Ben Alder from Corrour

Ben Alder is one of the most remote Munros (mountains over 3000 feet/914 m) in Scotland. The nearest road is 10 miles/16 km away as the crow flies. For more than a year, I had planned this “fast-and-light” trip to climb it and three other remote Munros, waiting for the necessary excellent warm and dry weather.

Costs. Loch Ossian SYHA hostel £21. Bothy £0. Single train fare £6.40 (I tried to pay on the return journey but there was no one around to collect my fare). Rations (cereal + chocolate bars) £4.50. Petrol £18. Total cost of trip £50.

Places I stayed and was happy with. Loch Ossian SYHA hostel (Day 1); Ben Alder Cottage (Day 2).

Books. The Munros: SMC Hillwalkers Guide, Vol. 1 (Scottish Mountaineering Trust, 3rd revised edition).

Maps. OS Landranger: Sheets 41 and 42, 1:50,000. (In actual fact, I printed two A4-sized OS maps of my walk off the web, one large scale and one smaller scale, showing my escape routes to the nearest main roads in case they were needed.)

See also. Four Munros from Dalwhinnie

Day 1: Travel to Corrour Station; walk to Loch Ossian hostel. I left work on Thursday evening, went home, and had dinner. I then drove to Bridge of Orchy (to save time – the train from Glasgow is very slow), parked, and caught the 8.42 pm train northbound. I got off the train at Corrour at 9.17 pm and walked about 20 min to the SYHA hostel at Loch Ossian (pre-booked), where I received a very warm welcome.

Day 2: Walk over two Munros to Ben Alder Cottage. I left the hostel at 7.55 am and reached the top of Carn Dearg (Munro 1) at 10.10 am. Then I walked over Sgor Gaibhre (Munro 2) and its Top (Sgor Choinnich) and descended across rough terrain to the bothy at Ben Alder Cottage, arriving 2.55 pm (so 7 h walking). I had not met a soul all day but, disconcertingly, the bothy was fully occupied – how I wished I had taken my small tent! – and I spent an uncomfortable night on the “kitchen” floor.

Day 3: Walk over two Munros (including Ben Alder) and back to Corrour; travel home. Left the bothy at 6.50 am and summited the Top (Sron Coire na h-Iolaire) at 8.50 am, Beinn Bheoil (Munro 3) at 9.25 am, and finally Ben Alder (Munro 4) at 11.50 am. Then it was down the west ridge and onto the valley floor (1.20 pm) and a long slog of nearly 4 h back to Corrour, arriving 5.10 pm (so 10 h 25 min walking). I had a drink in the cafe and then caught the 6.25 pm train southbound back to Bridge of Orchy and my car.

Kit notes. I took a cheap Tesco “1-season” sleeping bag and a 3/4-length self-inflating mat as these were light and compact. Apart from the clothes I walked in, I only took a T-shirt and sports shorts, plus a long-sleeved “base layer” top (unused) in case of midge attack. I took a windproof softshell jacket and a fleece but not a waterproof. My only food was the cereal and chocolate bars (3200 kcal). I could only travel this light because I was 100% sure that the weather would be warm and dry.

Wildlife seen. Red Deer, Azure Hawker, Four-spotted Chaser, Large Red Damselfly.

Other useful links. ScotRail trains

Reflections. An excellent trip, on the whole, although it was early in my walking season and I could have done with being a bit fitter. The weather and views were glorious. I found the bothy experience “interesting”: two groups of four had arrived the previous day, spent the night there, and had “reserved” their sleeping platforms before going off walking for the day, leaving me only the concrete floor, despite my arriving at the cottage before they did on the Friday.

© 2014 The Untravelled World