Hi everyone, first timer here looking for advice on crossing the Monadhliath Mountains.

I'm looking at leaving Fort Augustus via Glendoe, up to the new reservoir and then take the land-rover track all the way up to the Chalybeate Spring. From there I'm looking at following the hilltop "ridge" (i.e. flat featureless hills) all the way along to Aveimore. In other words, when you look at an OS map, I'm looking at walking the yellow line that marks the edge of the Cairngorm National Park boundary.

I realise it's going to be boggy and lots of peat hags, but is following the tops like this doable or unrealistic? I have yet to walk in the Monadhliath's so any advice greatly appreciated.

Hi Paul

It's a monster unsurfaced highway to the Chalybeate Spring, so you will find that day a little disappointing. However there are fine pitches to be had at your destination. Nip through the listed blogs on the TGO Challenge website and you'll find quite a few walking this route.

The walk along the tops to Aviemore is quite splendid and not too boggy at all. Pray for good weather.

Some of your intended route can be found here sir.

http://akkwalks.blogspot.com/2015/08/tgoc-2015-part-2-day-5-6-fort-augustus.html

Carn Dearg :-)

Hi Paul. I walked much of this way last year. I found the walk up to Chalybeate Spring from Fort Augustus pleasant enough, although as Alan has already said it is entirely on vehicle tracks. I seem to recall finding a good spot to pitch near Chalybeate Spring that evening.

I detoured a long way south from Chalybeate Spring to pick up the ridge near Geal Charn. From what I remember, the walking along the ridge as far as Carn Ban and Carn Dearg is nice. Beyond that I'm afraid I don't know as I dropped down to Newtonmore that afternoon.

Hi Paul,

I can recommend going up Glen Tarf, it's beautiful and there's a good path most of the way. You may need to go a bit further up the glen to get across the river if it's very wet, but when you can see a track on the north side clearly with a curve down towards the water, there's a good place to cross. A bit of a scramble to get out at the far end of the glen but it brings you right out by the new reservoir. The tramp along the track after that is at least fast.

Thanks for the comments so far.

The reason for going up to Glen Doe reservoir is because I want to see the Glen Doe eagle. Looking at it though I could still go up Glen Tarf and then come up and over.

A magnificent beast :-



Photo from my 2014 Challenge.