Lorna’s Mountains 2023
Date:	Where:	Munro (M)		Notes:
		Corbett (C)
		Graham (G)
		No:	Total:
7^th January	Gleann Einich, Aviemore.			Walked the track from Whitewell down Gleann Einich as far as the loch. Followed a short section of higher track on the outward route and returned on the riverside path. Located the sites of the upper and lower bothies associated with the Baird & Barrie deaths in the storm of 1^st January 1928. Overcast day but mostly dry.
14^th January	Glen Nevis.			Circular walk starting along the footpath down the east bank of the River Nevis from the Visitor Centre to the road bridge at Achriabhach. Visited the old burial ground at Ach nan Con which has several primitive recumbent grave markers but no traditional engraved slabs. Returned on the forest track down the other side of the glen, including a short section of the West Highland Way. Rainy day.
21^st January	Contin & Achterneed.			Circular walk from Contin to Rogie Farm then on to Glensgaich, Bottacks and Achterneed. Returned on the track along the Peffery Burn towards An Dubh-lochan and over View Rock. Pleasant day with snow underfoot.
28^th January	Meall an Fheur Loch, West Merkland.			Ascended the very pleasant stalker’s path up the Alltanan an Doire Dhuibh to gain the easy northern slopes of the hill. Descended south-west towards Loch Iol-ghaoith then continued east and north to Feur Loch. Located the top of the Garvault track and returned to the road. Dull day and breezy with a little light drizzle.
5^th February	Gelder Shiel, Balmoral Estate.			Walked from Keiloch, over the Bridge of Dee, to Gelder Shiel via Connachat Cottage. Returned on a more southerly route via the Feith an Laoigh path and onwards past the old iron bridge on the Garbh Allt. Very pleasant bothy located behind Gelder Shiel cottage. Cool day but good weather.
18^th March	Lundavra, Fort William.			Walked a section of the West Highland Way from Lundavra towards Kinlochleven. Passed the ruins of Lairigmor and returned from just beyond the ruins of Tigh-na-sleubhaich. Very wet day with lots of big frogs.
25^th March	West Highland Way, Kinlochleven.			Parked behind the Ice Factor site and followed the West Highland Way along the old military road to the top of the Devil’s Staircase. Returned on the outward route. Cool, dry day with good views of surrounding mountains.
1^st April	Tom an Eite, Glen Nevis.			Walked from the end of the public road in Glen Nevis to Tom an Eite knoll which is located on the watershed between the Water of Nevis and the Abhainn Rath. The path winds through the Nevis gorge and past the Steall waterfall before continuing onwards with views of several Munros to the north and south. Dry day with good visibility.
15^th April	Beinn na Caillich & Mam na Gualainn, Kinlochleven.			Followed the West Highland Way north-west out of Kinlochleven as far as the Allt Nathrach footbridge. Diverted from here steeply up the east ridge of Beinn na Cailleach to the 764m summit cairn. Continued westwards to the repeat Corbett Man na Gualainn then onwards to the 466m bealach. Descended the path from here to the Lairigmor ruin, paddling the river in Crocs, then returning on the West Highland Way. Strenuous walk of 14 miles which took 10 hours. Clear, sunny day.
22^nd April	Sgurr an Iubhair, Glen Nevis.			Walked the mountain path from Achriabhach, up into Coire a’ Mhusgain, past the small lochan and onwards to the 1001m summit cairn. Returned on the outward route. Fine, sunny day. This peak was designated a Munro between 1981 and 1997.
30^th April	Bealach Horn, Achfary.			Rainy day walk along the track past Loch Stack and then following the Allt Horn up to the bealach. Returned on the outward route. Stayed dry till lunch at the bealach then rained on the return.
6^th May	Luibeilt, Kinlochleven.			Walked the track from the village to the Luibeilt ruin, reportedly the site of a haunting in 1973. Ascended on the An Cumhann path to meet the track along Loch Eilde Mor and Loch Eilde Beag. Returned on the outward route. SSDT motor bike trial in progress for most of the outward route. Mostly dry and bright with light showers later in the day.
28^th May	Coire Roill, Torridon.			Circular walk from Annat, past the Torridon Hotel and along the path up into Coire Roill. Left the path at Drochaid Coire Roill and traversed east to join the return path to Annat from Loch an Eoin. Dry day with a dull start but sunny later.
3^rd June	Circumnavigation of Sgurr Eilde Mor, Kinlochleven.			Ascended the Allt nan Slatan path out of Kinlochleven then followed the track to the far end of Loch Eilde Mor. Continued on the path over Carn Alasdair and around the northern end of Sgurr Eilde Mor, turning south into Coire an Lochan for the descent across Coire nan Laogh. Returned on the outward path. Hot, sunny day.
10^th June	Meall Mor, Aberfeldy.			Followed the Rob Roy Way through the Birks of Aberfeldy then out onto the Urlar Road. Continued along the Urlar Burn before turning south-east to Meall Mor summit then returning along the Calliachar Burn track. Turned off the Urlar road at the outward path junction to conclude with the second half of the Birks footpath loop. Hot, sunny day.
17^th June	Carn Leac Saighdeir, Corgarff.			Parked on the Old Military Road at 29665-06351 then walked the old road to Ordgarff, passing three old military bridges. Continued south over Carn Meadhonach and onwards to the summit trig. Descended south-east over the Delavine Burn to join the outward route. Hot, sunny day.
1^st July	Meall an Araich, Bridge of Orchy.			Walked from Victoria Bridge along the Abhainn Shira to its confluence with the Allt Ghabhar. Continued northwards past Clashgour farm and up into the coire behind, approaching the summit from Mam nan Sac. Returned on the outward route. Sunshine and showers throughout the day with fierce wind on the summit approach.
9^th July	Glen Ogle circuit, Lochearnhead.			Parked on the A85 in Glen Ogle at 57955-25674. Followed the track uphill to join the dismantled railway which now forms the Glen Ogle Trail. Walked south round towards Edinchip to join the track up Glen Kendrum and down Gleann Dubh. Continued north-east on a forest track to again join the dismantled railway and thus return on the Glen Ogle Trail. Hot, sunny day.
22^nd July	Carn Creagach, Glen Ey.			Walked the track up Glen Ey to the ruins at Auchelie then diverted south-west over Carn nan Seileach to Carn Creagach. Descended west and south towards the Alltan Odhar to pick up the track past the ruins of Altanour Lodge and the return down Glen Ey. Dry day with sunny intervals. Saw an adder near Auchelie.
29^th July	Meall Garbh, Achfary.			Walked the long track past Airdachuilinn and Lone to Bealach na Feithe to ascend the hill from the north. Returned on the outward route. Mix of weather including rain, hot sunshine and hail but mostly dry. Spectacular scenery when sunny.
16^th September	Glen Shee & Creag na Criche, Glen Almond.			Parked by the ford at Little Glenshee. Walked the track up Glen Shee to the north-western end of Glenshee Hill. Continued on a track which traversed the northern slopes before heading south to Creag na Criche (456m). Followed further tracks eastwards towards Drum Tick before heading back west past Loch Tullybelton. Dry sunny day.
23^rd September	Auchtavan & Glen Feardar, Inver, Braemar.			Walked from Inver to Tullochcoy then onward to Auchtavan via the ruins at Loin. Continued northwards up Glen Feardar to the high ground then along to Carn Moine an Tighearn summit cairn. Descended southwards towards Loin to return on the outward route. Pleasant sunny day with cool breeze higher up.
30^th September	Lost Valley, Glen Coe.			Parked in the lay-by at 14562-57088. Walked roadside paths to Achtriochtan where a track continued to the footbridge over the River Coe. Ascended the higher of the two paths into Coire Gabhail with a tricky river crossing en-route. Continued to point 16278-55122 for refreshments by the stream. Returned on the outward route. Dry sunny day.
7^th October	Cnoc na h-Eilich Duirche, Aultanrynie, Achfary.			Walked the track past a small burial ground towards Aultanrynie farmhouse before diverting uphill on the stalker’s path. Continued over the Allt nam Mang to the Allt na h-Eilich Duirche then climbed southwards between crags to the 329m top. Very pleasant short walk with drizzle and a strong breeze on high.
14^th October	The Hermitage & Craig Obney, Dunkeld.			Parked at the Inver Brae car park then followed the woodland path to Hermitage Bridge and Ossian’s Hall. Continued westwards past the cave to Rumbling Bridge and a short woodland path to the main road. Crossed the road to join the Balhomish track into Glen Garr to climb Craig Obney from the south. Toppled stonework around the trig pillar remained as evidence of the hillfort that once stood here. Descended on a path and track towards Balhomish to join the outward route to Rumbling Bridge. Continued to the main Hermitage car park on the A9 using the old military road then walked the riverside path to Hermitage Bridge to return to the car. Cool day but very sunny.
21^st October	Druim na h-Achlaise, Tomdoun.			The old road from Tomdoun, on the Kinloch Hourn road, to the Cluanie Inn was severed by flooding in the 1950s when the Loch Loyne dam was built. Walked the old road from Tomdoun to just beyond Bealach na h-Imrich where a path climbs westwards up the ridge to the summit trig. Returned on the outward route. Rainy start with strong wind around the summit and a dry finish.
29^th October	Meall na h-Aodainn Moire & Ben Vrackie.			Started from the Killiecrankie visitor centre and walked the path to Bealach na Searmoin and the first hill. Continued east to join the path past Loch a’ Choire to Ben Vrackie. Returned mostly on the outward route after connecting via the muddy path to the north of Loch a’ Choire. Brief spells of light drizzle and breezy on the high ground.
4^th November	Balmoral cairns.			Walked the road from Crathie to Easter Balmoral then on to Rhebreck. Followed an anti-clockwise circular route around Craig Gowan visiting eight Victorian cairns: Princess Helena’s cairn, Princess Louise’s cairn, (Balmoral) Purchase cairn, Prince Leopold’s cairn, Prince Arthur’s cairn, Princess Alice’s cairn, Prince Albert’s cairn and Princess Beatrice’s cairn. Cool dry day.
11^th November	Coire nan Lochan, Glen Coe.			Walked from the Achtriochtan layby to the River Coe footbridge at the foot of the coire. Continued upwards on the footpath as far as the cairn below Stob Coire nan Lochan (approx. GR: 15383-55142). Returned on the outward route. Cool day with fine weather.
18^th November	King Kenneth’s Cairn, Loch Turret, Crieff.			Circular walk along Loch Turret then steeply eastwards on to the high ground south of Auchnafree Hill. Returned on good tracks southwards via King Kenneth’s Cairn with a short final moorland descent to the start. Rainy day with very low cloud.
26^th November	Aultanrynie stalker’s path, Achfary.			Walked the track around the end of Loch More from Kinloch to Aultanrynie then followed the stalker’s path east to the 513m summit. Returned on the outward route. Short Sunday walk with superb weather and scenery.
2^nd December	Gleann Dubh Lighe Bothy & Loch Shiel, Glenfinnan.			Walked the pleasant riverside track up Gleann Dubh Lighe to visit the newly restored bothy then continued to the edge of the woodland to view Streap and the open coire. Returned on the outward route then moved the car to Callop parking area for a walk to Loch Shiel. Cold winter’s day with sharp frost but fine weather. Distant views to the Glenfinnan viaduct and monument from the Loch Shiel track.
16^th December	Mona Gowan, Glen Fenzie.			Circular walk from the Glenfenzie ruins (including two corn-drying kilns) with a return via Morven Lodge. Set off northwards to climb Scraulac then continued east over Cairnagour Hill to the Jubilee Cairn on Mona Gowan. (The cairn was built in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee). Descended south to Morven Lodge then over into Glen Fenzie for the return. Mild, dry day but very windy.
23^rd December	Glen Shee & The D, Glen Almond.			Circular walk around Glenshee Hill with a detour to visit the ancient cairn on Moine Folaich (called “The D” on the map). Parked by the ford near Little Glenshee farmhouse. Rainy day with blustery wind high up.
30^th December	Loch Muick, Ballater.			Circular walk around Loch Muick from Spittal of Glenmuick, past the residences of Allt-na-giubhsaich and Glas-allt-Shiel. The track was mostly thin snow and ice underfoot with occasional clear patches. Dry at first, snowing from Glas-allt-Shiel turning to sleet at the end. Snow gates closed so return car journey via Aberdeen and the A96.