Glen Lyon, Bridge of Balgie

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Section 2 910 Meall Buidhe 862 Cam Chreag 837 Sron a'Choire Chnapanich 830 Beinn Dearg 787 Meall Tairneachan 783 Farragon Hill 909 Beinn nan Oighreag 901 Beinn Odhar 886 Beinn a'Chaisteil 885 Cam Chreag 849 Beinn nan Imirean 818 Beinn Chaorach 806 Beinn nam Fuaran 806 Meall nan Subh 780 Meall nam Maigheach Section 5 Section 6 Section 1 Section 3 Return to Corbett index Return Home.

A wild October day near Invervar.  Beinn Dearg  830m  2702'  Another red hill.  Map  Ben Meggernie  862m  2823'  Cam, Crooked  Map  Meall nam Maigheach  780m  2558'  Maigheach, Hare  Map  Beinn nan Oighreag  909m  2978'  Oighreag, Cloudberry  Map

 

Beinn Dearg 830m

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Beinn Dearg from the Bridge of Balgie tea room.

 

Glen Lyon is often regarded as one of the finest glens. It rivals Strathfarrar , with which it bears many similarities and Glen Affric for beauty. It is also famed for its length, bridging east and west ,over more than 30 miles, from Aberfeldy almost to Tyndrum, from its western summits you can look down upon the Kingshouse. The hills here are mostly rounded and mossy, there are few opportunities for technical work here. However the ski touring is very good here.

The lower glen is wide and agricultural, sheltered behind Drummond Hill . Here is the only settlement of any size, Fortingall , with its incongruous Edwardian thatched cottages, 3000 year old yew tree and tales of Pontius Pilate.

Local tradition has it that Pilate was born here whilst his father , and presumably , mother , were on a diplomatic mission to a Pictish chieftain on behalf of Ceasar Augustus.

After Fortingall the jaws close at the pass of Lyon. The river is forced into a gorge between wooded hills and the road is forced along a ledge above the north bank. As with many rivers the Lyon has its leap. In this case MacGregors Leap. Here Grigor MacGregor, in the days before proscription, and when The Macgregors stronghold was Glen Lyon, leaped the Lyon from north to south, saving his life from pursuing Campbells. He had avenged the murder of some of his clansmen by the Glen Lochay Campbells, and they were out to get him in the way of these tribal feuds. Having fled before bloodhounds down the shore of Loch Tay and heading for home ground beyond the Pass of Lyon, he was finally cornered. His life depended on a desperate leap across the chasm. He had the advantage of a higher take off than landing, but the only man to try and emulate the leap did not make it. Perhaps this feat only brought temporary respite for Grigor, his fate is unknown, but some say he was hanged soon after , others said he went into exile only to be later pardoned by his enemies. Gradualy however, Campbell expansion moved the MacGregors from Glen Lyon, as it had throughout Mid Argyll.

The pass is today still a dramatic spot, especialy when the river is in spate. The flanking hills here are Munros, so lets move on up the glen. Again it widens into agricultural flats, dominated by the shapely Carn Gorm. Look out for the fine waterfall and old bridge across the river at 696472. The bridge is known localy as 'The Roman Bridge' but it post -dates Pilate and his kinsmen by many a century.

Beinn Dearg from Carn Gorm.

The next settlement is Invervar, infamous for its notices and two metre high gate, by the way at present it is possible to crawl under the gate, should it be locked. As for which way you go round the four Munros , that is between you and your conscience ( you are supposed to go round all four clockwise, I have known skiers harassed for running Carn Gorm rather than go round the circuit). Invervar has an old mill by the car park and is a good place to see squirrels. It is worth remembering that in the time of Grigor MacGregor, Wolves were common here. Very soon they were all gone, now the squirrels face the same fate.

A little further up the glen the sharp nose of Creag Ard dominates the glen, this is an outlier of the far bulkier Beinn Dearg, and must provide the best way up. The summit is a huge red scree dome between two deep glens, the other two sides being broad shoulders running down to the old kirk road of Lairg Ghallabhaich, linking Loch Rannoch and the chapel at Innerwick in Glen Lyon. Too the north is The Black Wood of Rannoch, a major remnant of Caledonian pine wood, in the past home to bandits and wolves, and more recently, psychotic capercaillies. Despite the extra distance this is a fine way to Beinn Dearg and Carn Gorm.

The forest focuses all approaches on to the Larig Gharbhallaich path, from here easy slopes lead up on to the summit dome.

 

 

 

A snowy Larig Gharbhalaich, looking south.

 

 

 

My first attempt on Beinn Dearg was made from Innerwick on a snowy day. Having camped at the carpark we got little beyond the edge of the plantation before the snow became too deep for progress, no skis then. Instead we crossed the kirk road to Loch Rannoch, the next day walking round to Invervar by road. Three days later I was the proud owner of a pair of skis.

Innerwick Kirk, at the end of the Larig.

Later I tried combining Carn Gorm and Beinn Dearg from Invervar, but there was supposedly a hind cull in progress,so I moved to Innerwick and did a circuit with Meall a'Mhuic. This approach is recommended to folk going for the Carn Mairg group and wishing to extend their day and dodge the gate.

 

There was no snow on this occasion, but on a strange day, Ben Meggernie was continuously in rain whilst I had a dry day only two miles further east. That night Crianlarich Youth Hostel was full of drenched Munro baggers with soggy maps. Two went to the Trossachs and had a sunny day on Ben Venue, everybody else was soaked.

 

From the poor quality forest road, I quickly reached the summit amid a vast plain of small stones, there was no view. A struggle through the heather took me to Meall a Mhuic where there was soon a surprise. On the south ridge there is a huge shieling complex, the street pattern was visible and it took little imagination to thatch the ruins and populate the place with children, chickens and dogs. From here a zigzag track quickly returned to the larch lined glen above Innerwick. Bredalbane is famed for its well preserved shieling complexes. Seaton Gordon tells of a meeting with a man who could remember there being 700 people in Glen Lyon, now there are about 60.

After a cup of tea at the post office at Bridge of Balgie (recommended) I still had enough energy to dash up Meall na Maigheach, all be it from the Balgie Road.

Meall a Mhuic sheilings

 

Ben Meggernie(Cam Creag) 862m

Ben Meggerine and Coire Uidhre from low on Beinn Dearg.

This hill is named as Cam Chreag on the 1:50000 map but it is likely that name applies to the line of broken crags below the summit. Ben Meggernie is also on the maps and this would most likely apply to the whole hill as there is only one top. I have no authority for naming the hill such but it seems to me to be more fitting, it is an understood name in Glen Lyon however. I am sure the folk of Rannoch had their name for it too.

The hill is a long bulky ridge between Glen Lyon and the Black Wood. The Northern approaches over or arround Cross Craigs up from Camghouran is very fine with the old pines of Coille Mhor(my favourite Orienteering venue) and birches further upstream, an ascent could easily be combined with Garbh Mheall/Meall Buidhe. (another double named hill, according to the first edition SMC district guide.)

The southern slopes fall about an open corrie down to Meggernie and Gallin in Glen Lyon. The surrounding country is very rough and heathery, a grouse infested bog which makes the tracks very tempting options indeed. If combining the hill with Beinn Dearg, it is best to descend and use the track up Allt a'Choire Uidhre. Also note that the OS have not caught up with the forestry, the Creag an Faoraich end of the east ridge is fenced and planted, as far as 565475-565480. A good way down would be to descend to Gallin as the walk down Glen Lyon is superior to the scenery offered by Coire Uidhre.

Ben Meggerine from the west (Stuchd an Lochain)

Down in Glen Lyon is Meggernie Castle, home of the Glen Lyon Campbells who superceded the Macgregors in the 16th Century. Amongst the inhabitants of this fine house were some very rum characters indeed. The mad chieftain Cailean(Colin) Gorach was amongst them. Called before the Privy Council to account for his crimes, he captured the Sheriff's officers that were sent to serve the writ, served the a last meal, bound them to a beir and staged their funeral. Eventualy the terrified men were dumped in a burn at the Campbell's march and were allowed to make their escape. Charges were later dropped. The rule of law was quickly diminished north of the Highland line. Until the 18th century travel was not possible without invitation in the wilder parts of Scotland. Folk could be held to ransom by the warlords or just dissapear. I suppose it would have been similar to modern Afganistan.

Cailean's most celebrated feat was the first recorded ascent of a specific Munro. Stuchd an Lochain, 'for his own dark purposes' (SMC District guide 1949 Ed J D B Wilson). After finaly falling foul of the law, hanging 36 Lochaber caterans, he escaped by means of his son declaring him mad, and dispossesing him of his lands. Mad Colin was then free to wander the hills of Bredalbane with his manservant. It is said he threatened to cast the terrified servant into Coire nan Chait of Stuichd an Lochain. These events occured in the 1590's. Greater infamy was to follow, his great grandson led the Massacre of Glencoe.(His henchmen were not of Glen Lyon).

Meggernie castle is tucked away along a private road on the glen floor, the public road running high above. If you take the post bus, with all its tea stops from Aberfeldy, you get to use this road and to see the castle,its lawns and peacocks. A real bonus for the public transport user.

One foul February day I tried skiing up the heavily drifted Coire Odhair from Innerwick, past some fine sheiling ruins. At least I did not have to tackle the heather. Dodging avalanche prone slopes I topped out onto the wind blasted summit ridge, into a whiteout. 1 mile of ski carrying in that gale did not appeal and I concentrated my efforts of descending some dodgy snow back to the track Nice powder, but it was scary. Footprints told of others turning back. Soon I was generating a fugg in the fine Bridge of Balgie Post Office tea room. That snowstorm deposited over a foot of fresh snow overnight. The next day I only managed a quick walk up Beinn Dearg of Menteith. I would idealy like to have a crack from the north, through the pines of Rannoch.

Eventualy, after a 1000th "Marilyn" party on the Dumfriesshire hill Cairnkinna, the autumn colours and end of the stag season lured me northwards, back to Glen Lyon. This time I only had time to go in from the south, and chose to combine Meall Bhuidhe with Cam Creag.

A large group of cars were parked at the Lochs Dam but none at the road junction below Ben Meggernie's western slopes. As I booted up stags were continuously roaring and blackcock could be heard in the colourful landscape. There is a lot of woodland here,one such larch wood above the gorge of the Allt a Chonnait hides a hidyhole campsite beside the lip of a waterfall. I used this when doing the two local Munros a few years ago.

A short ascent of a hydro road lead to a dyke/fence that leads almost to the top. The ascent was easy, a stroll across the moor, navigation in the by now thick mist made easy by the fenceposts. Soon after passing a small top the gentle ridge showed rock slabs, helping progress through the peat. A compass bearing from fence end lead to the substantial cairn about five minutes up on Naismith. The summit is unmistakable as it is perched on the edge of the only steep slope for miles. (If you approach from Innerwick this slope is easily climbed). There was , unlike the next hill , little sign of visitors. Two legged visitors that is... There is a vehicle track coming up from the south, its end marked by a stab in a cairn.

The summit.

As I followed the compass needle westward, the crisp tundra gave way to tussock and bog.Well made cairns are a common sight here, navigation aids for estate workers, built, The col between the two hills is a nightmare made peat. Great! Up and down, in and out and jumping the nasty bits. All too soon a short steep slope heralded the return of the stoney wastes and Meall Bhuidhes first top, Meall a Phuill. I was now anticipating the arrival of a path from the left, evidence of the hill's height. It was not until the first 3000' top that I noticed more stone and less moss. The big cairns appeared every now and then. By now I was on the 1km dogleg ,the easiest walking imaginable,out to the summit of Meall Bhuidhe(Garbh Meall version). Hopes of a view, as obtained last year on the Lyon Meall Bhuidhe were dashed, even if the sun was making a go of breaking through, for a fraction of a second I saw my shadow on the cloud,and no more.

I returned to the dam , mostly zig zagging across the path being worn into the slopes, sign of the only common ascent/descent route. It was a wet ascent, Stuichd an Lochain refused to leave the clag, but a fine view up the Lochs showed the other Meall Bhuidhe to advantage. Nobody was met, this on a Perthshire Munro on a Sunday, a hill with only one common ascent/descent route.

There was of course no sign of a path between the two hills.

As always tea was taken at Bridge of Balgie.

 

 

Meall nam Maigheach(Meall Luaidhe) 780m

Meall na Maigeach from Lochain nan Lairige.

 

Ben Lawers is a justly popular day with the famed traverse landing five ordinary Munros and the unique double of An Stuc / Meall Garbh, I wonder which of the two is the Munro and which is the top, (now they are both full hills until the next survey.. just like Beinn Bhuidhe and Sgurr Mhic Chaolais in Kintail). Forgotten round the back lurks Lawers' own Corbett, Meall nam Maigheach (or alternatively Meall Luaidhe.)

The approach up Gleann da Eig is widely touted as the way to go, but I expect everybody nips up from the Balgie Road, A 500m starting height is irresistible. The glen is the glen of the two gaps (Eag as in Eagach), a more probable derivation than Hamish Brown's brace of eggs. One of the names alludes to lead, and Firsoff mentions that lead mining took place hereabouts, there is another leaden hill across Glen Lyon , in the Carn Mairg group. There are without doubt, a lot of hares.

I set out for this hill at 4 o'clock in the afternoon on a November day. I too could not resist that road. In mitigation I would plead that I had been over Beinn Dearg and Meall na Mhuic that day and also had a tea from the Balgie tea room to work off, but this realy is not the way to do a hill. In the old days , before getting a car a hill like this would take a lot of leg work and cunning and could give as long a walk as a Lurg Mhor, now it's a stroll up after tea.
Sadly in the 'good old days ' I spent most of my efforts on the denizens of Munro's Tables.

Going up from the Larig there is a simple choice, a) The South Ridge, all bogs and little uphill work or preferably b) Up the dyke from 580424, where you can get 1 parking place. This approach has the illusion of hard work, going up the heathery brae to the boggy plateau, but it will not overly tax you. This may be the easiest Corbett of all, if not it must be Meall na Subh , away up the glen.

The descent in the dusk was easy with the old dry stane dyke for a guide and the day was rounded off with news of a 5-1 win for Hereford United. No view, the bad weather was tracking eastward and Lawers was hiding in cloud. Given the time I would like to do right by this hill, perhaps as a start to a Lawers traverse from Glen Lyon.

 

Beinn nan Oighreag 909m

Beinn nan Oighreag from Meall Ghaordhaidh.

Like Sgurr a'Choire Beithe and Foinaven this hill has known the 'gold rush' of possible 'promotion' to Munro status. It the early 1930's an SMC-oid with an aneroid came down and declared that Beinn nan Oighreag was the wrong side of 3000'. Even then the traffic picked up. Now although the OS have switched the summit to the southernmost of the three tops(from the centre), the hill is firmly anchored on 909m.

Never the most distinguished of hills, Oighreag's bulky slopes sweep down to Glen Lyon in contrast to the shapely spurs of Meall Ghaordaidh. To the south it is hidden away up the Lairig Breisleich, crowded out by the Tarmachans and Ghaordaidh. If noticed at all from the south it shows a stepped ridge to the triple summit and is just as easy an ascent as it looks.

 

 

Beinn nan Oighreag from the Killin - Bridge of Balgie road.

The Lairig Breisleich is a famed drovers route, but is infamous for the bogs that infest the Lyon end. Far more direct than the Balgie Road, it would have been the main route into Killin from the north. As the map suggests , at this time it would not have been empty as there were numerous sheilings, and it looks like good grazing.

The OS show a path sweeping up into the Lairg from the Hydro track at 544356, don't bother, it does throw in an appearance now and then, but it is not worthy of showing on a 1:50000 map and it is easier to go up from the Ghaordaidh trade route, west of the Allt Dhuin Croisg, leaving the Munroists to their glaury trek above the farmland and up the burnside to the foot of the south ridge.

I believed the OS skating up the black ice on the Hydro track and then vainly searching for the path. Occasional rotted bridges spoke of a 1950's hydro electric construction track, but that was all that was visible. High in the Lairig a remarkable area of moraines was encountered, one tump had an erratic perched right on top, a giant tee. Suddenly the humps and bumps gave out to reveal an area of grassy flats, obviously an old loch bed and the centrepiece of the sheiling complex. From here the easy south ridge led to the tiny cairn on the south top. I wandered over to the old summit to admire the view up to the Lyon dam and over to Beinn a'Chreachain, now white topped. Then it was down to the pass between Ghaordaidh and Oighreag, Bealach an Luaidhe, yet more lead, and up Ghaordaidh via its northeast ridge. I passed a group going the other way on to the Corbett, but saw nobody else until the hollow cairn at the top, which was mobbed.

 

Meall Ghaordhaidh from the summit of Beinn nan Oighreag.

The masses had all come up the tedious Duncroisk flank of Ghaordaidh, as I had 15 years earlier. This was on the day described by Hamish Brown in Climbing the Corbetts. I was hoping to get a lift out in the Dormobile that day, I saw it pass when 200 yards short of the road. ( I later found out Hamish had picked up most of Edinburgh Mountaineering Club down from their hut up the glen, so I had not missed the lift) I ended up walking all the way out to Lix Toll to hitch, this time all that was required was a short mile back to my car. Oh and now there is a wide gooey 'path' all the way up to the top. If you want to bag this particular Munro, The Lyon approach is strongly recomended.

Oighreag and Lawers from Ghaordaidh's East Ridge

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Oighreag and Ghaordaidh from Glen Lyon.

 

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