UKC

I saw a couple of months ago that the Mullardoch ferry will not run due to the ferryman having surgery. My daughter and I have not done the two westerly Munros on the north side, and so I was wondering if we could bike up Glen Strathfarrar, and camp somewhere there. Is camping allowed?

I know that some people would do this in a day, but I do not know how fast we will be, or when we will arrive in that area, hence consideration of camping. Alternatively can we readily get out of the gate with bikes late in the day? I know that there are various restrictions with cars, vans etc.

Alternatively I;ve wondered about getting to An Socach from Iron Lodge, but it looks a fair way, there and back.

Camping is fine in strathfarrar. And no time issues with bikes.

Saw a few folk coming into Mullardoch from Iron Lodge last year. Fairly certain they cycled in, it's a decent track.

It is a fair way but you can bike in to Iron Lodge.

Better to do them from the dam, and go over Carn an Gobhar and Sgurr na Lapaich en route, then reverse the whole thing on the way out. Conditions now will be perfect. It sounds like a big day but once you're up it's easy going. The loch side is a legendarily purgatorial boggy trudge to be avoided. The km of so of loch side that you will approach the ascent on is bad enough, even in drought conditions.

Last time I was there several walkers and a party of runners were camped near the dam.

Done the top of Carn an Gobhar, plus Munro itself, and Sgurr na Lapaich in the past. Then did SNL from along the loch in sl wintery conditions with my daughter coming back over CAG last year, and found that lochside a real pain until we started heading up. Hence the idea of coming in from the north side. 

It's a bloody long day to do all four and then reverse them, methinks. Nevertheless, a consideration.

Might build my own origami, large version Sampan!

Can you cycle any further than Iron Lodge?

I found an socach from the west, cycling from Killilan to Iron Lodge, to be a full day but not extreme. An riabhachan from the end of the glen strathfarrar road was also a decent day but a bit shorter. So if you have two days you could do that. If you wanted to combine them, it would be a big day from either direction but think it would be slightly easier overall to come from the strathfarrar side. But then, as you say you are against the clock a bit. 

To add, if cycling to Iron lodge, probably best to leave bikes there. The track beyond that to Loch mhoicean is semi-rideable if keen, but quite steep and loose/washed out in places, so probably easier overall to walk from there.

We would definitely want to do them both together, but your information is really useful, as is everyone else's, thankyou to all.

It may be that we camp near to the loch further down the track than Iron Lodge, and do the horseshoe two Munros and all their tops, then do the western two Mullardoch Munros too. Maybe...

Not any longer, or at least not any more arduous than the other options and vastly preferable to both. It’s a big day but not particularly so and once up the going is easy and fast. Maybe similar to a Cairngorm day in scale.

When we did the four we were unaware of the ferry option and walked along the intermittent path on the north shore. I remember that we were very glad to get onto the better walking of a broad spur leading up onto the shoulder of An Socach. The suggestion of an out and back along the ridge is preferable - the going underfoot would more than compensate for the descents between the summits.

Yes from memory both branches are cyclable for a bit. We were off to An Cruachan & Carn na Breabaig so no need to go further. 

https://www.mountaineering.scot/access/special-arrangements/strathfarrar

I did the three easterly munros from Gleann Innis and An Socach from Iron lodge. Full days but not excessive.

It was more years ago than I care to remember, but I cycled up Glen Cannich and left the tent in the Mullardoch fanks, before reeling in the 4 Munros.

We get that you're super fit and can comfortably do what others would consider a huge day. Good for you. Showing off how fit you are doesn't help the OP.

There's a report here of doing the two from Strathfarrar.

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=115367

In June, July and August you have 11 hours to drive in, do the hills and drive out.

https://www.mountaineering.scot/access/special-arrangements/strathfarrar

Read the original post and was about to say I've done the 2 most westerly Mullardoch munros from the Strathfarrar side as a day walk ...but I see Pero above has actually posted the link to a walk report I did for it. Gives some info on where to park and ascent/descent routes as I didn't really know what was feasible when I set out, so thought someone might find it useful.

It was a good walk, I was intending to go back at some point and try other ways up and down I'd spotted too, but unfortunately I broke my ankle the Spring after that walk and am only getting back to walking 2 years later. I was pretty fit at that time, I might have to factor in an extra hour if I try doing it this year!

Not quite the same as An Socach, but I went up Mullach na Dheiragain from Killilan recently. The cycle to Iron Lodge took about an hour and that’s where I left my bike. The whole day was about eight hours. I’m not a regular cyclist at all. The track immediately beyond Iron Lodge, heading towards Mullach na Dheiragain, was very steep and quite rough. I was delighted not to be pushing a bike up it.

I’ve always found Glen Strathfarrar to be quite a magical place to cycle up, especially in the autumn. 

Friend of mine did those two from an overnight in Maol Bhuidhe bothy, if that appeals. 

I did all four on backpacking trips - eastern two from Achnasheen to Cannich and the western pair from Dornie to Struy.

An alternative is to cycle in from Glen Affric, to the Glen Affric YH (you could stay there if you book in) and then wander up An Socach and on - I did this the other weekend, very enjoyable it was too.

Hope you get the weather for it, enjoy them by whatever route you go 

There are two An Socachs - the thread is about the northern one, AKA Meall a' Chraisg. Of course Meall a' Chraisg is doable by a crossing of the bealach west of Mam Sodhail.

That's the wrong An Socach.