Meall Garbh (l), Carn Mairg (c) and Meall na Aighean (r). Schiehallion is in the
background of the shot.
Carn Gorm
Meaning - Blue Hill
Summit Location - NN63479, 50134
Height - 1029m
Munro Number - 103
Meall Garbh
Meaning - Rough Hill
Summit Location - NN64694, 51686
Height - 968m
Munro Number - 186
Carn Mairg
Meaning - Red or Rusty Hill
Summit Location - NN68493, 51255
Height - 1042m
Munro Number - 91
Meall na Aighean
Meaning - Hill of the Hinds
Summit Location - NN69478, 49656
Height - 981m
Munro Number - 169
Distance - 17.6km
Total Ascent - 1351m
Estimated Time - 2hrs to Carn Gorm / 45 mins to Meall Garbh / 1hr20 to Carn Mairg
/ 45 mins to Meall na Aighean / 1hr15 down (total 6hrs10).
Difficulty - 3/5
OS Explorer Map - OL48
Climbed - 2017
Weather - Very hot and sunny!
There are a few places in Scotland where you can bag four or more Munros in one day.
These places tend to feature high on the keen Munro baggers to-do list and can therefore
be busy peaks. Although Glen Lyon is quite far south and therefore closer to the
busy central belt it can be quite a long drive along some very small single track
roads. So don’t expect these hills to be as busy as the easier to reach Ben Lawers
hills on the other side of the Glen.
The Glen Lyon four lie to the north of Inverar. They’re normally tackled in a clockwise
direction, which allows for a slightly less steep ascent to the first peak and a
longer more gentle climb onto Carn Mairg, the highest peak. It wouldn’t be particularly
difficult to tackle them in reverse order though.
Tackled in a clockwise direction, there’s a short steep climb on a good path from
Inverar village, which then meets a hydro track you follow for a short while. A path,
clearly signposted for Carn Gorm then leaves this track and climbs at a pleasant
gradient along the Inverar Burn. This is then crossed on a rickety bridge (all well
signposted again), before the path climbs more steeply up the southeastern slopes
of Carn Gorm.
Getting to the first summit felt a long slog in the heat (temperatures in the mid
to upper 20s). But the really steep bits were probably few and far between. Once
Carn Gorm had been bagged the going got easier as you don’t lose much height between
each peak and a cooling breeze had picked up. Meall Garbh is little more than half
an hour from Carn Gorm and the path bypasses An Sgorr if you’re not interested in
bagging that extra top. Carn Mairg lies further to the east and you’ll be walking
a little way to bag the third peak, though the steep bits are mercifully short again.
It’s also easy to find, just follow the old iron fence posts. The last Munro peak
lies just to the south of a col at 855m.
Descent is via the long west ridge of Meall an Aighean and is steep in places, although
the path is very good. Close to the bottom of the ridge the path turns back on itself
to descend into Glen Lyon. Pay close attention at this point. The big and obvious
track winds it’s way east. You can reach the road that way (as I did), but it’ll
take you to the adventure centre and leave you with a walk of around 2km to reach
Inverar via the road. It’s much quicker to take the smaller path back to the hydro
track and use the first part of the route of ascent to reach Inverar. Keep your eyes
peeled for it after descending the zig-zags.
Given the hot day I was walking at a really gentle pace and enjoying the views rather
than racing the clock. The total trip, with stops, probably took me just under 8hrs30.
Meall Garbh was my 100th Munro - a cause for a small celebration in the pub that
night!
Route
1 - Start at the car park in Inverar. Cross the road and take the well signed path
for the hills, climbing through a forest. The path crosses a deer fence and reaches
a hydro track. This is followed for a very short distance before you take a path
off to the left, clearly marked “To the Hill”. Follow the orange and green markers.
2 - This path follows the deer fence and the burn. After about a kilometre you cross
the fence again and then the burn on a very unsafe looking bridge. Watch your step.
You’ll see lots of orange and green markers again at this point. The path keeps to
the edge of a wooded area to your left and eventually reaches open countryside southwest
of Carn Gorm. The path is less well defined from this point on, and you won’t see
and other markers, but it’s obvious enough where to go. After about 2.5km you’ll
reach the summit of Carn Gorm.
3 - To reach Meall Garbh, follow the obvious path leading north. The main path bypasses
the top of An Stuc (bagging this would add around 70m of ascent). As you near the
top of the second Munro the terrain becomes more rocky. You’ll also meet a line of
old iron fence posts, which you follow to the summit (you’ll see a lot more fence
posts here!).
4 - Halfway there! Follow the fence posts in an easterly direction. The terrain undulates
until you reach a col at 870m after just over one kilometre. After this point a more
obvious climb begins to Meall a Bharr. You’ll pass a few cairns on the way, and plenty
of fence posts. Continue east along the ridge. You reach another col at around 970m
after which the path makes a final climb over rockier ground to the summit of Carn
Mairg.
5 - To reach the last Munro, descend in a northeasterly then easterly direction,
taking care to avoid the crags. The descent is quite steep here. The path is a little
bit trickier to follow here but aim for the col between Carn Mairg and Meall Liath,
then bear south to reach the col at the top of Gleann Pollaidh. At this point a more
obvious path climbs the short distance to Meall na Aighean. There are two tops here,
the easterly one is the true summit at 981m.
6 - To return to Inverar, descend Meall na Aighean’s west ridge. You’ll soon pick
up an obvious path. After about 2.5km the path becomes a track and descends into
Glen Lyon, making a series of zig-zag turns. Look for a smaller path leaving this
track at one of the bends. This path will lead you to the hydro track by the Inverar
Burn.
7 - Follow the path used in the first part of the ascent, back to the village, crossing
the deer fence.
