They located the hiker in Ben Alder Cottage Bothy half an hour later and planned to evacuate him. Starting point: Rannoch Station All very simple points to many experienced walkers. The Key-Stone of the Bridge, a novel and audiobook by Craig Meggy, is part homage to Robert Burns, set in Ben Alder Bothy. As romantic as it sounds, though, most people don’t accidentally come across a bothy — that would be too much of a needle-in-a-haystack situation. That’s the point. For the first half of the hike, the landscape is a mixture of views and elements as the undulating terrain has many thick spruce woods and granite-capped hills. And again well done lads to all concerned.. mobile app. It was not to be however. Approaches are long from any direction; Corrour Station gives the nearest access from the west, whilst it is possible to approach from Loch Rannoch in the south. Location: Northern Highlands 999 should work on any compatible network but you’d be unlikely to find any at all 10 miles from anywhere. Our job done, we tidied up the accident site before trudging wearily down to the cottage, lit by the pre-dawn glow and with the full moon reflecting off the loch and lighting up the rocky ramparts of Sgairneach Mhor. Difficulty: Medium. Ben Alder is one of the remotest of the Munros. Ben Alder, some 1,147m tall, is one of the most remote peaks in the UK, and Ben Alder Cottage bothy sits in the mountain’s shadow on the shores of Loch Ericht. Scots Magazine, November 1984, which taken with various walking articles about the bothy e.g. Time to get your luggage down but too late to tell anyone you’re arriving. of vibram on wet track , and by a series of curses prompted by a couple of ten foot fences which had to be wearily surmounted. Search for a topic, destination or article, We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. 2.The changeable weather. 14. 3.The remoteness of some Bothies/Shelters. Meanwhile, Donald and Johnny were poring over the map, working out an exact map reference and agreeing on the wording of the message that Johnny would take out to raise the alarm, then with our admonitions to ‘gang warily’ ringing in his ears, Johnny set off into the pitch dark and pouring rain, head-down for a quick traverse of the eight or nine miles back to the car. Too hot, too many biting insects, too humid, too busy, too much like hard work. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Location: Islands of the Western Highlands (Isle of Rùm) Aonach Beag is a 1,116-metre (3,661 ft) mountain in the Highlands of Scotland in the remote area between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan located about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) northwest of Ben Alder.Its prominence is 99 metres (325 ft) with its parent peak, Geal-Charn, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the east. Length (round trip): 6.2 mi/10 km Home » Mountain routes » Central Highlands » Ben Alder 6 Munros. Trevor's story The plan for this bothy weekend was simple enough. And so the long wait and much thinking. Whats the track like, I’m wanting to try out my cross/touring bike with panniers. I felt as if I was there with him slogging through the mire, so please it turned out well in the end. Location: Central Highlands Starting point: Rannoch Station Length (round trip): 10 mi/16 km Difficulty: Medium. The gently undulating terrain here is of open moors swept by the Highlands’ ubiquitous breeze. Nature safari on Ben Alder. The bothy sits by a tiny crescent bay, the gentle slope ending by the pale gray pebble beach. 30km/18.5 miles. Remarkable lads and well done to all concerned. These backcountry lairs are favorite destinations, or stopping points along a longer trek, for lovers of wild nature and lonely places — as they can be quite secluded and accessed through a hard hiking trail. For our group, circumstances meant that on the day we divided into two parties, Johnny and I going in mid-afternoon, with Frank, Bill and Donald starting three hours behind. Most are historic buildings restored to basic windproof and watertight standards, made available for the public. In stag stalking season, contact the Ben Alder Estate on 01540 672 … Difficulty: Easy to the bothy, hard to Suilven mountain. Covering some 68000 acres stretching from Loch Rannoch to Dalwhinnie. Starting point: Loch Arkaig western tip Starting point: Kinloch Polis phoned and rescue underway, I drove back to the glen and, still in sodden and soiled clothing, climbed into the back of a car which was a foot too short to allow anything but fitful rest. It should be noted that the Mountain Bothies Association website says the lovely Culra Bothy is currently closed indefinitely due to asbestos. So they treated me nicely. Frank can sleep anywhere, so he was soon snoring away, but my attention was divided between checking on Bill’s condition, worrying about Johnny (I had broken a golden rule by letting him go alone, what if he falls into a hole, no one will know where he is, or that we have a rescue situation up here) and thoughts about the likely means of rescue. I parked at Dalwhinnie and rode my bike in along Loch Ericht to Corrour bothy near Ben Alder. Had I died I would have been famous. The Chapel. It looks all bumpy because of the tussocks, clumps of thicker and taller grasses that cover everything in sight. I don’t usually do much of my hillwalking in summer. In the windswept mountains of the Scottish Highlands a keen eye might spot, in the vast treeless expanses, a tiny outcropping that is too angular to simply be a large rock. At midnight, Donald came back up with the promised soup and coffee, so we talked the situation over, our best estimate being that Johnny would reach Loch Rannoch side by 0030 hours and that organised rescue efforts would be initiated by 0100 at the earliest. Here is what you need to know about bothies, and some of our favorites to visit. I tilted myself forward and a dreary moorland climb became a floodlit descent through an iridescent forest. This one seemed to have more than its share of belligerent, abusive drunks giving the nurses and doctors a hard time. Also, there is a code that’s expected to be respected, which amounts to just being clean and considerate. The hue is pervasive also because the island has very little vegetation, just a layer of grass. Allt Scheicheachan would be my vote. Location: Central Highlands The walk is a challenging one for one night/two ... An Grianan. Head north. In hill walking circles, this bothy is supposed to be haunted, with… Many folk mountain bike in which seems a good idea, although when chatting to a man from the estate (more on this later) he said that mountain bikes are causing a lot of erosion problems on the smaller trails higher up. I wanted to savour this bit. The isle’s name comes from the ubiquitous hue of dark red color given by the iron ore present in the rocks. The mountains rise steeply on both sides of the valley. The door burst open to reveal Frank with the dramatic (sobering, even) message “Bill has broken his leg!”. Beyond the bothy, the terrain becomes more undulating and barren, rising up to the sandstone mountain towering over the area. Tarf Hotel is awesome, but it's a rough walk-in with winter gear. Approaches are long from any direction; Corrour Station gives the nearest access from the west, whilst it is possible to approach from Loch Rannoch in the south. Predominantly, though, they’re found in the Scottish Highlands and are thus part of the local identity and the flair of the region. Ice axe and crampons are required in snowy conditions. “Crofting” is a Scottish traditional social setup of small-scale food production particular to the Highlands, so integral to Scottish culture to have its own commission. I knew I’d done it before I hit the ground. I wouldn't want to walk in to Ben Alder, no way! Directing them was tricky. – Frank popped his head in, dropped his bombshell and we were forcibly transformed into as rough an approximation of a well oiled (extremely well oiled!) In fact, since its founding in 1965, the charity Mountain Bothy Association (MBA) oversees 100 bothies and their maintenance, offering detailed information such as locations and conditions. It’s actually the roof of a bothy. The undulating landscape and little human presence make for an introspective hike. You haven't climbed Ben Alder yet. During the relay the message had been misinterpreted as being, ‘the casualty is comfortably ensconced in the bothy’. It was 2045 before Bill was settled down, Johnny’s torchlight disappeared into the gloom and Donald went back down to the bothy to finish his meal, promising to bring back some hot soup and coffee. It requires an initial walk or bike ride on an off-road track of some nine miles from Dalwhinnie to Culra Bothy. All thoughts of a relaxing bothy evening evaporated as we swung into rescue mode; a quick review of the available assets showed inadequate material to build a stretcher, but enough first-aid kit to handle a small front line casualty dressing station. For Ben Alder, this gives the opportunity the tackle this … A bothy is a simple shelter found in remote areas of Scotland. Minimum gear and maximum grub! Allowing 45 minutes scramble time, plus 60 minutes flying, the earliest arrival would be about 0300 hrs. Eventually I persuaded them to take me to Stirling. After crossing the river at the head of the loch, a quick check of the map and compass and a head dook and drink from the burn gave me an excuse for a breather. Easy walk-in and few Munros around. In character it has a bit of the West and a bit of the East. Everything seemed to be alright with the world, and we were mellowing out, with a small convivial dram, when things suddenly went pear-shaped. Head north towards Kilmory. I have been up there twice and it's a long walk, especially with the last part being a bit boggy. Got to the bothy at 0805ish. I made many visits to the cottage from 1980 to about 2000, a wonderful bothy with good trout fishing! Road tour for a couple of nights would have … Ben Alder Cottage is not just a bothy in the middle of the moors on the shore of a loch. So trainers on for the walk in and out. If you have caught any trouts, cook them over the campfire. Ben Alder is one of the most remote Munros. But at midnight, they added: "'Injured' walker remaining at the bothy with his friends. Suddenly, I was awake, sure that I could hear a helicopter coming up the loch, I scrambled out of my bivvy, only to be disappointed when I realised that the sound was Frank snoring, giving a creditable imitation of a Sea King at cruising speed. Access is never restricted. Quite a few rivulets carve the green slopes on both sides. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. I was different. 9-11 hours (over 2 days) 750m. Johnny, skivvying in a way very familiar to Mrs McCook, had cooked a tasty lamb casserole and magicked up a bottle of Merlot to help the digestive processes along, and looking outside after the meal, I saw head torches glinting on the skyline as a party crested the last bluff and started the descent towards the bridge. With a little bit of mist the view gets eerie; even more if you’re lucky and see a deer drinking from the river below. The ambulance men had never been to Stirling (“we only go to Inverness”). Difficulty: Easy. A little further on, cross the Alder Burn via a footbridge to arrive at the bothy. Walk in to Ben Alder Cottage (aka McCook’s Bothy, after the last permanent resident), climb Ben Alder and Ben Bheil, do a little trout fishing and generally have a good time. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The winchman came over and within a few minutes we had Bill strapped on the stretcher and stuffed into the Sea King. Length (round trip): 11 mi/18 km Continue along the shore. Bike in to Culra bothy nr Culra lodge fm Dalwhinnie it takes about 1.5hrs, climb the hills the same day. The bothy itself is plush, boasting three rooms and even some bunk beds, but there’s also a resident spook, if the Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal is to be believed. It’s also said to be haunted. Thirty five minutes and what seemed like a dozen farm houses later, I succeeded in finding a phone and raising the alarm. It’s also said to be haunted. Climbing Ben Alder was meant to be the climax of the Alder Trail, but when I woke the next morning and saw even more fresh snow on the ground outside the bothy, I made the immediate decision to stay in the glens. Ticks might carry Lyme Disease. Was this before mobile phones? Briefly, a break in the clouds revealed a slender, silver sheen that, thankfully, was indeed on my left. I knew I had been lucky the previous day on Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre. Although not dangerous, this bothy usually attracts more experienced hikers and mountaineers — as the real goal for many, once at the foot of Suilven, is to actually climb Suilven. It is as remote as they come, making a trip here a two-day expedition for all but the fittest or maddest. Starting off along the initial doubletrack section. Shortly after 3am, about six hours after Johnny had set out; I heard it,  the gorgeous sound, the ‘M.A.S.H.’ sound. Classic Walks (Diadem, 1982), keep en Alder in hot pursuit of Shenavall [s claim to the number one spot. Check Matador’s backpacking gear guide for a full list of what to bring. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, although this is a general indication as the weather might change unexpectedly. Extra rations of water and food are always a good idea. ( Log Out /  An early Monday morning start saw me standing at Fort William railway station waiting for the 7.44am train to Glasgow, my destination was Corrour Station, only 46 minutes away and the highest station in the UK and probably the remotest too. Ben Alder. It was one of those weekends for which the epithet “character building” was designed. Start from Lochinver, a small village on the coast, and follow the narrow road straight east. This was Saturday night Sunday morning in a Scottish town. You hear it go. Frank and Trevor, instead of having a great night in the bothy had to bunk down beside me (they did choose the lee of a big boulder and they had nicked my whisky) and of course Johnny, in his 30s, had to take on the dreadful job of walking out in the dark the eight or nine miles we had just walked in. Time to turn right. Ben Alder is one of the great remote mountains of Scotland, set in the very heart of the Central Highlands. A sign marks the turn for the bothy. As a reminder, once at a bothy, follow the Bothies Code. The approach is enlivened by the dramatic Leachas ridges which offer some scrambling. I left the car at 0550 and returned to the car at 1850 having completed the round. It’s unlikely you’ll see any traffic. Midge bites are itchy and usually painful. A spacious plateau surrounded by cliffs and steep slopes, this is a mountain of memorable character and an almost palpable personality. Quickly, you work out that it’s going to be a long night. Therefore, no matter how long the trip is to reach and stop at a bothy in the Scottish Highlands, you need to be self-sufficient and ready to handle adverse and unpredictable weather. Ben Alder was a typical example, a huge upland area in the Central Highlands looking invitingly wonderful with it’s sweeping ridges and nearby Culra bothy. We set off at about 7am and followed the path. The magnificent Ben Alder Estate is located in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. After contouring above Ben Alder Lodge you cross the bridge with a gate. Excitement over. Not even I could get lost here without a map. A bothy is featured in the 2012 video game Dear Esther, providing a crucial plot moment in the narration of the unknown main character. I knew I was lucky. Starting point: Rannoch Station After scoffing a cracking meal, knocking back the plonk and making a fair sized hole in the wood pile (and the whisky) our best laid plans ganged agley at a hell of a rate! The Walk. Not a bad place to spend a couple of weeks watching World Cup rugby. Difficulty: Medium. I refused painkillers. I remember the frustration of realising that cars in driveways showed that the inhabitants were reluctant to involve themselves in any late night drama, although the unearthly racket I was making and the fact I resembled the ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ may be mitigating circumstances. Length (round trip): 6.2 mi/10 km The pain comes later, but much worse is the feeling of sheer disgust with oneself. Take the 80-minute ferry ride from Mallaigh to Kinloch on the western coast of the Isle of Rùm, south of the Isle of Skye. Leaving the car at the end of the road, we soon got started on the long trudge through the forest and over the hill down to Loch Ericht side. Probably the finest way to explore Ben Alder and the neighbouring Munros is to be based by Culra Bothy for a couple of nights, taking in Ben Alder on one day and the Geal-Charn group on the other. Glad you enjoyed it Albert, there are so many mountain and bothy tales out there. At one point a boat was mentioned, I selfishly perked up at the thought of a lift back in a powerboat to a fire, food, dry clothes and some plasters for my badly bleeding feet. Close-in, the sheer size of the thing was impressive, with engine noise and warm exhaust down draught combined with a strong smell of paraffin fumes, inside, blue lights were blinking and the Pilot and Navigator were checking their instruments and preparing for takeoff. It’s a long, narrow, one-story building in two parts. Two will ‘o’ the wisps loomed out of the darkness, heading for the bothy, they assured me I was near the path so I ploutered on, knee-deep in muck, hoping I was sober enough to hit an 18 mile loch. A sergeant also appeared on the scene and contingency plans were made in case the weather was too bad for the chopper. The route is easy until about 500 yards in when the track stops and you need to figure a way through roots, puddles, and tussocks. Length (round trip): 10 mi/16 km Frank’s snoring was a great comfort, a kind of normality. The last few miles passed in a dream. Setting off for Ben Alder. Summary:Ben Alder is one of the great remote mountains of Scotland, set in the very heart of the Central Highlands. The best option is to layer with waterproof and insulating clothes. I assume they were walking Ben Alder and Beinn Bheoil because they were heading across the bridge and I met them again on the summit of Beinn Bheoil. We … Do Not rely on any mobile phone or internet connection. Boots clumping on the ground outside meant that we would not be on our own, the new team being a mixed group of fishermen and walkers, tired after trekking in from Corrour and with blisters to prove it. Ben Alder Bothy is the nearest one is ever going to get to Cluny’s Cave/Cage, which features in the book. I remember the relief I felt upon reaching the bothy with a ridiculously heavy load, but the prospect of dining royally for the weekend made the additional weight worthwhile, (for the first five miles!). To find out if that’s true, start from Rannoch Station along the West Highland Line railroad. Two things are still with me from this stretch of the journey: The first, a gargantuan roar not twenty feet away in the cotton-wool gloom of the highest point of the moorland ‘path’, which prompted me to shout “I’m no’ a deer,” repeatedly, as my pace quickened to distance me from an irate and possibly lovesick stag. Here are some suggestions for journeys with varying difficulty, terrains, length, and bothies. I was learning to beat the system. Shortly after, you’ll cross a little bridge over Alder Burn Creek, and you’ll have the bothy in sight, overlooking a small semi-circular bay. If the bothy is full then there is good camping ground either outside it or in the wood across the river. ben alder bothy question. Bill seemed to be OK, he was playing a full part in our discussions and we kept his morale up by promising him a ride on the ‘paraffin budgie’ – so with no option other than to just sit it out, we sent Donald back to the bothy, switched off the head torches and settled back into our bivvy bags. Route notes: Challenging navigation and steep ground on the descent to the bothy make this route a little more serious in winter than you might expect. They are free to use although accessibility restrictions might apply depending mostly on the land usage, such as shepherding or deer stalking. Carry repellants, a head net, and tweezers. The second, a sudden and dramatic abatement of the storm and parting of the mist and clouds, and an unspeakably beautiful moonlight vista of Loch Rannoch and the surrounding hills. Ben Alder (Gaelic: Beinn Eallair) is the highest mountain in the remote area of the Scottish Highlands between Loch Ericht and Glen Spean. My goal for this mini expedition was to walk into Ben Alder Cottage bothy… ( Log Out /  In Gaelic, Aonach Beag means "little ridge" despite it being a Munro. You’ll follow the River Pean valley on the north side but from the forestry access track higher up. This was familiar territory for us both, so as the loch came into sight, with the forest fringing the shore up to An Grianan and the huge bulk of Ben Alder behind, we knew that the view was deceptive, and that it would be quite a plod before we crested the final brow to see the Bothy, nestling at the side of Alder Bay. The sign heralds the start of the narrow singletrack. pouring rain. Ben Alder Lodge. Once you’ve passed Loch Druim on your right, the path is well marked and continues east and slightly south. The police were by my bedside at 8am, only to check if I had informed next of kin. Ben Alder. Many hikers like walking sticks, but this is a personal choice depending on habit, fitness level, and route type. VF used to be good, for voice at least. Bill was airlifted safely, the polis departed at 4.30 and I hunched in the back of the car for two hours before donning socks and boots that felt and looked like wet clay and limping back to the bothy along a path I could (and may) have walked with my eyes shut. Onto the stretcher across 50 yards of rough ground. Both shores rise gently, and the woods give way to sparse clusters of trees, the spruce’s pointy tops distinguishable now. The older, gray stone structure dating to 1871 is always open to the public while the dark timber addition is reserved. 4.Most importantly for this generation of hillwalkers/climbers Eventually, we heard the welcome sound of a real helicopter arriving, swinging in from the loch and circling the edge of the forest before setting down about 50 meters away. The bothy is small but well kept, and a camping ground is available closer to the beach. After being suitably enlightened, the constable arranged for the deployment of a helicopter which I had foolishly believed had been called out an hour earlier. Culra bothy is closed due to the presence of asbestos so it is necessary to carry a tent and camp nearby. Amazingly, once settled in the survival bag on my mat, with a rucksack under my knees and another as a pillow I felt fine. It’s not insulated, so it’s never warm inside but has plenty of firewood. For some reason one image lodged in the memory, two grey figures like astronauts on the moon, simply titled “On the Ben Alder Plateau in deteriorating weather”. The finest approach, however, is from Culra bothy to the northeast (accessed via a long walk-in or cycle from Dalwhinnie). For most of its length it’s flanked with thick vegetation in trees and underbrush, and the area is quite lush. Check for the insects’ presence on or around you before picking a resting stop. While you can find some bothies in Scotland and Northern England, and even a few in Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. The perhaps monotonous island makes for even greater contrast upon reaching the small bothy as this place is a meeting point of completely different views and natural features. But in July last year the weather was so superb that I had to make an exception. With poor visibility, mist at treetop level and intermittent heavy rain, helicopter extraction seemed increasingly unlikely and the remoteness of our location meant that land or water based approaches would take a long time to plan and implement. Loads of fresh veg, real milk, 1lb of lamb, a bottle of red wine and a bottle of real drink. Location: Western Highlands Height: 1148m Personality: Ben Alder has something for everyone, and it just might be the perfect all-round mountain.