Hill: Carn Mor
Date: Fri 31 Oct 2008 – Sat 1 Nov 2008
Company: Just me


Now and again it is great to spend a night on, or amongst, the hills. After a bit of last-minute rucksack packing yesterday, I set off making for the long and winding rollercoaster of a road that leads to Strathan, at the end of Loch Arkaig. I think Loch Arkaig is my favourite roadside loch.

Loch Arkaig looking East:


Loch Arkaig looking West:


On reaching the road end at 16:00, I set off with my 65l rucksack filled to capacity (as usual I packed way too much and was soon regretting the weight). On reaching the Rights of Way sign-post at Strathan, I took the left fork, crossed the River Dessary and headed into Glendessary Wood. The landrover track through the wood skirts round Monadh Gorm – a distant outlier on the long ridge to the Corbett,

Carn Mor Rights of Way, at Strathan:


Track through Glendessary wood:


I reached A’Chuil Bothy at 17:20 by which time it was already getting dark.

Skyline at Dusk:


A’Chuil Bothy:


After dumping my heavy rucksack, I had a quick look round the bothy. Of the two rooms, the smaller room was definitely the cleanest. I could hardly see the table top in the larger room for mouse droppings. I moved my rucksack into the smaller room and first priority was to get the fire going.

Inside A’Chuil Bothy:


Second priority, given the amount of mouse droppings, was to get my gear safely hanging from the ceiling.

Raised Sleeping Area:


After getting some water filtered and some pasta cooked, I went outside for a look about.

My Kitchen:


In pitch darkness, with no light pollution at all, I could see an incredible number of stars. If it hadn’t been below freezing, I think I could have sat outside and looked up at the sky all night. After quite a good night’s sleep, apart from the sound of mice moving around, I was up and off by 07:00 this morning.

A’Chuil Bothy:


I took some photos, before setting off for Carn Mor, of lovely pink and red skies.

Fraoch Bheinn at Dawn:


First sunlight on the Glendessary Munros:


View towards Loch Arkaig:


From A’Chuil, I ascended Coir a’Bhoganaich, eventually reaching the ridge at 560m.

View from Coir a’Bhoganaich:


Carn Mor:


Was surprised at how close the Glenfinnan Munros were from the ridge.

Looking across to Sgurr Thuilm:


The ridge to the 616m top and beyond was undulating with quite a number of peat hags.

Ridge to Carn Mor:


I continued past the 616m top and down to the col between it and Carn Mor.

Looking back to 616m top:


A distant Ben Nevis (zoomed):


Bidean a’Chabair:


From the col, the ascent of Carn Mor was quite straight-forward, however, from a distance the final rocky top looked more difficult.

Rocky top of Carn Mor:


Thankfully there was no need to put hands to icy rock, instead a simple but steep snow slope bypassed the crags.

Snow slope:


Knoydart Peaks:


Stitched Panoramic:


Summit cairn of Carn Mor:


On reaching the summit cairn I got a very pleasant surprise. Great views out to the isles.

Rum from summit of Carn Mor:


View from summit cairn:


Rum (zoomed):


I followed by footsteps on the way back as far as the col between Carn Mor and the 616m top and then descended into Coire an Eich. Returned to A’Chuil to pick up my Sleeping Bag, etc. and then back out to the car.