Walk of the Week: Carn Nan Gobhar By Robin Howie Published on Sunday 22 April 2012 17:10 From the boathouse, roughly on the line of an upper mapped path, follow a gravel track (keep high at a junction), then an all-terrain vehicle track, that gives quicker progress to the Allt Mullardoch than the shore side path. Map Ordnance Survey map 25, Glen Carron & Glen Affric Height 900m Terrain Stalkers" path/vehicle track to grassy hillside Start point Loch Mullardoch dam, Glen Cannich, map ref 221316 Time 6 hours Nearest town Cannich Recommended refreshment spot The Priory Hotel, Beauly Head north on the east bank above the river's ravine, following the vehicle track which in places has obliterated the path of old. Cross the planked bridge spanning the Allt Coire na Buidheig and continue by the east bank of the Allt Mullardoch (ignore another bridge just upstream that crosses to the west bank.) Passing many a cascade in the river, it is then a pretty entry into the peaceful upper Coire an t-Sith at a confluence of streams, map ref 199337. Another planked bridge, circa 480m, crosses the stream (arguably the upper Allt Mullardoch) that flows from the mapped 815m spot height. This is the point of return from Creag Dubh. Cross the bridge, still on a well-defined track, then head NNW over grassy then clipped heathery slopes for the dip between Munro and Top, but keeping well clear of the slabby south-east face of the Munro, deeply snow-rimmed on my day. By now at 850m, it is an easy walk to reach the small, rounded, twin-bumped, stony summit. The northern of the two bumps, graced only with a small cairn, is the Munro whereas the fractionally lower southern bump, overlooking Loch Mullardoch, not surprisingly has a well-built cairn. On a blustery day giving difficult walking at 3,000ft, I decided not to continue on to the even higher 1150m/3,773ft Sgurr na Lapaich. There was little advantage in any case as I still have neighbouring An Riabhachan to climb as well; two hills best combined following an approach from the Loch Monar dam. Rather than descending by the very windy south-east ridge, a more pleasant return, with the wind on my back, was to return to the dip and so on to Creag Dubh, its well-built conical cairn a reflection of its past and rather prominent position. A south-east descent then quickly leads to the col north-west of the 815m bump and a bizarre 100-yard stretch of wall. In a stony area with ample building material, there must be a good reason for this "folly." A bouldery curving traverse leads to the south-west spur whose stalkers" path gives an easy descent and return to map ref 199337. A small cairn marks the start of that path; a good viewpoint looking over to the mighty bulk of the Munro. The path is now somewhat overgrown but mostly the line cut into the steeper hillside shows the way. Losing the path at the odd point should be part of the fun. The last section nearing the upper Allt Mullardoch is now lost. Soddenly this summer I have already talked about the Mullardochs, the line of four Munros that lie on the north of Loch Mullardoch, and a trip to An Riabhachan. Three is better than one, but proceed with caution Beinn a" Chaorainn lies on the north side of the Laggan road, the A86, which runs from Speyside to Spean Bridge, and west of the mighty bulk of Creag Meagaidh. The usual starting point is from the A86 at Roughburn at map ref 377814, despite the forested area on the lower southern slopes. Creag Meagaidh is linked to Beinn a" Chaorainn by the Bealach a" Bharnish, and a traverse from the former hill makes for a good outing, a high level circuit above Coire na h-Uamha. But not for today. Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach for a Munro party East of the A93, the road that cuts through the Glen Shee ski area, lies the Mounth, the name given to the high-level plateau that extends as far as Lochnagar. More specifically, the area south of Lochnagar is known as White Mounth, a name also used for the second highest hill, at 1,110m. At the peak of the goats, you may catch sight of one On the north side of Loch Mullardoch is a line of hills, four of them Munros, commonly referred to simply as the Mullardochs. Robin Howie: Carn Liath, a hill of more than passing interest THE A86 runs roughly east to west, linking Strathspey and the Great Glen. The commanding feature on the north side of the road, and overlooking Loch Laggan, is the Creag Meagaidh massif, a complex series of spectacular corries, lochans and ridges. One such grassy ridge runs south-west to Beinn a' Chaorainn, beyond which lies Beinn Teallach which can be climbed from Roybridge.