glen Gour. Turn left back to the parking area (6hr).
ROUTE 8
Stob Coire a’ Chearcaill peak of the rounded corrie
| Start | Stronchreggan (NN 07130 72520) |
| Distance | 14km (9 miles) |
| Total ascent | 870m (2900ft) |
| Difficulty | Once the paths in Gleann Sron a’ Chreagain are left behind, there is tough going on rough pasture and heather moorland on the lower slopes. |
| Time | 4hr 40min |
| Summits | Stob Coire a’ Chearcaill (770m, 2525ft) |
| Maps | OS Landranger 41 |
| Access | Follow the A861 E from Strontian and continue up the shore of Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil to Stronchreggan where the A861crosses the Abhainn Sron a’ Chreagain at a sharp bend. There is limited parking in a layby 100m further E. For those without vehicles there is a ferry for pedestrians and cyclists from Fort William to Camusnagaul, which is about 4km NE of the start point of this route. |
| Note | If the rivers are in flood it would be sensible to climb and descend by the suggested descent route. |
Stob Coire a’ Chearcaill is an isolated peak in the NE of Ardgour. There are impressive crags in the E-facing Coire a’ Chearcaill and good views across Loch Eil to Ben Nevis.
Stob Coire a’ Chearcaill
In 2010 Moidart and Ardgour was classified as a Special Protection Area for its population of golden eagles. Golden eagles require large areas of open ground over which to hunt, and Ardgour is ideal for them because there is little human disturbance and an abundance of crags suitable for nesting. They feed mainly on live prey, favouring rabbit, hare, ptarmigan and grouse, but also pine marten, squirrel, fox, water voles, ducks and seabirds. They also feed regularly on the carcasses of sheep and deer.
Head 100m W to the Abhainn Sron a’ Chreagain and follow the track along the right-hand side of the burn. When the track appears to end (30min, 150m, 05040 73050), you should be able to see a continuation further up the glen and there may be a vehicle track through the grass heading SW down to it. Follow this track, if visible, to the track which continues alongside the burn. Unless someone has driven an off-road vehicle up the track recently, it will end again and you should continue along a boggy animal track to just above a junction in the burn (55min, 170m, 03880 72670). Unless the burn is in flood, it will be easy to cross here. Climb the ridge on your left up to the deer fence, turn right and follow it until it turns sharp left as it crosses a burn (1hr 40min, 475m, 02630 72460).
Follow the fence left for another 250m. When it veers left (475m, 02680 72230), leave the fence and head S towards a shallow saddle (570m, 02680 71810) on the ridge ahead. On reaching the ridge, turn right (W veering NW) to a top (745m, 02060 72060) and continue NW to the large summit cairn, with nearby trig point, on Stob Coire a’ Chearcaill (2hr 45min, 770m, 01690 72670).
Head N, gradually veering to ENE and eventually E, down the NE ridge. When you are sure that you are past the crags on the S face of the ridge (at about 440m, 04800 73800) head SE, gradually veering S down rough grass slopes. You will have to cross a barbed wire fence. There is an easy crossing point just right of a burn (185m, 05120 73250) roughly N of the track end. Descend to the track (4hr 10min) and turn left back to the parking area (4hr 40min).
2 GLENFINNAN AND RUM
Rum and Eigg across the Sound of Arisaig (Route 16)
Glenfinnan and Rum: Bases and facilities
Base for Routes 9–15: Glenfinnan
Glenfinnan is just a tiny village with two hotels, a bunkhouse, café, but no shop or campsite.
The Princes House Hotel Tel: 01397 722 246 www.glenfinnan.co.uk
Glenfinnan House Hotel Tel: 01397 722 235 www.glenfinnanhouse.com
Glenfinnan Station has been converted into a railway museum. A dining car has been converted into a café and a sleeping car has been converted into a bunkhouse. Open June–mid October, but may open outside this period by advanced request. Tel: 01397 722 295 www.glenfinnanstationmuseum.co.uk
The National Trust for Scotland Visitor Centre which caters for visitors to the Glenfinnan monument has a snack-bar. www.nts.org.uk/Property/Glenfinnan-Monument
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