I spent two days in Glen Roy, Lochaber, completing three walks to reach four Corbetts and twpo Fionas. The first route was to bag two Carn Dearg Corbetts. I also did another route to a Fiona, Leana Mhor (west), and a Corbett, Beinn Laruinn. On day two, of my trip to Glen Roy, I walked the final Fiona, Leana Mhor (east) and Corbett, Carn Dearg.
Again, the distances and height gain did not look too tough on paper but the first part of the walk was mainly on pathless terrain so it was harder to walk than on a path or a trod.
It was another steep and unkind ascent to start this route and to reach the Fiona summit. However, before I could even begin the hiking, I needed to cross the wide glen river. It is possible to start further along the glen past Brunachan, where there is a bridge, but I wasn’t keen to walk extra kilometres along the riverside. Instead, I crossed the river at Brunachan in bare feet while carrying my socks and shoes.
The river was up to my knees in places but I steadied myself with my walking poles and took my time with placing each foot step. If the river was in greater spate, the bridge would certainly be advisible.
Once across the river, I skirted around two old buildings, crossed the river in Allt Brunachan and started uphill. It did feel quite relentless but I knew this would be the hardest part of the day and I had a target of bagging the last Fiona and Corbett in the glen.
From Leana Mhor at 677m, I descended south-east and down to an elevation of around 500m. The next ascent, to the north-east, was long but never too steep and I resolved to simply enjoy it.
I took my time to check the map, set a bearing on my compass, and ensure I arrived at the Corbett, Carn Dearg, at 834m height as precisely as the land would allow.
The wind, as forecast, was stronger on day two and I didn’t stop for long at the cairn. Instead, I walked west and found a deep peat hag to use as shelter while I stopped for a bite to eat. To avoid the steep and rocky Coire Dubh above Allt Brunachan, I headed to another high point on Carn Brunachan at 723m before making a descent to the north of the corrie.
Again, I was surprised by the steep and rugged terrain in Glen Roy but I could see the river below me and my van in the distance and I knew I would soon be able to enjoy a rest.
This time, as I crossed three sets of parallel roads, I could clearly make out the ancient shore lines. It’s amazing to think that nature carved out these lines more than 10,000 years earlier.
The final river crossing was pleasant on my tired feet and I lingered in the cold water before gaining the far riverbank and then my van parked next to the glen road.
Leana Mhor (east) & Carn Dearg:
Distance: 10k
Total ascent: 860m
A final note about Glen Roy
For some reason, I was ready to be underwhelmed by the glen. It’s close to many better known glens and does not have any of the more famous Munro mountains. But I discovered, it’s a wonderful location, that offers amazing beauty and tranquility. It felt remote without being too far from several settlements and while the Corbetts and Fionas are rugged and mostly without paths, the distances and total ascent to reach the summits are not too daunting.