UKH

Two questions.

a) What's the easiest way to get there other than getting the train?

b) A'Mhaidean [sp] is normally thought of as the remotest Munro but Ben na Lap must be about as far from a public road, surely?

In reply to Removed User:

It’s remote but the railway runs right by it and the estate has a big mansion down the loch.

only ever done it from the station,  no help. Guess you could mtb in along the good track from the north east?

In reply to Removed User:

From Luiblea by mountain bike?

In reply to GForce1:

Or Fersit?

In reply to Removed User:

Not necessarily easiest but could be done from fersit via Stop Coire Sgriodan and Chno Dearg -> Lap, then reverse (going over the hills probably easier as no trail alongside railway and once up Sgriodan fairly easy terrain).

In reply to Removed User:

There is a new bulldozed track from Luilea heading that way, that (I think) would take you to the foot of Beinn na Lap. I noticed it from the summit of Beinn Eibhinn at the weekend. I think it's part of a new hydro scheme.

In reply to Removed User: Shortest way not using the train would be to cycle from Luiblea to near Strathossian, then up the NE ridge of Beinn na Lap. That ridge looks attractive on the map but I don't know what it's like underfoot: when we did the hill it was by the ordinary route from Corrour, as an impromptu addition to a bike ride from Luiblea to Loch Ossian.

@GForce1: I did Aonach Beag and Beinn Eibhinn fron Luiblea two winters ago and discovered that what the OS shows as a path continuing south from the track end at the Lubvan ruin had been converted into a vehicle track. Could that be what you saw?  At that time there was no sign of hydro works so I assumed it was for stalking access.

In reply to Removed User:

Years ago now admittedly, but for a last Munro gathering I was in a group biking in from Luiblea along the forest track to the bridge near Strathossian House. Certainly was easy back then for those not used to cycling and or walking. The ridge up to the top was without difficulty.

Two did it from Fersit on foot over the hills (and back again) as they were bagging so that was feasible for the fit experienced Munro baggers. As an aside others did it by train - unfortunately for them the return train was cancelled and they had a long walk south to Rannoch St followed by a long taxi ride back to get their car at Tulloch.

In reply to Climbing Pieman:

That really must have been an unfortunately long taxi ride. 

In reply to Removed User:

You could do a rather long out and back to Beinn na Lap from Rannoch Station on foot, not sure if the paths all exist that are marked on the map. I’ve been up the hills south of Loch Ossian this way so not undoable.

In reply to andrew ogilvie:

Long, and very expensive with a late night home I was told.

In reply to rif:

I think what I noticed was the path to Strathossain. It's been re-built for hydro works, with a massive extraction pit near Luiblea. Must be one of the many mini-hydro schemes being built on the Alder estate.

The path onwards from the ruin is still just a footpath, albeit a well engineered one. No sign of any path on the other side of the Allt Cam though!

In reply to rif:

Just checked out that route re travelling from Fersit.

Luiblea is ~8 miles and 600ft of ascent. From Fersit it's 5.5 miles and 900ft of ascent by the path that skirts the Southern edge of the forest. Not sure you can cycle it but suspect it would be possible.

In reply to Removed User:

Many years ago, after an attempt on Sgor Ghaibre and Carn Dearg, I walked out to Tulloch after realising I was going to miss the last train. I went via the Corrour Shooting Lodge then past Strathossian House, then kept on the path to Fersit. Just before Fersit there is a very tricky river crossing, made more difficult as it was now dark. At Fersit, I took the road to Tulloch Station where I had left my car. This whole trip took an awfully long time, about 4 hours, and I cannot recommend it, too long. Needless to say, I have not repeated it and do not intend to.

On all my subsequent visits to this area, I took the train !

Robert

In reply to Howard:

Thanks Howard, good to know.

I had a look on Google maps the other day and yes, some bits of the path did look a bit tenuous.

In reply to Removed User:

I don't think the Fersit route is very cycle friendly. The Luiblea version is longer but the track is very good - pretty much a road without the tarmac. It's also extremely scenic. A nice day's cycling with a short trip up Ben na Lap and a meal at Corrour is an excellent day out.

I've also done it as a Loch Treig horseshoe from Fersit. 5 hard earned munros!

In reply to dmhigg:

I was going to say that; isn’t the easiest way without bikes or trains over the hills to the E of Loch Treig? I set out once to do that but decided not to bother since it was raining so hard.

jcm

In reply to Removed User:

Walking into this hill from Fersit is about 14k with 850 metres of ascent, about the same distance as Seana Braigh. Long, but not massive. Going over the hills to the East of Loch Treig is for the super fit/young only as it involves two lots of ascent. By far the best route is by train to Corrour, then walk from there. A'Mhaighdean is much more remote, about19k. 

If you want long walk ins, try a Corbett. Ben Aden from Inverie is 17k plus 1380 metres of ascent. Carn Ban from Oykel Bridge is a 40k round trip. 

The route from Fersit is definitely not fit for bikes.

Robert.

In reply to Howard:

Outside the stalking season you can drive up to Corriemulzie Lodge, from where Carn Ban isn't all that bad (about 20km). For Ben Aden you can come in along Loch Quoich which nearly halves the ascent (nearly 30km though, some of it hard going). The latter route has the plus of going up Ben Aden's NNE Ridge, which is a superb easy scramble.

A couple of other contenders in the main bagging lists would be the Atholl Beinn Bhreac and the Sutherland Graham Ben Armine, both long distances but mostly on good tracks.

A' Mhaighdean seemed tougher than any of these to me.

In reply to Removed User:

I once got the train to Tulloch Station and walked to Fersit.  From there walked over Stob Coire Sgriodain, Chno Dearg and Beinn  na Lap and got train south from Corrour.  It was a long time ago but didn't seem all that long a walk.

I have walked to A' Mhaighdean from Corrie Hallie and from Kinlochewe [Incheril]. Big difference is that, unlike Beinn na Lap, you also have to walk all the way back. Seemed enormous walks compared to the one to Beinn na Lap. 

In reply to russellcampbell:

We climbed Ben na Lap from Corrour and made a nice round by first heading along the track north of the loch then following a stream  https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3070090 onto the eastern flanks. There were a few pleasant scrambly bits in the stream https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3071571 and it was all quite straightforward going to gain the north ridge https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3070090  We were using the train but had ample time to do this and descend by the more usual Munro books plod.

In reply to Lankyman:

Nice photos. I would never have  associated Beinn na Lap with scrambling.

In reply to russellcampbell:

It's surprising what you can find in what looks like an unpromising area from the map. We just used the stream as the natural line of approach across a featureless moor and decided that the rocky bed held more interest. We also encountered quite a prominent crag high up on the north ridge https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3072549  If I was still actively climbing and I'd come across it in the Lakes, say, I'd definitely investigate further. I've no idea if anyone's ever done anything there - nothing on the UKC database I can see.