Hi.
I need some local knowledge and advice on a river crossing.
On Day 2 I will be Walking from Glen Pean and camping at Kinbreack (NN002961). Next morning I plan to cross the River Kingie and proceed to Glen Garry.
Is this a good place to cross or should I cross the evening before, much further to the West? If so, where is a good camp site?
Thanks, William

Hi William,
I went that way this year, coming over from Glen Dessarry by following the Allt na Feithe. My friend Ian went straight on and crossed the Kingie very easily, headed for the good track on the other side of the glen. There was someone camped there near the river where he crossed in a very nice spot. I turned right and continued on to Kinbreack, camping there. The Kingie was easily crossable at Kinbreack - a paddle, but the water was not moving much. However, the tussocky bog on the other side was a bit of a trial, to say the least! If you are not heading specifically for the bothy, I would camp higher up in the glen.

I've always crossed just N of the bothy (just above the ankles)but haven't been there in heavy weather.

Hi
I crossed the Kingie the day before a big storm was forecast in 2012. More experienced challengers, who saw the forecast, advised me to cross asap rather than sit in the bothy and try in the morning. I took the advice, crossing well before coming to the bothy (having come over from Glen Dessary), on gravel, boots on, feet dry. I camped in a rather rough spot just on the other side.

Next day many struggled to get over as the Kingie was in full spate. So there are areas before the bothy which can be crossed easily, however as always, the weather will make the decision for you.

Have a good crossing!

Liz

If you are coming from Sourlies (or possibly Morar, as I did) you might want to consider heading up the Allt Coire Nan Uth the day before. It is a steep but not difficult climb and saves you needing to worry about the Kingie completely as you end up on the path to the north of it.

Colin Bennett

I have done that route up and over the watershed.
It is not too tough, although I did have to do it in very poor visibility which made it exiting. Once you drop down it is a gentle meander up the Kingie.

Hi, I got 'trapped' on the South Side on my first challenge. It really was a big wet old slog down that side. It took ages. Unusually we eventually managed to cross lower down where it was slightly deeper but slower moving...I imagine its a fabulous area in nice weather though.

I crossed the Kingie at Kinbreak a couple of years ago after 2 wet days. There was plenty water in the river but it was about knee high and not running too fast. As people have said, the bog on the other side is a bugger.

If it is in spate, you won't get across (do not try, someone (not on Challenge) died a few years ago) and I doubt if it will be crossable higher up.

The Kingie is a crossing where it pays to think ahead. In settled, dry, weather there isn't a problem but Ian is perfectly correct to state that, in spate, the crossing would be very ill advised indeed. You need to be thinking about possibilities on the previous day and alert to what the weather is going to do. Should conditions look threatening, but it's not yet raining, aim to reach Kinbreack and cross the river that evening - camping possibilities are certainly less good on the north bank but a poor pitch is a small price to pay in comparison to being stranded on the south side. Kinbreack can easily become a trap with no option but to retreat. If it's starting to rain heavily as you cross over from Glen Dessary to Glen Kingie, ignore Kinbreack and try to cross the river as high up the glen as possible. And finally, if the stuff has been pouring down all day and looks likely to continue, write off the Kingie completely and exit via Loch Arkaig, a dismal choice, I agree, but at least a safe one.

Your route will need to reflect these various alternatives, but let's hope that the prevailing conditions are kind!

Colin

Well said Colin. But I bet we still get routes stating a crossing of the Kingie from the bothy and no FWA!

If Challengers do find themselves on the south side of the Kingie and it's uncrossable, these days it's not as bad as it used to be to trudge along the south bank.

This is because there's now a new track you pick up a few hundred metres to the east of Lochan nan Sgud that'll take you merrily on your way to join up with your original route eastwards down the Kingie after it has crossed over to the south bank. This track has one or two little streams to cross - but nothing frightening.

You still have the Allt Coire an Stangain Bhig to get over (not too bad if you take it in the two stages south of the confluence) and one or two other crossings as well. And remember it's very slow going on the south bank too - and there' six miles of it. But it is do-able with time and a little persistence - but we all have that, don't we?

Thanks for that information Alan, duly noted. Though, in a sense, I wish that it wasn't there; another stretch of wilderness partly tamed. I'd still stress though that Challengers would do well to avoid the situation of having to use the south bank at all. As I recall, the going is very arduous and would be unpleasant indeed in wind and rain.

I certainly agree with that, Colin.

The many flooded peat groughs that will have to be crossed are a nightmarish prospect, with detour after detour.

Thanks to all for the info and advice. I have modified the route to go North from Glendessarry and cross the Kinge at the first available opportunity and camp.

I have a FWA along Loch Arkaig – but I hope to avoid road walk so early in the event, but the weather will be in charge of that..

Thanks Again, William

You know, William, I don't have nearly such a downer on the Loch Arkaig road as some of the others here.

I've walked it twice - on my first Challenge in 2000 (when it was the route on my route card), and after getting trapped by the weather at Oban bothy in 2012 (when I had diverted through Glen Pean and had no real alternative).

Yes, it's a road ... but as roads go, I don't think they come much better for walking.