I'm planning to take the same route. Reading Hamish Brown's account of one of his crossings in The Great Walking Adventure book he says that he came over from Tarbet and before he descended to Loch Morar, saw someone appear from the trees and head up a rough spur of hillside. He followed and found a path ending many hundred of feet above the loch which they rejoined eight kilometres further on after five hours of steep, rough and complex work - but not excessively so, he said. However, a strong experienced party did the shore-level traverse and described it in one word which couldn't be repeated in print!
Food for thought!

Having walked the length of the loch trying to keep as close as possible to the lochside in 1983 I would not recommend this route; too many steep nay vertical drops into the loch. If it is at all wet this route can be quite dangerous. In poor conditions and visibility the higher route would be safer but allow 1kph and be satisfied if you manage better than this.
Good luck.

Thank you David and Peter - you have confirmed my suspicions rather too well!

Sounds like I need to pray very hard for good weather so I can tackle my preferred route which is basically the water shed between Lochs Nevis and Monar from Tarbet as far as Bidein na Chabair.

Anyone got anything to say about that which might make me reconsider my start point before I get too committed?

Hi David
Like you I though this looked an inviting ridge but my approach will be via Inverie camping at Finiskaig. The next day heading roughly (in more ways than one) SE to Bac Gobher before picking up the NE ridge of Sgurr nam Meirleach and continuing along the ridge to Meall na Sroine. I will then take in the Corbetts north of Glen Dessarry and Loch Arkaig.
This will give me FWA choices using valley paths and bothies/camping to make my way to Invergarry if/when the weather gods decide to interfere. Alan's suggestion provides another alternative on what appears to be a wonderful path to and beyond Lochan Eanaiche if I don't like the look of things when I reach the ridge.
Hope to see you on the hills.
Chris

Hi Mike



I agree with Pete Goddard, whole-heartedly. The route along the North Morar Ridge is slow going and in the cloud and rain slightly tricky to follow as it is quite complicated terrain when you can't see far. However it'll be far safer than struggling along the ghastly north shore of the Loch Morar. In rotten weather you would be advised to leave the ridge around Sgurr na Ba Ruaidhe and drop down to Easting 870.

You might find our account of the two days that cover this route helpful:

TGO CHALLENGE 2012: DAY 1: Morar to Coire Dubh

TGO CHALLENGE 2012: DAY 2: Coire Dubh to A Chuil

Best of luck, Sir

Hi Mike,

I have walked along the North shore line of Loch Morar twice, that is the difficult 7k between South Tarbet Bay and Kinlochmorar. It is 1.5k per hour terrain; walking at a height of between 75m above the loch down to water level. My first traverse in 2002 was in fine weather and ended when an animal track across a short but very steep scree slope give way and resulted in a long tumbling fall that damaged my right knee forcing me to retire 3 days later after dragging myself into Spean Bridge. I did successfully repeat the route in heavy rain in the company of a lady in 2013 and it took over 4 hours, but proved if you are bloody minded enough it can be done

There is no defined path; the terrain is very steep with rocky outcrops that require you to climb over them or try to detour above or below the outcrop, so you are constantly moving up or down the slope whilst trying to fight your way through stands of small trees that also impede your route. There are several streams in rocky ravines that require you do even more bouldering. If its been raining the relative flat lands at Kinlochmorar can be very boggy. If your proposed route is to use Oban Bothy it means wading the river at Kinlochmorar, an interesting climb over Scron a Choin and wading another stream to get to the bothy. As an alternative, Lochailort is a good start with no need for a FWA.

Good luck

Geoff

Thank you Alan and Geoff for the descriptions and photos

I had studied the map quite carefully before my initial post but I am now beginning to get a real feel for the nature of the ground. I am determined to see it as a challenge rather than a problem and hope I don't regret that next May!

I think I will stay with the Morar start and I will still be heading for the Corbett but I like Alan's idea of of using the descent down Sgurr na ba Ruaidhe as a FWA to avoid the very highest ground if necessary.

Best wishes

After reading everyone's posts, we think we'll chicken out and opt for a Lochailort start! But the North Morar ridge does look great. Plenty of time to change our minds before route submission!

I tried this once off the Challenge. I agree with Pete. thankfully, I too realised the error of my ways!

Have just noticed your query about the N Morar Ridge. I took this route in 2016. Like you I did research into FWA's. Certainly, heed all recommendations to avoid any route along the north shore of the loch. The ridge top itself is rough and rocky and quite slow going. The map cannot do justice to the ruggedness of the terrain. In good weather, which luckily we had for the first few days of the 2016 event, it is exhilarating and gives magnificent views over Loch Nevis and Loch Morar. The Coire Dubh area provided a good camp spot the first night out. My abiding memory of the ridge was what a wonderful place to be in good weather, but what an awful place it would be in foul weather. I resolved never to come here in bad weather! This just confirmed my vetter's advice which was that unless you are sure of two days of at least reasonable weather after leaving Morar, the best and safest course was to avoid the N Morar Ridge altogether. Once you get to Tarbert you are committed.I know some people have used a route along the S shore of Loch Nevis via Kylesmorar to Finiskaig and then reach Glen Dessary that way, but not having done that route myself I cannot comment on its suitability. Of course once you get on to the N Morar ridge you have to get down again at some stage! As my aim was to get to Gleann an Lochain Eanaiche, I started the descent just after Sgurr na ba Ruadhe and reached the floor of the glen about a half km upstream from Kinloch Morar. As the map shows this is unrelentingly steep but at least it's mostly grassy at this point. There are rocky areas but they can be avoided. The path alongside Loch Eanachie is delightful, although I confess I was a bit too knackered by that time to fully appreciate it! The second day out was by far the most strenuous of my 2016 crossing - it was also the shortest at just under 9 miles. By the way, my FWA had been to take the bus or train from Morar to Lochailort on the morning of the start and sign out from there instead.