Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. Ronald Turnbull
above a rocky knoll, then find a small path along the riverside meadow. Just upstream from the gorge entrance, the path turns left, and climbs a steep grass slope in two zigzags to a wide shelf of grass and glacier-smoothed rocks.
Head northwest across the rocks, with an ancient deer fence on the left. At the shelf end, follow the fence down to the right into a grassy wooded gully. There are traces of a rough, steep path. In steep woodland below, keep downhill near the fence (avoiding steeper ground on the left). As the ground gets less steep there is a small rough path just above the fence.
As the fence joins the river, pass through it to find a well-used path. Follow this downstream along beautiful riverbank, with river roar drowning any traffic sounds from the other side. Just before the path suddenly becomes well made, cross a footbridge on the right to join the road. Head up right for 1.2km to the car park, taking care as the road has blind corners and is busy.
ROUTE 3
Meall Cumhann
| Start/Finish | Glen Nevis top car park (NN 168 691) |
| Distance | 6.5km/4 miles |
| Total ascent | 600m/2000ft |
| Time | 3½hr |
| Terrain | Rough hillsides |
| Max altitude | Meall Cumhann 698m |
If Nevis Gorge on its own isn’t magnificent enough, take in this viewpoint 500m higher up. Meall Cumhann (Hill of the Gorge) is a fine little top in its own right, and if you can bring yourself to turn round has views eastwards up Glen Nevis as well as down onto the gorge and across to Steall Falls.
For map see Route 2. Start along Route 2 to the meadow below Steall Falls. After playing around on the wire footbridge (but returning to the original side), take the path that continues up Glen Nevis. After 1km, just before a footbridge, turn up left into Coire Giubhsachan, on a rough path to left of its stream. After 1.5km it reaches a flat, boggy section of valley. Here turn up left, slanting right to avoid outcrops, to the summit of Meall Cumhann.
Head north along a fine little ridge and down to Bealach Cumhann col. Head southwest, slantwise down a steep slope towards the long waterslide of Allt Coire Eoghainn. The slabs of the waterslide itself are smooth and slippery, and there have been accidents there, so take care. A path runs down on the near side of the waterslide, to the car park.
Nevis Gorge and Polldubh Crags
ROUTE 4
Down Glen Nevis
| Start | Glen Nevis lower falls, 300 metres up-valley from Achriabhach (NN 145 683) |
| Finish | Fort William station (NN 105 741) |
| Distance | 11.5km/7 miles |
| Total ascent | Nil |
| Time | 3hr |
| Terrain | Small paths |
| Max altitude | Upper fall 55m |
| Transport | Stagecoach bus 41 serves the youth hostel: there have been buses to the Lower Falls – check with Tourist Information |
The Glen Nevis road hardly intrudes on this at all, and enables an outward journey on the Glen Nevis bus – that’s unless you make it the second half of the walk from Corrour station (Route 5) or a backpack trek from Kinlochleven, Rannoch, or elsewhere.
Start by turning right out of the car park, to cross two bridges, under the second of which are the Lower Falls. Beware of inaudible traffic coming round the blind bends. A stile on the left is for canoeists and photographers – pass it to a track just beyond. Follow this past Polldubh cottages, to find a faint path. After 400 metres along the foot of the hill slope, the path joins the river; then follows it downstream, past the square wooded enclosure of an old burial ground. After crossing the two branches of the Red Burn (no footbridges), you reach a long bridge on the left that would lead to the youth hostel.
Keep going on a good path still to right of the stream. Pass another bridge into the car park at Nevis Visitor Centre. After another 400 metres the path is about to join the Achintee Road.
To avoid this, fork left on a path under trees, still alongside the river, to join the road further down. After 200 metres cross a green footbridge over the River Nevis, then turn right to join the pavement of the Glen Nevis road. At the roundabout by the Nevis Bank Hotel, turn left to the town centre.
Meal an t-Suidhe, Burial Ground east of River Nevis, Ben Nevis
ROUTE 5
Corrour Station to Glen Nevis
| Start | Corrour station (NN 355 664) |
| Finish | Fort William station (NN 105 742) |
| Distance | 33.5km/21 miles |
| Total ascent | 150m/500ft |
| Time | 1 long or 2 short days (9hr walking time) |
| Terrain | Small, rough paths |
| Max altitude | Tom an Eite 375m |
| Transport | Train (Scotrail) Fort William to Corrour. No road access to Corrour |
The long valley starts at Corrour, a place reached by railway but by no road, with a restaurant and a youth hostel, and runs for 30km between two of Scotland’s highest mountain ranges. Along the way it passes a couple of handy bothies. At last it emerges round the back of Ben Nevis by a huge waterfall and a gorge: this is where, if anywhere, Scotland becomes Himalayan.
While it’s the last day of long backpack trips from almost anywhere, the early train (7.40am) from Fort William lets you do this as a day walk. Route 4 allows you to walk the riverside for those last 10km, but you may prefer the road, where any passing car will be a climber or walker and might offer a lift, even to the muddy. (You can’t phone for a taxi on your mobile; mobiles won’t work.)
See overview map Ben Nevis & Glen Coe north. Start from Corrour station on the west side of the railway, where a rough and often soggy track runs beside the railway line. After 2km, the firm track from Loch Ossian emerges from under the railway. Or else, for clean feet and legs, head east from the station to the track around Loch Ossian.
Start from Loch Ossian youth hostel
Loch Ossian youth hostel
Turn right on the track towards Corrour station, then right on a side track at a waymark arrow. In 200 metres the track bends left; at once, turn off left on a rugged old track. After 400 metres this joins a much newer one, running west to pass under the railway in the bed of a stream.
Follow the track down to Loch Treig, and then around it; at the foot of Gleann Iolairean it reverts to its rough state. The track ends at Abhainn Rath near Creaguaineach Lodge. If you’re heading for Staoineag bothy, and if the river under the bridge is in spate, don’t cross but head upstream to left of the river. Cross the slippery wooden bridge and turn left upstream, on a path that’s sometimes a delight on firm green riverbank and sometimes less pleasant. After 2km you pass the charmingly situated Staoineag bothy on the opposite bank; with normal summer water levels you can cross to it on large stones. The better path continues to right of the river. After another 3km the valley floor levels, and the path bears away from the river across bog to visit Meanach (Meannanach) bothy (see Route 45). It regains the riverbank opposite Luibeilt.
The OS map marks the path continuing on the southern bank of Abhainn Rath. However, the crossing can be awkward, and I’ve always