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Colin's Munros

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Carn Mairg, Carn Gorm, Meall Garbh & Meall na Aighean
Maps 378E, 51; 12 Feb 2005 & 24 Aug 2008

Route: 1500m = 5070' ascent; 11¼ miles; 6-8 hrs


Route: Parking is marked by a phone box in Invervar (Glen Lyon) on the S side of the road, behind which is a small car park, 5yds down the "private road". In Feb 2023 I found this closed with a note about a dangerous tree and so parked on the roadside at NN66374819.
The start of the walk is a few yards west along the road towards the river from the parking. Go through gate at far side of a white cottage, as indicated. The track up the valley has now mostly recovered from work on a hydro scheme.
For some unexplained reason the local estate expects you to follow the route only in a clockwise direction. However, the anti-clockwise direction is probably more pleasant unless the prevailing wind is blowing because of the better path on the eastern end than the western end and because navigation in cloud on Meall na Aighean is also easier that way.
I have included all the three related Munro tops in this walk. Two of them are detours from the natural route round the Munros and can be omitted easily. However, one of these, namely the shapely An Sgorr, is well worth including. It adds a mere 70m of ascent over easy terrain and almost no distance whilst yielding a great view from its position at the head of a valley. There is a lower level path for those wishing to avoid this Top.
The route along the ridge follows boundary fence posts between Meall Garbh and Meall Liath.

Access: The local estate has a very poor reputation regarding access and actively discourages walkers for much of the year with notices, tight restrictions on roadside parking, regular closure of the only parking area, threats, etc. For details see North Chesthill Estate. This can be very problematic if you have left route information with friends and have to change plans in a glen with no connectivity, or you have come hundreds of miles just to tick off these particular Munros and only have maps of this area with you.
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland had some strong words to say about the estate's behaviour in 2015. Other helpful discussions include, for example, one from 2014 on WalkHighlands, another from 2020 also on WalkHighlands and a third from 2021 on “The National”.

Connectivity: There is a good mobile signal two miles or so east of Invervar on the road towards Fortingall.

Weather (12/2/05) Cloud base at around 2500', very strong winds, frequent snow showers, drifting snow. Blizzards! Snow cover down to sea level, drifts up to 3', no firm snow underfoot. (Very slow times for 12/2/05 because of severe weather conditions, compass problems & darkness from 1800.)
Weather (24/8/08) Cloud base around 3000', some tops clear, stiff showers & some drizzle.

12/2/0524/8/08 Description Ht.Asc.Dist. Grid Ref.Mobile
09150855 Park at Invervar, Glen Lyon. Take the left track
through a large gate, or other path indicated,
not the track to Invervar Lodge.
190   00.0 milesNN66604824No Orange
 0910 Track NNW beside Invervar Burn to bridge
over tributary
315 0.5 milesNN66404897 
 0930 Cross the Invervar Burn at the bridge
by the zig-zag – unmarked on map.
4202301.0 milesNN65944952 
12001040
-1045
Ascend path W round the edge of the forest
then 400 yds SSW by forest edge, before
turning WNW up ridge to M Carn Gorm
trig pt (now on its side)
10298402.75 milesNN63465011Orange
 1100 Path N to Col 851 3.25 milesNN63705090 
12401105 Path E to T An Sgorr 9249103.5 milesNN64065094Orange
 1110 Path N to Col 845 3.75 milesNN64105132 
13151125 ENE to M Meall Garbh
(which has large cairn made from fence posts)
96810354.15 milesNN64675168Orange
   Follow fence posts SE to col 945    
13251130 SE to Meall Garbh
(former top is back from fence line)
9631055 NN65035154 
 1140 Return N to boundary then
path by fence posts 600 yds ENE to col
925  NN65495182 
   Path by fence posts for 300yds NE to Top 88111004.9 milesNN65735199 
 1145 Sharp right on nearlt level path SE to Col 871  NN65835191 
14251200 Path E up to summit ridge,
then SSE to T Meall a'Bharr
(2nd cairn at fence corner, in a row of cairns)
100412005.7 milesNN66795158 
 1210 Path E by fence posts for 400yds to next cairn 9991200 NN67375165 
   Path E by fence posts for 650yds to col 965 6.3 milesNN67605165 
   Path E by fence posts by-passing top 100112306.5 milesNN68035169 
   Path SE by fence posts for 250yds to col 985 6.6 milesNN68215153 
15001230
-1240
SSE to M Carn Mairg (leftmost of 3 tops) 104112906.85 milesNN68475125Orange
   Weak path E to broad col 955  NN68885121 
15301255 Continue E to for Munro Top T Meall Liath 101213457.35 milesNN69305122Orange
 1305 SSW/S to the broad bealach of Gleann Pollaidh 845 8.0 milesNN69005035 
1615
-1715
1325
-1330
Path S then E to M Meall na Aighean
(12/2/05: Wasted time leaving summit due to
incorrect navigation arising from problem
with compass/mobile phone interaction.)
98114808.5 miles NN69474968Orange
   Path WSW to col 955    
17251335 WSW to SW top of Meall na Aighean
for better view to SW
97415008.77 milesNN69064946 
 1400 N for 400 yds to path, then W down ridge path
to crossing of stalkers' path (from rusty hut)
above Allt Coire a' Chearcaill
530 10.3 milesNN67104907 
   Continue S to right fork in path after 200m 475 10.36 milesNN67064894 
   Continue ridge path WSW to valley track
at first pole of power lines
after track emerges from forest
285 10.9 milesNN66414866 
19351440 Track (or path) S back to car park at Invervar 190150011.25 milesNN66604824No Orange


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