Long day out in Glen Carron!
Introduction - Glen Carron
There isn't very much in Glen Carron. The A890 passes through the glen from Achnasheen to Lochcarron south west for 21 miles. The views are wonderful and there are 3 munros on the north and access to 10 munros to the south.
Facilities in the Achnasheen are limited. The Ledgowan Lodge Hotel is one mile (1.5 kilometres) west of the village, but the Achnasheen Hotel (by the railway station) burnt down in the early 1990s and has never been rebuilt. Despite the size of the village, Achnasheen is also the name of a postal district which covers several much larger communities including Kinlochewe, Poolewe and Laide. This dates from the time when the railway station was built in 1870, it was an important stop on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line. The railway still operates but all freight and mail, and most passengers, now travel by road.
Lochcarron is a larger community. The village stretches for almost two miles (three kilometres), meandering along the shore of Loch Carron ("Loch of rough water"). Lochcarron was formerly known as "Janetown" or "Jeantown", and consisted of only a few houses until 1813 when it expanded due to the arrival of the Parliamentary road from Contin to Strome Ferry. The ferry operated for many years until it ceased in the latter part of the 20th century. It has a shop and plenty of accommodation. Attadale Gardens are well worth a visit.
The geology of Glen Carron is very interesting and can be linked to the geology described in my blogs on Knoydart. In particular, it's relation to the Moine Thrust event and the creation of our dramatic landscapes in the North West Highlands.
As the geological map above clearly shows, the Moine Thrust Belt (turquoise) passes right through the two mountains I climbed and the geology is evident in the photos. I could write a blog on the Moine Thrust alone and not ever have enough space, and I would probably bore you, but just a wee note below on what it means and how old it is with a link to a superb article.
"The Moine Thrust was an integral part of a protracted period of mountain building from 475 to 405 million years ago, when three continental plates collided as the intervening Iapetus Ocean was consumed by subduction: Laurentia (now North America and Greenland), Baltica (Scandinavia and northern Europe), and Avalonia (southern England and east Newfoundland). The ancient mountain chain is called the Caledonides, the Roman name for all us unruly Celts. Remnants of these once lofty peaks can be traced from Scandinavia to northwest Scotland and Ireland, eastern Greenland, and the Appalachians of eastern North America." (Brian Ricketts Geological Digressions - The Moine Thrust: An idea that unravelled mountains - Geological Digressions)
Onto the main event then, below you'll find my stats, the route, and information you will hopefully enjoy and find useful.
Stats and stuff - munros; maps & timings
Munro number: 39 and 38 (to go)
Munro name(s): Beinn Liath Mhor 926m (3038ft) and Sgorr Ruadh 962m (3156ft)
Area: Glen Carron
Maps: Cape Wrath Trail North Map; OS Map of Glen Carron & West Monar | Explorer 429 Map | Ordnance Survey Shop
Distance: 11.60 miles (18.6km)
Ascent: 1,444m (4738ft)
Moving time: 5 hours
Total time: 8 hours 30 mins
Ratings
Bogginess ☹️
Effort 😅😅😅
Navigation 🤔🤔🤔
Enjoyment 😍😍😍
Local information
Eating: Coffee Shop in Achnasheen midgebitecafe@gmail.com 01445 720222 (information available on Facebook); Home | Ledgowan Lodge Hotel | Achnasheen Scotland
There are not very many places to eat in Glen Carron and actually anywhere along the A890. You may be better served staying in Lochcarron if you cannot get accomodation in Achnasheen.
Accommodation: Home | Ledgowan Lodge Hotel | Achnasheen Scotland - offers luxury accommodation but also has a bunkhouse. Ledgowan Bunkhouse is a small self-catering bunkhouse a short walk from Achnasheen railway station. It sleeps 5 guests in 5 rooms, so each guest has their own room with wash basin , with a pleasant communal dining area, kitchen and bathroom. The Bunk House is fully centrally heated, so warm and cosy. There is an onsite bar for drinks and coffee etc. and you can book a table in the restaurant in the Guesthouse if you prefer. Please note that all guests are required to bring their own bedding or sleeping bags, although pillows and pillow slips are provided.
Facilities: Very few! Petrol stations can be found at Contin, Kyle of Lochalsh and Kinlochewe, all have shops as well. Just don't forget anything! At the train station car park in Achnasheen there are public toilets and an electric car charging point.
Don't miss: The views! Attadale | open garden in Wester Ross | Attadale, Strathcarron IV54 8YX, UK
The route
The route for these two mountains begins at the train station in Achnashellac. You can park on the south side of the main road in an ample carpark. On the north side of the main road head up a track on the left to the station and a cross over the railway line. Once across there is a gate and a steep road up to your right, only follow this for 100m or so, then turn left following a good track up onto the moor through the trees.
After a stiff climb along the side of the River Lair the path emerges onto open moorland. Follow the path to the right. This is an old right of way from Achnashellac to Coulin and a wonderful long walk in itself.
At the high point of this path on the col at Drochaid Coire Lair, take a faint path on your left that develops into an excellent stalkers path, very steep and exposed in places. This is a hard pull but you quickly gain height and attain the ridge of Beinn Liath Mhor at a height of 876m (2874ft). The long 2km ridge stretches ahead of you. An undulating walk with some steep ascents and descents.
I was glad to be on the summit of Beinn Liath Mhor. From here great care is required descending to Bealach Coire Lair, especially in misty conditions, as the route is not obvious. To be fair, it wasn't obvious in clear conditions! The descent is on boulders and scree followed by worn sandstone. Descend past a small lochan and continue climbing slightly to the col and a second lochan, this marks the crossing point of the col and the start of the route up Sgorr Ruadh. Remember to take time to look back at the geology of the ridge you have just traversed. It's very ancient and hugely important in understanding how the mountains here were formed. More in Claire's top tips below!
From the col the path up Sgorr Ruadh is clear, direct and steep in places. The summit affords wonderful views of the Torridon hills and of course, Beinn Liath Mhor.
The descent is straightforward south-east down a broad grassy slope past a number of small lochans. Once you have passed the largest lochan, Loch a Bhealaich Mhoir, keep descending heading for Fuar Tholl until you intercept a stalkers path and turn left (east) into Coire Lair. Drop down into Coire Lair and re-join the path you started on.
I thoroughly enjoyed this day out and was surprised how few people I met on the hill itself. I did meet walkers with huge rucksacks completing the Cape Wrath Trail which passes from Achnashellac to Kinlochewe past Coulin, and 6 mountain bikers completing the Torridon Achnashellac loop, also called the Torridon Lollipop! - a 40km off-road red mountain bike route with 1200m of climbing!
Each to their own.....
Claire's top tip....
Geology rocks!
The steep flanks of Beinn Liath Mhor are of national importance in that they show arguably the clearest large-scale examples of imbricate thrusts and associated folds anywhere in north-west Scotland. The spectacular structures are readily seen from distant viewpoints on account of extensive rock exposure and the marked colour contrast between the main rock types involved, red-brown Torridonian sandstones and white Cambrian quartzites.
Or, in other words, the different types of rock that are moved around when the earths geological forces are active, are very obvious on Beinn Liath Mhor. It clearly shows the trust of different rocks that have been forced upwards, and over each other over time.
In addition, there is amazing evidence of shear zones, where different rocks have moved over one another and left clear markings, showing tectonic processes that have been happening over millions of year!
This reminds me of runes and I can imagine some ancient Norse travellers passing over the mountains leaving messages for their followers!
Coming next......
Meall nan Ceapraichean & Edidh nan Clach Geala
Thank you for reading ❤️ xx
