Glen Mallie

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Section 10b Sgurr a'Bhac Chaolais 885 Buidhe - bheinn 885 Beinn na h-Eaglaise 804 Beinn Loinne 790 Sgurr Mhic Bharraich 781 Beinn nan Caorach 773 Sgurr a'Choire-bheithe 913 Sgurr an Fhuarain 901 Sgurr nan Eugallt 894 Ben Aden 887 Fraoch Bheinn 858 Sgurr Cos na Breachd-laoidh 835 Sgurr Coire Choinnichean 796 Beinn na Caillich 785 Ben Tee 901 Sgurr Mhurlagain 880 Meall na h-Eilde 838 Geal Charn 804 Meall Dubh 788 Streap 909 Bidein a'Chabair 867 Carn Mor 829 Sgurr an Utha 796 Beinn Bhan 796 Meall a'Phubuill 774 Braigh nan Uamhachan 765 Section 4 Section 9 Section 10a Section 11 Return to Corbett index Return Home.

Glen Mallie, below Beinn Bhan. Meall a'Phubuill 774m 2610' Tent Hill  Map Beinn Bhan 796m 2988'  White Hill  Map

Meall a'Phubuill 774m 

Meall a'Phubuill, from the slopes of Stob Coire a'Chearcaill

West of Fort William lies a relatively ignored tract of hill country. No munros here to challenge Ben Nevis or the Mamores, or even the more modest hill of the Rough Bounds to the west. The hills are very much part of the scenery but are not well documented or, I suspect visited, save by the people of Fort William.

To the south of Loch Eil is Stob Coire a'Chearcaill and northern Ardgour. To the north are the less spectacular hills of this chapter, similar in character to the hills of Glen Roy, rounded mossy lumps set amongst long glens.

The glens are the glory of this area. Two long through corridors either side of the Corbetts, Loy/Suileag and the exceptional Glen Mallie / Fionnlighe. Both are irresistible through routes and I managed to combine the two one day by hopping over Meall a Phubuill. Up Mallie and down Suileag.

This is Locheil Country, still in the hands of the Camerons of Achnacarry. This area more than any other is steeped in the romance of the '45. The Prince left Glenfinnan through these hills, persuaded Locheil to come onside and returned to skulk amongst the pine woods soon after defeat at Culloden. Combine this with a castle full of relics and a missing hoard of Jacobite gold, you have a potent brew for tourist romantics. Then again these people seldom venture far from the Visitor centre trail, and as the area demands long days on foot, it remains in obscurity.

The martial history does not end with the sacking of Achnacarry by the Butcher in 1746. The whole estate and neighbouring lands in Knoydart were used as a training ground for World War II commandos, commemorated by the monument above Spean Bridge. Safe within the NW Highland restricted zone and behind the hills, many trained for action behind enemy lines.

Hamish Brown unkindly compares the name Phubuill with Poubelle, and the less charitable would agree with the pun. It's a simple dome, linked with the equally ordinary Meall Onfhaidh. The hill shows up well across Loch Eil as it heads Gleann Suileag. It is probably quite a busy hill, as it lies in the backyard of Locheil Outward Bound in Achdalieu House, and is an obvious target for their clients.

Meall a Phubuill from Glen Mallie

Achdalieu was the scene of a brief battle between the Camerons and the Inverlochy Garrison in 1654. The English commanded soldiers were challenged, cutting down oak trees. They were attacked and many killed in the ensuing battle. Locheil himself, Sir Ewan Cameron was engaged in hand to hand combat with the comanding officer and escaped by biting the throat of his stronger and better armed adversary.

Phubuil is usualy climbed from Fasfern, now set in a cut off loop of the old Mallaig road. The house here was the home of Locheil's brother. The brothers met here soon after the raising of the standard in Glen Finnan. At the time Locheil was convinced not to get involved, but days later having met the Prince returned pledging the Camerons to his cause. Charles Edward Stewart stayed at Fasfern soon after the meeting.

Now Fasfern is a forestry village and there are extensive plantations in lower Glen Suileag. An attractive track follows the river through the alders that gave the place its name, into the bare upper glen. A path gains the boggy col with Onfhaidh and gives easy access to the bald south ridge of Meall a Phubuill.

As the hill by this route does not give a long day it is tempting to link up with Beinn Bhan over the connecting ridge, a long day with some heavy going, but perfectly possible, and with the added satisfaction of giving a traverse.

I was up Phubuill, on one of those landmark weekends, the end of the stag stalking. I always try to be on the hill in late October, the colours and roaring stags combined with the promise of the soon to arrive winter make it an unforgettable experience. As usual in the 1980's I was based at Nancy Smiths Hostel at Fersit, and an early start was required to catch the train down to Spean Bridge. The next leg was to walk up to the Commando and try to hitch to the end of Loch Arkaig, a nearly impossible requirement. I think I only ever managed it once, although now the Munro bagger traffic must make it an easier trip. The lift I got was quite interesting: One, they were not bound for Strathan, but Eas Chia'aig at the Achnacarry end of the loch. They were heading for Sron a'Choire Gairbh. They would not go up the usual route from the northern end of Loch Lochay as the SMC Munros book mentioned that the route was 'closed' due to forestry work. The forestry work, the clear felling of the west shore of Loch Lochay had been completed some three years earlier. I learned of the power of that guide book. Today most of its red lines are matched by ugly scars on the hills themselves. It has become the rule to follow this book slavishly. At least Wainwright gave many alternatives in his Lake District books.

Eas Chia-aig . I once climbed this fall when frozen. Winter route: 1 minute walk-in.

Dropped off at the falls, it was an easy decision to go for Phubuill, rather than try to hitch further up the road. There was a problem, in that the hill was 11 miles distant, but not having a car I was free to continue to Loch Eil and a train back to Fort William and Tulloch. A quick tussle with Naismith and I was off, but I had to be quick. Not quick enough, I was to miss that train.

Glen Mallie is one of that select band of glens that open onto a loch, but unlike Camgharaidh to the west there is easy road access by an estate track. This is rough to cycle, but the going is better beyond Invermallie House. A bike is useful here. The road runs a switchback through attractive woodland. The woodland would be better looking if the Caledonian pine forest had not been burnt down by the commandos, now the usual spruce blanket with old stumps of bleached pine clothe Beinn Bhan. Lochside the view is better with oak and alder woods. A summer house is passed, inhabited in 1990, and through a gate onto the flats of Glen Mallie.

Glen Mallie. other photographs of this area can be found at: Mad about Mountains (Anne Bowker)

After crossing the river at the Bridge at Invermallie the track heads 'inland' the scenery here is extremely fine. 'Boring' Beinn Bhan, shows that it is nothing of the sort, with fine corries and the river runs through surviving pine forest mixed with oak, holly, alder and rowan. A ruined bridge, heading nowhere but a plantation is passed, and the track leaves the river into the more open, golden, upper glen . There are still pines and the fine view back to the hills north of the loch help the miles pass. Once I passed this way after nightfall, on a cold clear night with ice on the river. Gaor Bheinn from the north is a long day for the 2nd of January. Today it was bright sunshine on red grass and yellow birch, to a sound track of roaring stags.

Sadly there is talk of a new track having been bulldozed up the glen replacing the rather pleasant older track. I have no confirmation of this, and only hope that it is another of those confused tales.

A few miles further on is the ruin of Glenmallie. In 1980 this was still used as a rough shelter, but has been allowed to decay as it was a haven of poachers. Remember, wild and lonely as they are, these are urban fringe hills. Now only a pile of stones remain.

A long walk remained up the wooded Gleann Chaim Dhoire, once the small matter of crossing the river had been completed. This can be a tricky river, and in recent years even the road bridge at Invermallie has been vandalised or river damaged on occasions. Take care in the wet. In this side glen,below Monadh Beag pockets of old trees remain along the burns. It is clear that this was recently well wooded country. Not only the Commandos have burnt the trees here, but during the 18th century a fire raged as far as the rough bounds. Of course fire is good for Scots Pines so I presume it was subsequent land management that did for the forest. Today significant pockets of pine woods survive here as well as at Achnacarry and Glen Camgaraidh.

Looking down Glen Mallie to Beinn Bhan and Loch Arkaig from high on the east rige of Meall Phubuill.

A pull up and a walk alongside a dyke led onto the straightforward dome of Phubuill. I was becoming aware that the glorious weather was passing, the light fading with a veil of high cloud. Time to get moving on down, and I was slipping behind schedule. The view was still there, the back of Druim Fhada, across to Ardgour and Gaor Bheinn lounging out its full length, hiding the glories of Knoydart, but the sky was giving out a warning and I was soon down the easy south ridge to Glen Suileag. Just one more burn crossing and a long forest road and I was out having enjoyed the satisfaction of traversing from Achnacarry to Fasfern in a day, the tick just a bonus. Only problems were that it was now dark, raining, and I had missed the train. Hitching was still easy, as long as I stood under the lights of Achdalieu Railway station and could be seen. I still managed to catch the last train from the Fort to Tulloch.

Beinn Bhan 796m

Beinn Bhan from the slopes of Meall Blair More Beinn Bhan photos at: http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/1015/go.htm (Anne Bowker)

The impression left by a hill depends on where you stand to look upon it. Context is everything. From Glen Mallie or the Commando monument, Beinn Bhan is quite an imposing hill, sloping up to a slight peak, yet from across the Great Glen, a climber still slogging up the Ben to reach his route sees, if he notices at all, a low plateau with something resembling a corrie. Beinn Bhan may be insignificant from Ben Nevis, the reverse is certainly a different case, as Beinn Bhan's great claim to fame is that it is The Ben Nevis viewpoint. Just above CIC hut level and looking right up the Allt a Mhuillin, shame it was clagged up when I was up there.

The hill is a curved broad ridge with three tops arranged around a smooth corrie above Glen Loy. Round the back are two corries made of tougher stuff, even showing some rock. The Mallie side may be the more interesting prospect but it is guarded by forest, and a walk in, most folk prefer to slog up after the landrovers from the Great Glen. The frequent use of Monadh in place names here gives a clue about the topography, maybe it is better to brave the trees.

The summit plateau is a mossy rolling ridge, scarred by vehicle tracks, a hill can be too easy sometimes. Rough hillsides sprawl towards Achnacarry and the Caledonian Canal, merging into the remains of the great forest that just about hangs on here. Once there were many pines, but it is said that the forest was burnt during Commando training in the war. Scots pines thrive on fire, and fire is a requisite for efficient regeneration, so it is very sad, that grazing and new plantations frustrated the return of a healthy forest. Also the commandos were not the first, a great fire two hundred years later spread as far as the Rough Bounds.

The other great historical features here are Achnacarry House, seat of the Camerons and that Concorde of the 18th Century, the Caledonian Canal. One of the great improvement projects aimed at pacifying and developing the Highlands, the canal was started by James Watt in 1773 at a projected cost of £164, 000.

After several delays Thomas Telford took over with a more ambitious project to build a wider canal for sea going vessels costed at £645,000, eventually it opened in 1822 , 49 years late and a final bill of £1.3 million. It was soon rendered obsolete by railways and the bigger steam vessels. There are few hold ups at the road bridges now.

Achnacarry House is not the original castle, that was burned down by the Butcher in 1746, Cameron of Locheil hid in the forested hills above, possibly on Beinn Bhan at the time, as did Charles Edward Stuart earlier in the year at the start of his long escape from Culloden. The story of the crooked beech avenue dates to this time, planting was hurried and the trees were put in quickly, the job to be completed after the restoration of the Stuarts. Instead they grew where they were left.

Achnacarry, the bridge at the outlet of Loch Arkaig.

As so often , I chose an unorthodox approach, to the hill. Through Achnacarry into Glen Mallie and then by a hoped for gap in the trees up the north side. Gaps are so often found by water courses and the burn draining Coire Dubh , just about went. The trees were replaced by deep heather, and a rutted path suggested that others had floundered this way before me. It was also New Years Day.

The heather and bog cured the hangover and a slow plod up the central ridge was required before I could reach the dark cloud on the centre top. The snow never came, there was just a sprinkling on top, highlighting the wretched landrover tracks. The hoped for view never came, and I was always dreading the return down through that hellish forest. I had time, even with the long approach march, and things could improve between the centre top and the trig point. They did not, still a Ne'er day ascent is a prize and worth the discomfort. 1986's first ascent. A pretty nondescript celebration, that one. The party never took off and the good weather arrived just as I was leaving the Highlands giving a good day on Gaor-bheinn, also from the north before the journey home.

Those not afraid of hard work could try the connecting ridge with Phubuill, but most will be happy to slog up from Glen Loy or Gairlochy for a short day, while you are there, pop into the Cameron Museum at Achnacarry or just enjoy the trees.

Oh and give Beinn Bhan a wave as you toil up those endless slopes to your route on the Ben.