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2-3 day circular routes with bothies

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 SenzuBean 11 Feb 2016
Hello

My partner and I are looking to do a bit of hillwalking in North West Scotland for a week around Easter, but we're having trouble finding good 2-3 day~ circular walks, that have bothies - and munros. Does anyone have any recommendations for any that would fit this?
To give an idea of our fitness, we're both happy walking 8 hour days, carrying decent loads (or should I say I'm comfortable carrying the load of 2 people...).

Thanks in advance.
 Tom Last 11 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

How about something involving camp and pub at Inverie, Sourlies bothy (excellent), Barrisdale bothy (substandard) or a camp and Ladhar Bheinn & Luinne Bheinn as your Munros?
Really beautiful and very quiet out that way.
OP SenzuBean 11 Feb 2016
In reply to Tom Last:

> How about something involving camp and pub at Inverie, Sourlies bothy (excellent), Barrisdale bothy (substandard) or a camp and Ladhar Bheinn & Luinne Bheinn as your Munros?

> Really beautiful and very quiet out that way.

I've yet to buy a 2 person tent, so camping is out for now. I'm changing jobs at the moment too, so don't want to buy one yet either.
 Ramblin dave 11 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

Have you got requirements for how far North West? Like, North West of Edinburgh, or North West of Ullapool?
OP SenzuBean 11 Feb 2016
In reply to Ramblin dave:

> Have you got requirements for how far North West? Like, North West of Edinburgh, or North West of Ullapool?

Within 2-3 hours of Inverness is a requirement (as we'll be flying in and renting a car). Not tourist honeypots is a "nice to have"
In reply to SenzuBean:

Is the 'far north' something you would consider rather than the NW?. You will almost definitely not be in a 'honetpot' area.
 Ramblin dave 11 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

> Within 2-3 hours of Inverness is a requirement (as we'll be flying in and renting a car).

Well you're quids in there, because that covers pretty much everywhere from Crianlarich to Durness!

Blair Atholl to Aviemore via the Tarf Hotel and Ruigh Aiteachain is a cracking walk with the option of bagging some fairly remote munros. Ruigh Aiteachain is fairly accessible and popular, but the Tarf Hotel is pretty wild and woolly. You can get the train between Blair and Aviemore.

Meanach, East of Glen Nevis, is another good remote bothy with lots of options for getting in or out from stations or car parks.

I'm not so sure about two or three day trips North West of Inverness - most of the bothies up there seem to be relatively close to roads and far from each other, so it's harder to find extended trips that break down naturally into a series of full days the same way. I'm keen for anyone else's ideas on that front...
Removed User 11 Feb 2016
Graeme G 11 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

Go round the Cairngorms via Glen Feshie, Bob Scotts and Ryvoan. Possibly via Hutheson Hut. Not the Northwest but would make a cracking trip from Aviemore.
OP SenzuBean 11 Feb 2016
In reply to Father Noel Furlong:

Thanks for the ideas everyone

I'll report back with any new ideas I have too.
OP SenzuBean 15 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

I've looked into Sourlies - and it looks nice and do-able, although as a circular walk it seems the mountains are all on one day, and then bogs on the other :p

Another option I've found is to go from Achnashellach, up Beinn Liath Mhor, over Sgorr Ruadh and then down to the Coire Fionnaraich bothy. Then next day head up to Maol Chean-dearg, then return back to Achnashellach.
 ScraggyGoat 15 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:
It's worth noting that on the Easter weekend many bothies, and all bothies mentioned so far will probably be honey-pots. While in the spirit of bothying there should be space made to squeeze all in, some might be cramped. Particularly Sourlies and Corrour. The suggestions so far are all good and are 'classic trips'. Bothies in the NW on what's termed the Cape Wrath trail will also be seeing more attention than one might expect.

If you are willing to drop your idea of a circular there are lots more options

So in order to show willing how about Camban, option one from Morvich over the Five Sisters, then next day return by Fhada. Or from the Shiel road over some of the brothers and return by Mullach Fraoch Corrie. Note these are probably at the upper limit of your excercise scale. In bad weather the Morvich Camban Morvich option has the benefit of offering a low level circular, but in a wild and remote setting.

While your in the area, over the saddle from Shiel bridge, to loop back to Suardalan. next day Sgritheall from behind (oo-ear-misses) but actual better than the guidebook frontal assault, if you ignore the initial bog stomping. Back to the bothy for another night or walking out to the car.
Post edited at 18:48
 Mike-W-99 15 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

I've done that route (Coire Fionnaraich). Its very good and entirely doable on public transport.
 petestack 15 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

> Another option I've found is to go from Achnashellach, up Beinn Liath Mhor, over Sgorr Ruadh and then down to the Coire Fionnaraich bothy. Then next day head up to Maol Chean-dearg, then return back to Achnashellach.

It's a very attractive bothy, but will drag you off the most logical circuit of the surrounding hills. You could add Fuar Tholl on day 1 and An Ruadh-stac on day 2 to make the most of your stay, but would still have to break the logical round somewhere. I've done it all bar An Ruadh-stac on a single November day (yes, partly running!), so just looked into the bothy and didn't stay (jump past the first pair of photos to get to the right bit)...

http://www.petestack.com/blog/november-fastpacking.html

OP SenzuBean 15 Feb 2016
In reply to ScraggyGoat:

> It's worth noting that on the Easter weekend many bothies, and all bothies mentioned so far will probably be honey-pots. While in the spirit of bothying there should be space made to squeeze all in, some might be cramped. Particularly Sourlies and Corrour. The suggestions so far are all good and are 'classic trips'. Bothies in the NW on what's termed the Cape Wrath trail will also be seeing more attention than one might expect.

Yes you're quite correct - so we're not visiting a bothy during Easter, but instead the week after

> If you are willing to drop your idea of a circular there are lots more options

> So in order to show willing how about Camban, option one from Morvich over the Five Sisters, then next day return by Fhada. Or from the Shiel road over some of the brothers and return by Mullach Fraoch Corrie. Note these are probably at the upper limit of your excercise scale. In bad weather the Morvich Camban Morvich option has the benefit of offering a low level circular, but in a wild and remote setting.

We've decided to pay the bit extra to stay at the Cluanie, so we can use it as a base for circular walks (parking the car towards Kyle, walking back to the Cluanie one day, then back to the car the next).

> While your in the area, over the saddle from Shiel bridge, to loop back to Suardalan. next day Sgritheall from behind (oo-ear-misses) but actual better than the guidebook frontal assault, if you ignore the initial bog stomping. Back to the bothy for another night or walking out to the car.

OP SenzuBean 15 Feb 2016
In reply to Mike-W-99:

> I've done that route (Coire Fionnaraich). Its very good and entirely doable on public transport.

Ah that's great to hear. How is it dropping down into the valley from Sgorr Ruadh?
OP SenzuBean 15 Feb 2016
In reply to petestack:

> It's a very attractive bothy, but will drag you off the most logical circuit of the surrounding hills. You could add Fuar Tholl on day 1 and An Ruadh-stac on day 2 to make the most of your stay, but would still have to break the logical round somewhere. I've done it all bar An Ruadh-stac on a single November day (yes, partly running!), so just looked into the bothy and didn't stay (jump past the first pair of photos to get to the right bit)...


That's a nice route - a bit different from what I was thinking. But it looks like even your route could be "bothyized".
 petestack 16 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

> But it looks like even your route could be "bothyized".

Yes, of course. If you did the peaks to the east on day 1 and descended the path from Bealach na Lice to the bothy, you could leave your overnight gear there while tacking Maol Chean Dearg (from its easier side) and An Ruadh-stac before picking it up again on the way out. And you could probably eliminate the return along the road by ascending Fuar Tholl from the south (Coulags), though you would miss the scenic approach from Achnashellach.

 Mike-W-99 16 Feb 2016
In reply to SenzuBean:

> Ah that's great to hear. How is it dropping down into the valley from Sgorr Ruadh?

Ah we dumped packs around NG954508and did it as an out and back. Used the stalkers path to the north for accessing the bothy.

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