Walk on the wild side: Beinn na Lap

BEINN na Lap is an oddity amongst Munros - an oddity in that it is regarded as one of the easiest of Munros (for the most popular route up, an ascent of only 500m to a height of 937m) with a short walk to boot - and an uninspiring mountain at that.

Yet it lies near the heart of Scotland and, but for the West Highland Railway line (giving easy access from either Tulloch or Rannoch stations to Corrour), would be regarded as one of the more remote Munros to be treasured.

It also has a dual personality, uninspiring perhaps by the usual way up, yet at the same time more akin to a Corbett, giving a wonderful viewpoint.

The attractions of remoteness can best be appreciated by avoiding the usual route up from Corrour Station and opting for an approach from the north-east. That gives a much longer day but should dismiss the "one of the easiest Munros" tag.

You will need two Ordnance Survey maps - sheet 41, Ben Nevis, and sheet 42, Glen Garry. Just west of Tulloch Station, drive south off the A86 Laggan road for the two miles to Fersit and park at map ref 351783 before crossing the River Treig. Taking the car over the bridge is only for the stout-hearted, as it is off the public road and gains minimal distance.

The path heads east-south-east through Fersit, gradually curving south-east as it goes through the wooded area round the northern shoulder of Chno Dearg, before climbing up to a height of 500m and then dropping south to join a track from Moy.

It is then half a mile to a bridge over the Allt Feith Thuill (map ref 398730). The overall distance to the bridge is five miles and should take no more than two and a half hours.

At the bridge, head west for half a mile on the path on the south side of the Allt, then head south-south-west up the Sron na Cloiche Sgoilte. It is two and a half miles from the bridge up a very gentle and inspiring slope (a climb of only 500m) and giving commanding views. In bad weather, it is relatively easy to navigate. Time for this last section is one-and-a-half hours.

You will have every right to feel virtuous on top of this "remote" Munro as you savour the view of beautiful Loch Ossian and the outlying circle of distant Munros. So that is a total time of say four hours for the seven-and-a-half mile walk and the return journey should take about one hour less.

And for a return visit to Beinn na Lap some day? Well, this time why not take the train to Corrour Station and approach the hill by way of the popular route from the south-west for a short day of just over three hours? It will all look quite different. Perhaps then you will view Beinn na Lap in a different light.