Invergarry

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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.

Meall Dubh and Loch Lundie. Ben Tee 901m * Uncertain, probably Beinn an-t-Sidhein, fairy hill.  Map Meall Dubh 788m 2636'  Black Hill, its very heathery.  Map

"When you have climbed Ben Tee instead of just drinking it" Hamish's Mountain Walk , Hamish M. Brown.

Ben Tee 901m

Ben Tee and Loch Lundie.

Nobody is quite sure of the derivation of the name of Ben Tee, but its shape, and likeness to Schiehallion suggests the fairy hill version. Perhaps I should ask Richard Wood, who has climbed Glen Garry's showpiece hill over 1000 times. (He has a similar score on neighbouring Sron a' Choire Ghairbh, at least there is a path up that one). Somebody has gone so far with the 'Mountain of God' derivation, that he has painted 'GOD' on the summit rocks. I hope that has faded by now. Whatever the origin of the name, the ease of pronounciation is welcome. To paraphrase H.M. Brown. 'it's a long way to Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill'.

I expect the hill sees a lot visitors other than Richard Wood. It dominates the central part of the Great Glen. The striking conical shape ensures more than the odd photo in the Scots Magazine. The name amuses, I have seen a 'Ben Tee Room' in Invergarry.

It's a tougher proposition than its arbitrarily 'superior' neighbours. So it's a few metres lower than Teanga and the Sron, but it is moated by some fearsome bogland. Get past the bog and things ease off, it may be steep, but at least the water drains away. It is of course possible to add Tee to the two Munros to the south in a long day.

The two most likely approaches are: 1) From the north through the forests, how good the path is, I don't know.
2) From Kilfinnan or Laggan Locks, up onto the moor and up the eastern ridge.

I chose the latter.

After a traverse from Arkaig to Glen Garry, the next day I decided to brave the rain and clag on an ascent of Ben Tee. I had to walk in from Invergarry along the A82 which gave me an opportunity to get some shopping in at the Well of the Heads. The actual well marked by an obelisk topped by a hand holding up a dagger and severed heads, is squeezed in between the main road and Loch Oich. The monument tells of yet another gory happening from the old Highlands.

As a memorial
of the ample and summary
Vengeance
Which in the swift course of
Feudal Justice
Inflicted by the orders of
the Lord McDonel and Aros
Overtook the perpetrators of
the foul murder
of
The Keppoch family
a branch of the powerful and illustrious
Clan
of which his lordship was
the Chief
This Monument is erected by
Colonel McDonell of Glengarry
XVII Mac-Mhic-Alaister
His successor and representative
In the year of our Lord
1812
The heads of the seven murderers
were presented at the feet of
the noble chief
in Glengarry Castle
after having been washed in this spring
and ever since that event
which took place early in
the sixteenth century
has been known
by the name of
"Tobar-nan-Ceann"
The Well of the Heads

Alexander Keppoch (Keppoch, a MacDonald sept) and his brother Ranald were murdered by fellow MacDonalds, in 1663. The murders probably led from a land dispute. As a result, what little power Edinburgh law had in these parts was directed against the assailants. It was open season on the murderers and the seven were by Ian Lom Keppoch aided by fellow MacDonalds. As he returned with the seven heads Ian Lom stopped to wash the heads in the spring. Ever since this has been known as Tobar nan Ceann, The Well of the Heads.

At Balna Glaster (MasterBlaster?) a quad bike track leads easily up the steep side of the glen. Soon the ground flattens out and the bog starts. A more exciting route would be up a gorge to the Kilfinnan Falls. Either way the bog awaits.

Steeper ground is dryer ground and the going is easy up the cone. I remember little of this other than cloud and rain, and it seemed to be a long ascent. The summit area is rocky, known as Glengarry's Bowling Green, and reputed to be the source of some of the stone used to build Invergarry Castle. This is probably true as the hill would have great symbolic value to the local inhabitants.

It was a great shame that I was denied a view as it is reputed to be very fine. There will always be cruddy days, and there is always the excuse to return, but not 1000 times. It was simply a matter of following the compass back to the canal and hoping for a quick lift back to base at Fersit.

A good short day, for those who are interested, there is an occasional hill race up Ben Tee, the record is, Invergarry - summit and return is just under eighty minutes by N. Martin in 1996.

Meall Dubh 789m 

Meall Dubh from Glen Morriston.

This is supposed to be a hill with a big view, only as usual with these hills, the view was not there while I was on top. You would expect a view, centrally placed with a clear line of sight up into Knoydart and along the Great Glen, the road below, I still call it the 'new road' , is famed for its views of Glen Garry and is a favourite haunt of the summer piper. It would therefore be a safe bet that Meall Dubh, otherwise the most ordinary of hills would come up with the goods.

For some obscure reason probably linked with a lack of transport my ascent was a long one from Brig of Oich in the Great Glen rather than the quicker up and down route from above Loch Loyne. This was a long trudge over autumn moors, no calling plovers to lighten the step, but heavy peat and, higher up deep snow(which was welcome.) A slabby burn provided waterfalls, and there is a fine string leading down to picturesque Loch Lundie. Other than that all I can remember is following a compass in the sleet.

The Loch Lundie area is worth a nose around, the loch is well placed amongst hummocky moorland. The estate here is a little discouraging, and have fought off a long distance route down the Great Glen. If you use a bike, hide it well when on the hill.

If in the area, the campsite at Faichem has a good name, but as you would expect a summer visit will be punished by the midgies.

The moors sprawl for miles down towards Fort Augustus, eventually reaching Caulfeild's road out of Fort Augustus after many boggy miles. Caulfield did not show such a good eye for a line here, the road was pretty battered by the time Boswell passed through. Telford opted to go round through Glen Morriston.

Most of Meall Dubh's suitors will opt for a quick climb up from the West off the new Loyne road. A top, Beinn an Eoin presents a bold profile to Glen Moriston, and this is definitely more of a hillwalkers approach. There is loads of parking along the road, often shared with the aforementioned pipers. One such layby is marked by a large cairn, marking the mysterious death of a Nationalist lawyer in the 1980's. There are now new forestry plantings to avoid, but the obvious approaches are still clear, but the heather is still there.

When at university, I spent a lot of time in the map library. I remember it was a big shock to see 1960's maps with the A87 going over to Cluanie from the , still open and very fine, Tomdoun Hotel. The road over Meall Dubh was only built when the original single track road was flooded by the enlarged Loch Loyne. In a dry year, the old bridge still pokes up out of the water, in what has now become a very quiet corner of the world.

 

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Edition A- 20/05/01