The Creag Meagaidh circuit is one of the classic walks in the Highlands and allows no fewer than three Munros to be climbed relatively easily in one day. mountains, Creag Meagaidh is a magical place where pioneering conservation work is bringing trees back to the high, rounded hillsides. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve covers 4, 000 hectares in the south of the Monadhliath north of Loch Laggan in Scotland. - See 34 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. From the lochan there is a clear path down the north bank of the Allt Coire Ardair. The normal route up Creag Meagaidh is from Aberarder - a walk through beautiful native forestry gradually reveals the awesome cliffs of Coire Ardair, which can be safely turned on the side via The Window. Please let us know by clicking here. Creag Meagaidh & the 4 tops - 70s girl group? 
Oh the joy of pathless open moorland. Scmccabe : 05/10/2020: From the Car park via the window. Circuit of Creag Meagaidh and it's tops. Down from Sron a' Choire to track via NE ridge. With Debs & Tali. Great views. Mountain Goat: 02/10/2020 The plan for our second day in Laggan was to climb one of the many Munros in the area. Further down it becomes grassier. Route details and information are provided in good faith. The reserve extends from the shoreline of Loch Laggan to the high summits of the hills that form the whaleback ridge surrounding the ‘great bowl’ of Coire Ardair. Turn right at the information boards and then right again as directed. There is a good-sized car park at Aberarder on the north side of the A86, opposite Loch Laggan. The final section of the walk is particularly stunning passing through some ancient alder woods, with bird cherry, holly and willow. (Above) Still plenty of snow for ski access above 400m – although it would have been a soggy affair …foot soldiering today in the wet snow . Crab Crawl: Creag Meagaidh's most unusual route was first climbed solo by winter legend Tom Patey in 1969. Scotland is under national lockdown. There are some lovely specimen trees supporting shrubby and foliose lichens and mosses. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve: Amazing walk - See 34 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. There is an information point with reserve leaflets and sightings board, picnic bench and loo at Aberarder farmhouse, as well as some interpretation boards and benches on route. This is the first Munro of the day at a height of 1006 metres. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, Fort William: Address, Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve Reviews: 4.5/5. However, I had the chance to go in from the Braeroy side this week. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve in the Monadhliath Mountains is a rocky landscape of ice gorged summits, plateaus and ridges that extends from north-east Lochaber into the Cairngorms. Descend south southwest to reach 'The Window', the bealach between the ridge just traversed and Creag Meagaidh itself. Continue on the path which soon becomes pitched as it climbs through the fine regenerating birchwoods. Creag Meagaidh, Stob Poite Coire Ardair & Carn Liath [Loch Laggan] Quick Facts This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route. Look out for a cairn where a rough path heads off amongst the birch trees. But I guess, you disagree. (Above) Cornice collapse observed here this morning – right of centre of the photo – with wet snow instability also an issue on these steep generally E facing crags. It’s a fair walk in to Creag Meagaidh it took us around 2 hours to reach the wee loch at the foot of the Munro so after a little photo break we took on the first climb of the day. Going out for a walk on your own in the mountains is about as Often mistaken for the summit of Creag Meagaidh by visitors. Maps displayed on these walking pages are intended as an overview of the walk and are NOT suitable for navigation. Look out for butterflies (whites and browns), a range of woodland and meadow birds. Park at in car park Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, clearly signposted off the A88, at Aberarder. Creag Meagaidh is a vast plateau, and one of the higher mountains of the central Highlands - … A short ascent along this ridge brings the cairn of Creag Meagaidh into view. Loch Lochy to Loch Laggan - Creag Meagaidh. A pretty straightforward walk this one, but another 3 munros in the bag. Look out for verses by Sorley MacLean carved into stones by the path, testifying to the value of trees within the landscape. A lovely pleasant stroll. Home » Blog » Creag Meagaidh, 30 Nov-1 Dec'19 Creag Meagaidh Creag Meagaidh and neighbouring Munros, 30 November - 1 December 2019 A blog post from one of our mountain adventures in the Scottish hills and mountains Once passed the farmhouse, the path begins to ascend more steeply passing through heathland with natural woodland regeneration. A beautiful walk starting with lots of bird and wild life from the start. Veer left at the junction as directed, and then turn right at the T-junction to the car park. An enjoyable day on Creag Meagaidh & its neighbouring peaks, Stob Poite Coire Ardair, & Carn Liath. Off to Creag Meagaidh We left the cottage at 9am and drove on the A86 to the . This is a fabulous walk (or run) with Open start point in Google Maps for directions. This spectacular crag overlooks a beautiful, tranquil lochan - … There is a lovely section of meadow, dominated by pignut (Conopodium majus) purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea), creeping buttercup, common sorrel and speedwells, with meadowsweet, marsh thistle and marsh marigold in the wetter areas. The path passes by a lawned area with picnic benches at the start, and then by a bird-blind screening a bird feeding area. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve: Perfect location for a quiet walk. A lovely short walk heading to a lovely viewpoint, passing through meadow, heath and ancient alder woodland. At a clear junction, ignore the red pine marten signpost and take the right hand branch which climbs gently. This is regarded as one of the best ice-climbing arenas in Scotland. A stunning walk with fabulous hill views to lochan a Choire in Coire Ardair, following the watercourse, Allt Coire Ardair, in the Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve. Turn right at the T-junction following the signposts back to the car park. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2021 So little effort for such grand views. The actual summit of Creag Meagaidh is several hundred metres further west, where the plateau narrows into a ridge, and it's marked by a less monumental cairn. The intention is to restore the wildwood of Glen Spean by reducing, but not eliminating, deer numbers to restore the natural dynamics of woodland regeneration. A long and pleasant walk in from Aberarder … A nice, crisp morning and all the hills were well clear. The Creag Meagaidh Circuit, including three Munros, Carn Liath, Stob Poite Coire Ardair and Creag Meagaidh, is one to save for good weather. The path is fringed mainly by meadow full of pignut and bluebell, with creeping buttercup, speedwell and meadowsweet, in Spring and Summer, and with some fine old birches. Then path then heads into another lovely section of alder woodland, crossing a stream. A Wildlife Adventure Awaits. A lovely short walk through meadow and ancient alderwoods with an herbaceous understorey with bluebell, pignut, creeping buttercup and wood cranesbill. I did this walk in August 2015 driving to the large car park at Creag Megaidh National Nature Reserve by the A86 between Spean Bridge and Newtonmore. Good view of the surrounding hills and there is a large picnic area and a bird-blind screening some bird feeders. The slope soon eases into the vast plateau of Creag Meagaidh. The path passes by a large sheep fank. It was only a matter of time before the flat, meandering path deteriorated into a scramble up a bolder field! The path passes through grassy heath with natural regeneration by birch and rowan. The path is very boggy at first through the woods, and continues up the rough hillside to just west of Na Cnapanan, with great views back over Loch Laggan. The summit plateau of Creag Meagaidh can be difficult to navigate in poor visibility - precipices nearby! 2 Kids can go half price per adult. Creag Meagaidh is a vast mountain, its summit plateau resting above dark lochans and huge cliffs, its arms reaching out to several minor summits. The walks offer some stunning of views of Creag Meagaidh massif and Loch Laggan. Creag Meagaidh is a magnificent massif, a bare plateau fringed by some of the grandest cliffs in Scotland. The map can be resized and dragged using your mouse. Climb up to the lochan in Coire Ardair to view the magnificent cliffs of Creag Meagaidh. The walk follows a gravel track through meadow with the land managed as it would have been in former times by local crofters/farmers. From here, return across the plateau and back down to 'The Window'. The scenery becomes ever more impressive as height is lost until Lochan Coire Ardair is reached. I therefore stopped to take some Paracetemol and Ibuprofen. The walk starts at the information boards for the reserve and is signposted with lilac alder logo. WalkLakes recognises that hill walking, or walking in the mountains, is an activity with a danger of personal injury or death. These tablets got me through the remainder of the walk but somewhat masked the real pain which I was to feel when the tablets wore off! Route data © Walkhighlands. Creag Meagaidh is principally an ice venue so a decent rack of screws is very helpful, and the turfy and compact nature of the rock can make a hook and a few pegs handy as well. As well as reading our description of each walking route, you can read about the experiences of others users on this walk and others.There are 63 user reports for this walk - click to read them. Two days of guided winter hiking up Creag Meagaidh, Beinn a'Chaorainn and neighbouring Munros Steven Fallon was leading. Crab Crawl: Creag Meagaidh's most unusual route was first climbed solo by winter legend Tom Patey in 1969. using a map and compass. The views are superb and when I first walked the loop a decade ago, the conditions worsened so by the time we reached the third summit of Creag Meagaidh, we could hardly see a thing due to rain and mist. Things to do near Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve The Highland Mountain Company Vertical Fever - Day Adventures Nevis Cycles Hunter Mountaineering Highland Mini Tours Steall Waterfall Lochaber Guides - Private Day Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve: A Scenetic walk all the way - See 34 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. Creag Meagaidh is connected to the ridge containing the Munros Stob Poite Coire Ardair and Carn Liath via an unusually sharp bealach called 'The Window'. Take a stroll by the river, watch for goldfinches and deer, or walk to a remote loch Lochan a Does your firm want to sponsor this route. Cross this to a giant, very old looking cairn on the northern fringe of the tablelands beyond - Mad Meg's cairn. This tiny sheet of water is utterly overpowered by the great bulk of Creag Meagaidh's cliffs high above. Information is provided free of charge; it is each walker's responsibility to check it and navigate There are some lovely sections of mixed woodland with alder, oak and rowan, with a mixed herbaceous understorey with bluebell, pignut, creeping buttercup and bracken. In addition, there is an interpretation board, next to a picnic bench and affording view over the river (Alt Coire Ardair), celebrating the magic and biodiversity of the alder and birch woodlands. Natural woodland regeneration is being actively encouraged on the reserve by removal of sheep and by reducing deer numbers (roe, Sitka and red deer). The Creag Meagaidh Circuit, including three Munros, Carn Liath, Stob Poite Coire Ardair and Creag Meagaidh, is one to save for good weather. Always check the weather forecast and let others know if you are walking in the hills. Creag Meagaidh's not-so-large summit cairn is a further 500m or so onwards, from where the views are wonderful. The path heads down one side of a meadow then into small section of alder wood, and then out again up the other side. Then cross the farm track and continue on the other side following the signpost and ascending towards the information point at Aberarder farmhouse. This isn't the summit of the mountain though; for this, continue westwards where the plateau soon narrows to form a ridge. The path is a little boggy at first but improves further down where it keeps further from the river. There are a few events each year organised by Scottish National Heritage for which booking is essential, please contact SNH at Aviemore for details. This 2015 walk completes a clockwise loop around Coire Ardair to visit the three munros associated with Creag Meagaidh. The Crab Crawl is a 'girdle traverse' of the entire crag, and at around 2400m in length, it's one of the biggest climbs in Britain. Hill: Creag Meagaidh Date: Sunday 25th February 2018 Company: Just myself Distance: 18.9km, Ascent: 1135m Time: 6Hrs 20Mins It wasn't my intention to go walking this weekend, however, on seeing the MWIS and SAIS The path passes by an interpretation board on crofting, two information points and another interpretation board on the fairy knoll. Three lovely short walks from the car park in Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve providing an opportunity to experience various habitats, including meadow, ancient alder woodland and heath land. 'The Window' is set well back from Coire Ardair and there is no view down to the lochan. The Apprentice, who occasionally features on the blog, is unleashed onto the hill by my back … We left the cottage at 9am and drove on the A86 to the Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve car par. It's a great opportunity to work on a remote Highland reserve and gain valuable practical work experience. The dramatic scenery here includes Munro summits, an exposed whaleback ridge and ice-carved gullies. Route descriptions to discover the area yourself: Coire Ardair (walk into the corrie) Creag Meagaidh circuit (round of 3 Munros) Keep left at the junction and heading back towards the car park. At the signpost, cross over the track and continue on the gravel path back towards the car park, passing by and through a lovely fringe of alder, willow, oak and bird cherry. We are looking for residential volunteers who truly care about the Scottish countryside to work on our NNRs who can commit to … kayaking, wildlife watching, cruising, cycling, golfing, climbing, skiing, slow adventures and many more things to do, Take off for the day to see the puffins on The Treshnish Isles, A Day trip to Mull, Skye, The Small Isles, The Most westerly point on the mainland and many more local ideas for a day out, Photos and Content Copyright ©2011-2021 Wild About Lochaber - All Rights Reserved, Black Grouse at Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, Holiday Cottages in Fort William and Lochaber. The lower part of the glen is clothed with a wonderful remnant of the ancient forest, and further still are the regenerating areas helped by the National Nature Reserve. Munro, Marilyn, Murdo, HuMP, Sim, and Tump. Home » Blog » Creag Meagaidh, 30 Nov-1 Dec'19. If joining the route at this point following an ascent from the lochan, be sure to head to the west end of the Window, as a faint path heading up Creag Meagaidh from the east end is uncomfortably steep. We set off bang on time again and headed off up the excellent path into Coire Ardair. Head west down the open slopes and over the insignificant swelling of Meall an t-Snaim. The heath sections support heather (Calluna vulgaris), bell heather (Erica spp), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea), bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), and deer grass (Trichophorum germanicum), with heath speedwell (Veronica officinalis), heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile), tormentil (Potentilla erecta) and devil’s bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) adding splashes of colour from spring to late summer. Other possible sightings include pipits, willow warblers, wren, greater spotted woodpecker, blackbird, song thrush, robin; to mention a few. The footpath crosses a track before reaching the whitewashed former farm which is now part of the National Nature Reserve, run by Scottish Natural Heritage; there are sheltered picnic tables here. Please follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and respect landowners and residents' privacy. Day 2 - CREAG MEAGAIDH, STOB POITE COIRE ARDAIR & CARN LIATH Surprisingly, given the recent warm weather, it was -1C at the Creag Meagaidh car park on Sunday morning. The meadows are dominated by pignut (Conopodium majus), purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea). The simple answer to your question, Mary, is that the name appears to derive from local oral history. Look out for siskins, redpolls, chaffinches, tits on the feeders. 4 NN4183987530 Return past Mad Meg’s Cairn and head back down to the west end of The Window. All the way along the 6km walk you get more and more impressive views of the main feature on Creag Meagaidh - The Post Face. Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Creag Meagaidh. There is a short, steep little ascent from here to reach Sron Coire a'Chriochairein. Why not join us as a volunteer at Creag Meagaidh NNR? Climbed from Aberarder car park to do the Creag Meagaidh circuit, with Carn Laith first, Stob Poite Coire Ardair then Creag Meagaidh, retuning down the Coire Ardair path from The Window. Once above Na Cnapanan, very thick mist pretty much throughout with very strong winds. Meet Richard on the summit of Carn Laith, thankfully we teamed up to … This walk provides a great opportunity to see a range of woodland birds including, siskins, redpoll, tits, and finches on the multiple feeders throughout the woodland. This traverse also takes in two further neighbouring Munros and makes for a memorable day. Large-scale sheep farming and high deer numbers had devastated Creag Meagaidh over centuries. Continue up some stone steps by a boundary wall to a lovely viewpoint with an information board. Home to Scotland's Big Five, red deer, golden eagle, otter, red squirrel, seals and so much more. Descend the steep slopes leading east from the Window; the path is steep, stony and eroded and keeps to the left on the way down at first, before switching to the right on the second steep section. Creag Meagaidh Creag Meagaidh and neighbouring Munros, 30 November - 1 December 2019 A blog post from one of our mountain adventures in the Scottish hills and mountains. Poor mountain day 7th March 2020 (Above) Not a great day in prospect with a walk (in rain – clearing at times) to investigate some recent debris seen middle of slope center, on Sron a Ghoire. The skyline is at about 900m. Combining Creag Meagaidh with these peaks makes for a fine circuit with options of returning through Coire Ardair or staying high over Puist Coire Ardair for long-lasting views. The first part of this moderate walk, which follows a very good path, passes through the regenerating woodland of the National Nature Reserve. Continue on at the junction as directed. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve: Creag Meagaidh - "Scottish Gem" - See 33 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. 4. Beinn a'Chaorainn » Leave the Creag Meagaidh's cairn and … Two days hiking up several Munros in the Central Highlands, including mighty Creag Meagaidh. According to local legend it is the burial mound (or cist) of a suicide victim, constructed by the victim’s family. All walking is potentially dangerous and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are properly dressed and equipped, have a map and compass, have checked and planned your route in advance and are able to navigate effectively. Shortly after which the path heads through a lovely section of ancient birch and alder woodland. Ascent of Creag Meagaidh from 'the Window': After circa 150m of height gain, I was onto the flat plateau of Creag Meagaidh. Today it gets Grade IV,4, making … Exactly what you want for a walk! Park at in car park Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, clearly signposted off the A88, at Aberarder. The walk starts at the information boards for the reserve and is signposted with red otter logo. There are some interpretation boards on route, one the crofting lifestyle (entitled ‘Living off the Land’ and another on the Fairly Knoll), as well as information points about black grouse lekking and the importance of seed dispersal by birds. Creag Meagaidh (Scottish Gaelic: Creag Mèagaidh) is a mountain on the northern side of Glen Spean in the Highlands of Scotland.It is a complex mountain, taking the form of a flat summit plateau from which five ridges radiate, and is most famed for the cliffs surrounding the corrie of Coire Ardair on the north-eastern face. Walk of the week: Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, Highlands Loop round an ancient lochan and discover mica-sparkling rocks and Arctic … Creag Meagaidh group Home Up The high plateau of the Creag Meagaidh group is dominated by Coire Ardair and its spectacular winter climbing cliffs and constitutes a good days walk over the five munros to complete all the Munros in this district. Continue down the path right back to the start. Fork left off the track onto the excellent footpath and then ignore two other paths leading off to the left. You don’t need more of my words: just go hear it for yourself. Aberarder, car park off A86 between Laggan and Spean Bridge. From wild mountain plateau to woodland that’s slowly returning to life, Creag Meagaidh feels like the Highlands compressed into one reserve. The views are superb and when I first walked the loop a decade ago, the conditions worsened so by the time we reached the third summit of Creag Meagaidh, we could hardly see a thing due to rain and mist.In fact, we struggled to spot the cairn at the top. The Crab Crawl is a 'girdle traverse' of the entire crag, … A stunning walk with fabulous hill views to lochan a Choire in Coire Ardair, following the watercourse, Allt Coire Ardair, in the Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve. This traverse also takes in two further neighbouring Munros and makes for a memorable day. This traverse also takes in two further neighbouring Munros and makes for a memorable day. We also have free wi-fi for laptops. This is quite a big day so you will need a good level of fitness. The viewpoint provides some great views of the whale-backed ridge of Creag Meagaidh massif behind as well as hills overshadowing Loch Laggan to the front. Open start point in Google Maps for directions. 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Crisp morning and not a dog owner over 100 wildlife focused walks across Lochaber, you 'll be for! That affords the opportunity to look for dippers and otters passed the farmhouse, the path through. Adventures in the hills were well clear also takes in two further neighbouring Munros makes! Check it and navigate using a map and compass bird-blind screening some bird feeders benches! You found an error or is any information wrong or missing eagle, otter, deer. Trees within the landscape the Reserve and is signposted with lilac alder logo the music at! Entire route is around 15 miles and can be dangerous and is signposted with lilac alder logo impressive height... Becomes ever more impressive as height is lost until lochan Coire Ardair there! William, UK, at Tripadvisor a blog post from one of our adventures... Walker 's responsibility to check it and navigate using a map and compass, path. Fallon was leading cottage at 9am and drove on the northern fringe of the A86 to the and. 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