Walk of the Week: Lochan A' Choire

I recently attended a funeral in Inverness of a good friend, Alan Imlah, a former neighbour and one-time keen hillwalker before golf came along.

Heading north on the day before the funeral, it seemed entirely appropriate to have a solo hill walk, reminiscing about times spent together. I am certain that Alan would have approved. Although the weather was forecast to improve later on, it was a wet start to the low-cloud day so I stayed away from the high tops.

Instead, mindful of needing an easy route to help contemplation, I opted for the Aberarder path leading towards Creag Meagaidh, but only as far as Lochan a' Choire in Coire Ardair. That was also a sensible place to go while amid the stalking season.

Creag Meagaidh, crag of the boggy place, lies on the north shore of Loch Laggan, halfway along the A86 between Spean Bridge and Newtonmore. It was bought on behalf of the nation in 1985 after public concern over plans to create a forestry plantation on the lower ground at Aberarder and beyond. The main aim of the National Nature Reserve, created in 1986, has been to revive the land by restoring natural plant and animal communities. Creag Meagaidh itself is a massive mountain, with a complex series of spectacular ice-gouged corries, lochans and ridges.

Coire Ardair, hidden from the A86, is the long, glen-like corrie that has as its south-west headwall the eastern cliffs of Creag Meagaidh. Although first explored by rock climbers in the late 1800s, the cliffs now feature as one of the popular areas for winter climbing. The sombre Lochan a' Choire, one of those must-visit places, nestles below these crags.

While maps 34 and 42 both cover the following route, neither is essential; it's just a case of following the superb path. Nevertheless a map will give a better appreciation of this lovely area.

The lochan is at a height of 620m/2034ft but reaching it is not physically demanding. Allow four to five hours, plus time at the lochan.

The Route

Start from the car park by Aberarder, at map ref 482873. A footpath, parallel to a track, leads to Aberarder, then skirts to the right of the buildings and heads generally north-west, gently rising.

A long stretch of the path used to be made of railway sleepers with careful walking required on wet wood. However, the sleepers have since been uplifted and the new path now extends all the way to the charming Lochan a' Choire. It is thus an easy and scenic stroll on the north side of the Allt Coire Ardair, partly through a scrubby wooded area on the lower slopes of Carn Liath. Even on a poor day you will enjoy the walk.

On a good day you may be tempted by a short extension to the walk.

Above the loch to the north-west is Stob Poite Coire Ardair, linked to the Meagaidh massif by Uinneag Coire Ardair, simply known as the Window. The path now extends beyond the lochan, climbing north-west then west over steep ground towards this narrow gap and its jumble of boulders. It is likely that Bonnie Prince Charlie, the royal wanderer, passed this way on his travels.

Once back at Aberarder, I was pleased to chance upon an old business colleague, Jimmy Carr and his wife. After swapping the usual where-are-they-now stories, I continued to the car park then headed north for Inverness.

Maps

Ordnance Survey map 34, Fort Augustus, or 42, Glen Garry

Distance

8 miles

Height

400m

Terrain

Superb path all the way

Start point

Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve car park, Aberarder, map ref 482873

Time

4 to 5 hours

Nearest villages

Spean Bridge and Newtonmore

Nearest refreshment spot

Monadhliath Hotel, Laggan