Corrour

I left Inverness to drive to Spean Bridge to catch the 0757 train to Corrour Station hoping that the fine spell of weather would last another day. The train was on time and just over thirty minutes later I was deposited at Corrour Station where in sunny conditions set off along the vehicle track towards Loch Ossian.

Corrour Station
Corrour Station
Loch Ossian
Loch Ossian
Loch Ossian Youth Hostel
Loch Ossian Youth Hostel

Just beyond the Youth Hostel I walked along the track on the north side of Meall na Lice which would take me to Peter’s Rock.

Track to Peter's Cairn
Track to Peter’s Cairn

This track had been upgraded for vehicles involved in the various hydro schemes on the Corrour Estate.

Loch Ossian and Beinn na Lap
Loch Ossian and Beinn na Lap

At Peter’s Rock I left the track and continued east through heather on a walker’s path. However it disappeared or its line was lost as I headed onto Carn Dearg’s North-West Ridge, south of Meall na Leitire Duibhe. The sun had disappeared to be replaced by cloud and a cold wind.

Route towards Carn Dearg before cloud lowered
Route towards Carn Dearg before cloud lowered
Meall na Lice, Loch Ossian and Corrour Station
Meall na Lice, Loch Ossian and Corrour Station

As I approached Carn Dearg’s summit cairn the hill was engulfed in cloud. I had made good progress reaching this Munro in around two hours which was within my time scale for catching the afternoon train back to Spean Bridge.

After a bite to eat sheltering behind the cairn I descended north-east to Mam Ban where I emerged briefly from the cloud re-entering it as I climbed the Munro, Sgor Gaibhre. There was no point in hanging around at its summit cairn so I headed down to the Bealach nan Sgor and here the cloud began to lift.

Dunlin
Dunlin

I traversed below Sgor Choinnich and onto Meall Nathrach Mor where once again I had some views.

From here I descended west through long heather and came across a Thermarest mat, an odd item to find on this pathless route. It possibly fell from someone’s pack as it did inflate.  Lower down there was a quad vehicle trail which led to the Allt a’ Choire Chreagaich which was easily crossed as the water was low. A vehicle track then led through the trees to the estate houses at the west end of Loch Ossian.

I had made reasonable progress so there was no rush as I walked along the vehicle track on the south side of Loch Ossian stopping for lunch at the loch side.

Loch Ossian looking east
Loch Ossian looking east
Loch Ossian looking west
Loch Ossian looking west

I reached Corrour Station fifteen minutes before the 1524 train to Spean Bridge.

Corrour Station and Leum Uilleim
Corrour Station and Leum Uilleim
  • Time taken – 6.75 hours.
  • Distance – 21.5 kilometres.
  • Height climbed – 925 metres.