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Chno Dearg and Stob Coire
Sgriodain |
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| The
Munros |
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| Stob Coire Sgriodain (left),
Meall Garbh and Chno Dearg (right) from Beinn na Lap |
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Country: Scotland |
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Location: Loch Ossian. |
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Transport: The West Highland Railway has stations
(Corrour Halt and Tulloch) nearby. |
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Trip Date: 15 June 1993 |
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Introduction |
Chno Dearg (possibly "red hill" from cnoc dearg, 1047m) and Stob Coire
Sgriodain ("peak of the corrie of the scree", 976m) can be bagged easily from
Fersit (the scattering of cottages at the north end of Loch Treig). If you are
based at Loch Ossian then you have more (harder and longer) options ranging
from a straightforward there-and-back-again route to a strenuous circuit of
Loch Treig (for the super fit only). The route described here is from one
railway station (Corrour Halt near Loch Ossian) to another (Tulloch) making it
suitable for a day out from Fort William or from Loch Ossian youth hostel. Both
stations have bunkhouse accommodation making it easy to travel the route in
reverse.
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Route |
Depart the morning train at Corrour Halt and head east towards Loch
Ossian along a dirt road. After 1.25 kilometres a fork is reached - turn left
(north) for 100 metres to pick up a path leading back to the railway line. Two
kilometres of flat and fast walking brings the end of the path at a railway
bridge over a small stream. Cross the stream and head NW up the slopes, aiming
for the crest of the ridge just below the crags on Sron na Garbh-bheinne. Once
the ridge is gained, make a 90 degree turn to the NE and wind through the crags
to more level and easy going beyond. Four kilometres of good walking crosses
over an effortless bump at 858m and reaches the foot of the slightly steeper
slopes which are climbed to the double-peaked Meall Garbh (977m). There is a
cairn on the first (southern) top - a good point for a rest and look around.
Leave Meall Garbh over a dip and the north top to drop alongside the
craggy eastern slopes to an open col. Easy slopes with sparse vegetation and
plenty of stones lead onto the boulder-strewn summit plateau of Chno Dearg
(1047m). The next section of the traverse can be confusing in mist and so is
explained in detail.
Return south-west down the same slopes but heading for the col to the
north of Meall Garbh and its sprinkling of small lochans. From the flat ground
in the col, climb gently WNW to a distinct double-headed knoll at 925m. Drop
slightly in the same direction over bumpy ground and then climb again to the
South Top of Stob Coire Sgriodain at a height 960m (about 500 metres from the
first knoll). Leave the top in a NW direction to descend 40 metres over the
next 200 metres and then climb directly north to the summit of Stob Coire
Sgriodain (976m), which is marked by a cairn.
This narrow summit offers marvellous views of the elongated Loch Treig
(a man-made lake with a dam at the northern end). Dominating the other side of
the loch are the two wonderfully rugged Munros, Stob Coire Easain ("peak of the
corrie of the little waterfall", 1116m) and Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin ("peak of
the middle corrie", 1106m). The reason that the photo below does not show more
of the summit cairn is that would of entailed taking a step back - right into
the thin air over the steep west slopes.
An alternate route if you want to walk back to Loch Ossian is to bag
Stob Coire Sgriodain first and then hike up Chno Dearg. To avoid returning via
Meall Garbh, depart from Chno Dearg to the NE down a broad ridge (with a
steepish section about a kilometre from the summit). After another kilometre
along a flatter section, the ridge narrows and turns to the east. Drop
eastwards until the dirt road heading for the cottages at the east end of Loch
Ossian is reached. Follow the road to the tracks along the north or south
shores to get back to your starting point.
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| Looking across to Chno Dearg from
Stob Coire Sgriodain with my pack and mascot (PW) sitting in
front |
Continue north from Stob Coire Sgriodain, descending along the thin
ridge. In a little less than a kilometre a level shoulder is passed on your
left and a small top reached (another Sron na Garbh-bheinne). The band of small
crags guarding the top is easily threaded through leading to more open slopes
(and more crags). Head slightly west of north towards a minor craggy top at
450m but turn to the NE when more level slopes are gained. Soon the Allt
Fhearghais brook is crossed and 200 metres further on a path is picked up that
heads north along another stream. The path meets a forestry road after 1.5
kilometres of easy walking. The cottages of Fersit are just down the road to
your left and beyond them the railway and River Treig are crossed on a
bridge.
There is a suggestion of a short-cut to Tulloch. Before the bridge there
is a dirt road going NE paralleling the railway line. It heads into the forest
after about 800 metres but a track is marked that continues to shadow the
railway. After 2 kilometres the River Spean is reached and this is where the
track stops. However you may be able to (carefully!) walk along the railway to
cross the river and reach the station in about 500 metres.
A more sure method of getting to Tulloch is to cross the River Treig at
Fersit. There is a public telephone just across the bridge which may be useful.
The road becomes a tarmaced country lane as it goes north to the banks of the
An Dubh Lochan. From the outflow of the lochan, the very fit can make a high
traverse over Stob Coire Easain and Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin back to the
starting point. Mere mortals will continue along the lane to a bridge over the
wide gravel bed of the Allt Laire - a good spot to look up into the broad
corrie behind the Munros. The lane continues for another 2 kilometres before
meeting the busy A86 road. Luckily there is only one kilometre to walk
eastwards before the side road to Tulloch is reached for the final quieter 500
metres. An advantage to arriving at Tulloch Station is the surprise of a
bunkhouse actually in the station buildings:
Station Lodge (if
you have questions about crossing the River Spean then these may be the people
to call).
