Laggan

The village of Laggan nestling in the upper Spey valley

Introduction
Laggan is a tiny little village close to the junction of the A86 and the A889, right in the centre of the Highlands of Scotland. This is the upper Spey valley and the river meanders accross the strath close by. Although the area around about is all river valley and rolling moorland, high mountains loom close by. To the north, the Monadhliath mountains rise from the moorland. The the East, just accross the main A9 is the beginnings of the Cairngorm massif. To the south lie Dalwhinnie and Drummochter summit with it's rounded munros. To the south west, the valley containing Loch Laggan stretches away lined on either side by high mountains, including Creag Meagaidh. Immediately to the west and north west is the head of the Spey valley and the Corrieyairack forrest with its windswept old road over the pass to Fort Augustus in the Great Glen.

The Monadhliath
The Monadhliath range is a vast area of undulating ground extending to the north of the Spey valley close to Laggan and Newtonmore. There are four munros in the area. Geal Charn being separated from the others, Carn Dearg, A'Chailleach and Carn Sgulain by Glen Markie. The latter three can easily be climbed in day from the road end in Glen Banchor. A large circular route is followed, first climbing Carn Dearg via either following the Allt Fionndrigh and crossing into Gleann Balloch, or by using Gleann Balloch all the way from from Glen Banchor. The route then continues north, then north east and finally east, crossing Carn Balloch and Meall a' Bhothain to Carn Sgulain. A direct return alongside the Allt a' Chaorainn to Glen Banchor can be made but it is a simple diversion to cross the summit of A'Chailleach on the way. The obvious starting point for climbing Geal Charn is the end of the road at Garva Bridge in the Spey Valley. Alternatively the track in Glen Markie would make a speedy route into the mountains eastern corrie.

Drummochter
The immediate area around Drummochter summit on the A9 boasts 6 munros. Two to the east of the road and 4 to the west. To the east of the road A'Bhuidheanach Bheag and Carn na Caim can easily be combined in a single day out. Reflecting the Cairngorm summits (which these are the eastern extremity of) they are steep sided with tilted summit plateaux. To the west of the road four munros rise behind the Sow of Atholl and the Boar of Badenoch. These two hills, well known to motorists on the A9, straddle to old boundary between Athol and Badenoch which crosses the road at the summit of the pass. They form the ends of eastern ridges thrown down by the parent mountains. Sgairneach Mhor is the southern most of the four and is somewhat separated from the others. The obvious line of approach is to use the track which leaves the A9 very close to the highest point of the pass and climbs gently up the valley alongside the Allt Coire Dhomhain, before crossing the burn and striking uphill for the eastern ridge.

Although all four can easily be climbed in a day the more northerly three lend thamselves more easily to a traverse, usually starting from the car park at Balsporran Cottages a mile or two north of the summit of Drummochter pass.

Somewhat more remote, but best accessed from Dalwhinnie are the summits around Ben Alder. The principle mountain is Ben Alder, with its close companion Beinn Bheoil. A bike would help in accessing these!, the private road as far as Loch Pattack, 13 Km from Dalwhinnie being a simple ride. From here, follow the Allt a'Chaoil-reidhe before turning south and climbing the notheast ridge of Ben Alder. Having come this far it is usual to complete the high level circuit of Loch a'Bhealaich Bheithe over Bein Bheoil. Also accessible from Loch Pattack are Geal Charn (a different one again) and Aonach Beag, to the north west of the Allt a'Chaoil-reidhe.

Eastern Cairngorms
A'Bhuidheanach Bheag and Carn na Caim immediately to the east of the Drummochter pass mark the westen end of the Cairngorm range. Before finally rising to the 4000' summits of Braeriach and Carn Toul there lies a huge empty area of moorland which rises above 3000 feet at several points. Meall Chuaich is usually accessed from Cuaich 4km north of Dalwhinnie along the A9 in Glen Truim. The walk begins along a track east from the road to Loch Cuaich before climbing the western ridge of the mountain. Ben Dearg is quite away south and is usually accessed from Blair Athol someway to the south of Drummochter along Glen Garry. The summit is a long 12Km walk north alongside either the Allt Slanaidh or Allt an t'Seapail. Further east again are Mullach Clach a'Bhlair, Carn an Fhidhleir, An Sgarsoch, Monadh Mor and Beinn Bhrotain. These being among the most romote summits in the country.

Craig Meagaidh
Creag Meagidh lies immediately to the north west of Loch Laggan. It is a complicated mountain with three separate munros and several tops. The summit itself is on the northern rim of the summit plateau. One of the main features on the mountain is the magnificent Corrie Ardair with its 450m cliffs. The river draining the lochan in the corrie is enclosed by two ridges, the northern most first climbs over Stob Poite Corrie Ardair before curving round torwards the south east and finishing abruptly with the third munro, Carn Liath. Many short ridges enclose corries on the steep southern slopes above Loch Laggan.

Most ascents will start at the Aberarder car park on the A86 alongside Loch Laggan. From here it is usual to either walk into Corrie Ardair and acend to the window between Stob Poite Corrie Ardair and Creag Meagaidh, or, for the more energetic, to first climb Carn Liath and follow the ridge over Stob Poite Corrie Ardair to the window. The window is a remarkable gap in the high barrier of cliffs which otherwise entirely surround Corrie Ardair. From the window, the steep pull up onto the summit plateau is easily made. In limited visibility, it should be noted that from this direction, the first cairn reached is not the summit, this lies a couple of hundred metres further on accross a slight depression in the plateau and up a further gentle rise. An alterantive line of ascent is to begin the climb from near Moy, 2km west of the end of Loch Laggan, again on the A86. From here a ridge extending southward from the western end of the summit plateau can easily be climbed and followed onto the plateau.

Glen Bogle!
This is Monarch of the Glen country. A drive west along the A86 from Laggan takes you past all sorts of locations used in the series. The village shop in Laggan was used as the Glenbogle Stores. The house itself is a country hotel and off limits to non-guests. It can be seen accross Loch Laggan from the A86 but the views are a bit distant.

Eating and Drinking
The Monadhliath Hotel sits by the junction of the A889 and the A86. I can't offer any more information as it was closed for annual holidays when I was there!

Travel
Scotrail run regular services to nearby Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore and Kingussie. Check out the Scotrail timetable for further details.

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Trip Reports

 * Laggan-2002-Trip-Report