Corbett and Graham Tops From Kingussie

I left my vehicle in the car park at the Kingussie Golf Club where there was adequate space although parking here, other than for playing golf, may be frowned upon by club officials. I crossed the footbridge over the Allt Mor to the south of the car park although there was also a footbridge to the north of the clubhouse which was hidden from view but used on my return.

I walked up the tarred road on the east side of the Allt Mor through the woods and a section of the golf course to Pitman Lodge.

Tree lined route to Pitmain Lodge
Tree lined route to Pitmain Lodge
Entrance to Pitmain Lodge
Entrance to Pitmain Lodge

Here there were a number of signs indicating the route round the property and these took me to the north of the house and across a road bridge over the Allt Mor.

Once through a gate in a deer fence I headed north-west along a vehicle track looking for a suitable point to leave it and climb west onto Creag Mhor. However the vegetation growing within the fenced off area wasn’t very appealing so I continued to beyond the deer fence then followed animal trails through heather along the north side of the fence. I later left it and walked through rougher ground, wet in places with some boulders, and made my way onto the 604 metre top and its cairn.

Loch Gynack and Creag Bheag
Loch Gynack and Creag Bheag

Crags now prevented a direct approach to the summit of Creag Mhor so with the loss of height I descended south-west before climbing to the summit of this Graham Top where there was also a cairn but a rock to the north-west seemed higher.

Hump and Corbett Top, Creag Dhubh
Hump and Corbett Top, Creag Dhubh
604 Top, Creag Mhor
604 Top, Creag Mhor

Despite the windy conditions I sat at the summit for a while before descending north-west through grass, heather and rocks to reach the col with Creag Dhubh. I also crossed a wet ATV track then it was a steady climb using some grassy rakes to reach the cairn on the Hump and Corbett Top, Creag Dhubh, although I wasn’t sure the cairn was the highest point.

Newtonmore and Strath Spey
Newtonmore and Strath Spey
Strath Spey and Graham Top, Creag Dhubh
Strath Spey and Graham Top, Creag Dhubh
Carn Coire na h_Inghinn. Munros, A' Chailleach and Carn Sgulain beyond
Carn Coire na h_Inghinn. Munros, A’ Chailleach and Carn Sgulain beyond
Carn an Fhreiceadain
Carn an Fhreiceadain
Beinn Bhreac
Beinn Bhreac

After a short break here I descended north-west through some boulders disturbing a couple of deer to reach the col with Carn Coire na h-Inghinn from where I ascended this Graham Top. The first cairn I came to was the highest although a few stones to the west were equally as high.

Towards Glen Spean and Grey Corries
Towards Glen Spean and Grey Corries
Route off Creag Dhubh
Route off Creag Dhubh

I headed north-east passed a couple of lower cairns before descending east across another ATV track, a stream and some peat hags then worked my way below Creag Dhubh. The underfoot conditions were reasonable as I made my way towards the vehicle track on the west side of the Allt Mor at a small wooded area. On reaching this track I followed it back to Pitman Lodge then returned along the tarred road to the start.

  • Time taken – 4.75 hours.
  • Distance – 12.75 kilometres.
  • Height climbed – 645 metres.