- This topic has 20 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by 13thfloormonk.
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3 day self supported walking route in the Scottish Highlands.
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lottoFree MemberPosted 8 years ago
Looking for some route inspiration/ideas for a wee expedition in May. Anywhere considered. Not necessarily Munros need to be involved. Any experience of Lewis/Harris? or is that better saved for the mtb?
scotroutesFull MemberPosted 8 years agoTons of options up, over and round the Cairngorms, but how about the (relatively) new Affric-Kintail Way?
http://www.affrickintailway.com/
If 44 miles isn’t enough for you then you could start in INverness and walk the Great Glen Way to Drumnadrochit.
paladinFull MemberPosted 8 years agoIf 44 miles isn’t enough for you then you could start in INverness and walk the Great Glen Way to Drumnadrochit.
he could crawl that in 3 days 😀
scotroutesFull MemberPosted 8 years agoAh, maybe I wasn’t making myself clear. I meant walk to Drum and start the AK Way from there, making it a 62 mile route.
trademarkFree MemberPosted 8 years agoClear enough to me …
Would travelling West to East on the AKW then South to North on the GGW not be best to have wind assistance?
scotroutesFull MemberPosted 8 years agoPossibly. I guess the defining factor would be public transport and which worked out easier. From a commitment/contingency perspective that would also give a bale-out on the third day. Mind you, I think Kintail makes for a nicer finishing point than Inverness, with the terrain getting progressively more wild.
lottoFree MemberPosted 8 years agoAny experiences of Glen Coe, Glen Affric,Torridon? Who am I trying to kid…..I want big Munros and a good challenge with 20kg on my back 😀 Knoydart has been explored, need more of the same.
trademarkFree MemberPosted 8 years agoI guess the defining factor would be public transport
Quite. I was going to ask you about that in an Email so as not to hijack this thread.
@ lotto, I’d personally keep Harris/Lewis for my bike and a Hopscotch ticket.
Scenery getting progressively wilder is always a preference.
Thanks.
scotroutesFull MemberPosted 8 years agoTrain from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh (fabulous in its own right) then bus to Morvich.
13thfloormonkFull MemberPosted 8 years agoHow about…
Blair Atholl – Allt Schiecheachan Bothy (train to Blair Atholl the night before day 1)
Allt Schiecheachan to Tarf Bothy via Beinn Dearg (day 1)
Tarf Bothy to Ruigh Aiteachain bothy via An Sgarsoch and Glen Feshie (day 2)
Ruigh Ateachain Bothy to Aviemore via Sgor Gaoith and Mullach Clach a Bhlair (day 3, train home from Aviemore)Nice round Cairngorm hills so easy backpacking 😀
or….
Tomintoul – Loch Builg (wild camp, day 1)
Loch Builg – Faindouran bothy over Ben Avon (day 2)
Faindouran Bothy back to Tomintoul via Bynack Mor and the Water of Caiplich/Water of Ailnack (day 3)Slightly bigger days, slightly wilder
or…
Dundonnel to Carnmore Bothy (or better yet wild camp high up somewhere)
Carnmore to Lochivraon Bothy via A’Mhaighdean, Ruadh Stac Mor, Beinn Tarsuinn and Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair (big day with 20kgs though, and some scrambling)
Lochivraon to Dundonnel via ‘the white mile’, Sgurr Ban, Beinn a Chlaidheamh and AchneigieThis would be spectacular if you got the conditions but would also be pretty punishing unless you’re fit and carrying lightweight gear, it is/was a pipedream of mine if I ever shake off my various niggling knee injuries…
A circuit of Loch Monar is 42km with a pretty tasty looking horseshoe of Munros at one end, you could even descend to Bearnais Bothy at the natural halfway point of the horseshoe. Haven’t figured out the logistics at the other end, think the Landowners are a bit stuck in the past regarding access along the road to the start of the loch…
paladinFull MemberPosted 8 years agoscotroutes – Member
Ah, maybe I wasn’t making myself clear. I meant walk to Drum and start the AK Way from there, making it a 62 mile routemy apologies, im a bit thick sometimes….
thanks tho, scotroutes, ive just put the AK way on my to-do list 😀stevomcdFree MemberPosted 8 years agoMaybe I’ve become too Americanised by TV, but I keep reading that link as “A Frickin’ Tail-Way.com”
scotroutesFull MemberPosted 8 years agoI should really add..
If there’s a large enough group of you and/or you want to cycle it then there’s a “bike” taxi service operating out of Inverness that may be attractive.
http://www.johnogroatsbiketransport.co.uk
Caveat: yes, that’s me advertising where I work.
matt_outandaboutFull MemberPosted 8 years agoTrain to Fort William. Train home from Aviemore or Kingussie.
Draw a wiggly line between them, linking up a bothy or two, a nice hill or three.
Report back.
epicycloFull MemberPosted 8 years agolotto – Member
…Any experience of Lewis/Harris? or is that better saved for the mtb?Plenty good walks in Harris. The best ones take you across various ranges, so then you have a choice of walking back the way you came, or a long walk back on the road.
I usually take a lightweight bike with me for that reason even though it’s usually a case of hike a bike on the trails, but it does expand what you can do without needing pickups organised.
The Scriop from Urgha to Rhenigdale is a good walk, but try to allow enough time to visit Molinginish on the way (a wee detour). I have made a loop out of that by then walking on road from Rhenigdale to the Mariag end of the Maraig-Urgha trail which takes you out a wee bit closer to Tarbert than the start, but next time I do it I’ll be taking the bike for the transit bit even though it won’t be ridden much offroad (unless I take the fatbike).
There’s the coffin road in Sth Harris, and also from Bowglass over to the Huisinish road in the north. There’s lots more, and really OS maps are your friend.
Expect to get your feet wet. 🙂
scotroutesFull MemberPosted 8 years agoThe problem with Harris-Lewis (and the Oooter Hebrides as a whole) is that travel time to the start and back from the end will be more than your walking time if only doing three days.
lottoFree MemberPosted 8 years agoThe Loch Mullardoch circuit interests me. 12 Munros so plenty of climbing. 13th floor monks suggestions will give me a good few hours fawning over the map. Afrikintailway looks good,but maybe a good one for the bike? Nice to see on the website that biking it is actually encouraged. Worth cranking it out in a day or better spread over two?
CraigWFree MemberPosted 8 years agoI’m thinking about doing a coast to coast a bit further north. eg Attadale/Strathcarron to Beauly. Not figured out the exact route, but probably to the north side of Loch Monar, then down Glen Orrin. There are plenty of Munros you can go over if you want. Also a few bothies.
Though maybe not many paths in place, could be miles through heather or bogs…13thfloormonkFull MemberPosted 8 years agoa good few hours fawning over the map
That’s the best bit anyway 8)
If you don’t have access to 1:25000 maps for the areas then you can register for Walkhighlands, they have a free GPS planner with 1:25000 mapping.
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