TRIP 23: A FEW SCOTTISH GLENS

For a long time, I had been aware of the reputation of as the most beautiful glen in . Autumn 2018 was the time when I did something about it. The decisive factor was to succumb to the necessity of hiring a car to make the visit possible – a bus will only get you as far as the village of Cannich, which is 17k from the furthest car-park in Glen Affric where the good stuff starts. Cannich is about 47k south-west of . The car enabled me also to visit two other glens in the vicinity, and Glen Cannich. The weather was the usual cocktail of sun, showers, clouds and wind.

Photo 6383: Cannich and the three glens; from AA Road Atlas, 2002; www.theAA.com

Prelude: Loch Quoich and Loch Loyne

Before launching into Glen Affric, just a brief mention of two lochs that don’t get much publicity. I remembered Loch Quoich from a trip I made round Scotland in a camper-van 30 years ago. It lies towards the far end of Glen Garry which starts at Invergarry and ends on the edge of on the west coast. What I remembered most clearly was the view from the north shore of Loch Quoich down much of its length towards the distinctive cone of Sgurr na Ciche in the far distance. Having the car, I paid a return visit but clouds and rain meant there’s no photo but I can assure you it’s a terrific view. I did, however, get pictures of Loch Loyne from the road over the hillside from Glen Garry to Glen Moriston (the A87), surely one of the best loch views in Scotland (Photo 6060). It was worth the six-hour drive from Inverness Airport to Drumnadrochit just for this view. Slightly further along, I caught the sun on the loch (Photo 6059).

Photo 6060: Loch Loyne from the A87

Photo 6059: sun on Loch Loyne 230: Glen Affric (South Side)

From Cannich, you have to drive a mainly single-track road through forest and along the north shore of Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin before you are forced to park at a Forestry Commission Scotland car-park by notices and gates forbidding you from going further. It’s an attractive place costing £2 with picnic tables and forest walks round about. However, the main item on the menu is the 18k/12m circuit of Loch Affric. If you do it anti-clockwise, you are out of the forest more quickly and cross beneath the steep slopes of Sgurr na Lapaich and An Tudair to the far end of the loch; if you do it clockwise, you spend the first 2k in forest with a few glimpses of the loch before emerging between two knockans (little hills) to a 3k stretch where the views of the far end of the loch are spectacular – according to my guide: “probably the scenic highlight of the day with dazzling views north across water into the complex ridges and corries of Mam Sodhail” (Walk 76, Country Walking, The 100 Greatest Walks in Britain, 2010). I chose the latter because I knew I wouldn’t make it round the whole 18k on the first full day of my trip without ruining my prospects for the next six days and so wanted to reach the ‘scenic highlight’ before having to turn around; also the sun would be shining on the mountains along the northern shore, making for better photos; thirdly, the path round the far end of the loch past Loch Coulavie is apparently less straightforward than the tracks along the northern and southern shores, making the whole circuit too daunting for me.

Photo 6195: east end of Glen Affric; Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842 From the car-park, turn left over a bridge and through a gate (the pedestrian gate is open, despite the chain). The first 2k is all through forest with occasional glimpses of Affric Lodge in a lovely setting on the north shore (Photo 6064).

Photo 6064: Affric Lodge (left), outbuildings (right), Sgurr na Lapaich (far left)

Then you pass open ground where the earth is being moved around for some reason and more forest, with the pretty Loch Salach Ghiubhais to your left (Photo 6065).

Photo 6065: Loch Salach Ghiubhais Photo 6066: second sighting of the loch

Then comes your second sighting of the loch (Photo 6066) and a view of the far end of Glen Affric (Photo 6067). I was lucky enough to miss a rain shower but be blessed with the subsequent rainbow (Photo 6075).

Photo 6067: far end of Glen Affric Photo 6075: rainbow over Loch Affric

From now on, the trail is gorgeous with all the views you could wish for, which I show in order (Photos 6077 – 6087).

Photo 6077: looking back Photo 6078: looking west

Photo 6085: the end of the loch

Photo 6087: a cheeky moss beret

Photo 6086: looking down Allt a Choire Chruim to the loch and An Tudair

After a gate, you approach the far end of the loch, which I found to be the most beautiful part. At the first corner, you see clearly the two spits of land which stab into the body of the loch (Photo 6089) but the best views are from:

Photo 6089: end of the loch Photo 6096: An Tudair and Sgurr na Lapaich

“Above the Fishers’ Hut on the First Spit at the End of Loch Affric”

Here you get a wide view of the rest of Glen Affric beyond the end of the loch (Photo 6094). It’s possible to walk up there on a trail that takes you to Morvich at the end of Loch Duich on the west coast (now dubbed the Affric- Way) and you can overnight at Alltbeithe bothy near the top of the glen; or you can do a slightly shorter version starting from the Cluanie Inn on the A87. The other views from here are pretty good as well (Photos 6095, 6096).

Photo 6094: top of Glen Affric (bending to the right)

Photo 6095: fishers’ hut and two spits at the end of Loch Affric

This is where I turned around, having seen what I came to see. Perhaps I would try the northern shore on another day. On the way back, I managed a few more photos which improved on those I took on the way out (Photos 6099, 6105 & 6106) before returning to the car-park (Photo 6112).

Photo 6099: I liked the arrangement Photo 6106: the middle part of the loch

Photo 6105: my best shot of the ridges and corries around An Tudair

Photo 6112: from the car-park Photo 6101: my lunch spot – many thanks I must say thank you to the ‘Trees for Life’ people who left their van open for me, in which to have a comfy lunch out of the wind – there was no seat beside the trail (Photo 6101).

For me, Glen Affric does what it says on the tin: “the perfect combination of pinewoods, lochs, rivers and mountains means that many visitors say it is the most beautiful glen in Scotland” (from the Forestry Commission Scotland leaflet). This was confirmed for me by a Scotsman I met at my spot who had seen most of the Scottish glens – I wasn’t in a position to judge since this was my first proper Highland glen – I’m not counting glens I’ve walked on the west coast and islands (see ‘The Inner Hebrides’ and ‘North-West Scotland’ on this website) or ones I’ve driven through since that is a totally different experience.

231: Glen Strathfarrar

This was my second choice on the recommendation of my host at Westward B&B, Cannich. To gain access to the glen by car, you have to be amongst the first 25 callers at the gate in Inchmore, just off the A831 at Bridge. This restricted access means that this lovely glen is not overrun by cars – walkers and bicyclists are not restricted. The road along the glen is 30k long, cutting through pastures (lots of sheep on the road) and forests, and passing lochs and increasingly high mountains. On many stretches, you can’t drive too fast because of the frequent pot-holes, most of which you can avoid if you drive at about 20mph.

Photo 6197: the more beautiful upper part of Glen Strathfarrar; Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842 The more beautiful part of the glen starts at Loch Beannacharan (Photo 6114) and continues for the next 12k until you reach the dam at Loch Monar. It’s not Glen Affric but it’s not far off, with lots of great views to show you (Photos 6118, 6119, 6123, 6125 & 6129).

Photo 6114: Loch Beannacharan from the east, mid-morning

Photo 6129: Loch Monar from just past the dam

At the Monar Dam, you have to turn left (the road ahead is private) across the dam and round a headland to another dam. Crossing this and turning left takes you down into Glen Innis an Loichel, an offshoot of Glen Strathfarrar. Glen Strathfarrar itself continues westward for miles but is filled with the 15k long Loch Monar. The map shows a path partway along its north shore but I was looking for end-of-the-valley terrain.

The road goes up Glen Innis an Loichel for 3k (Photo 6131), past a power station where a plume of water seems to be permanently gushing (Photo 6135), to a dead-end parking place within sight of a series of waterfalls. Be warned: the track after the power station is rough – I wouldn’t go faster than 10mph if you value the undercarriage of your car. Obviously, I parked here and went up the trail ahead.

Photo 6131: Glen Innis an Loichel Photo 6135: plume of water

Almost at once, after crossing two wooden bridges, I found a spot: “By the Pool beneath the Waterfalls”

This spot is all about the stream and the pool and the waterfalls (Photos 6143, 6141) – the surrounding hillsides are the usual brown heather- and grass-covered slopes, typical of Scottish glens.

Photo 6143: pool and first waterfall Photo 6141: looking down the glen

Photo 6363: close-up of the trail; Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842

The trail goes up the right side of the stream but the higher waterfalls are disappointing – they are either barely visible from the path (Photo 6144) or are not waterfalls at all (Photo 6146).

Photo 6144: higher waterfall from the path Photo 6146: ‘waterslide’ and trail ahead

I was juggling with the idea of going up the path to the left to Loch Mor and Loch Beag. Just as ‘loch fever’ was taking over, I realised I had missed the turn-off and decided it wasn’t worth it after all (this was the day after Glen Affric and I wasn’t up for a more strenuous trail). Instead, I took a photo (6147) and continued up the glen towards the pass at its head (Photo 6148), replacing ‘loch fever’ with ‘stream fever’: my new goal was the stream crossing a further 1k along the path:

Photo 6147: the lochs are behind the first hill Photo 6148: end of the glen

“First Stream Crossing along the Path”

The crossing looked a bit tricky (Photo 6149) but anyway I had decided to turn around here: it was a suitably pleasant spot amidst the end-of-the-glen brown hills and beneath two mountains that sported a dusting of snow to prove their credentials (Photos 6153, 6155).

Then it was retracing my steps (literally – mine were the only bootprints on the soggy path), bagging a few more photos on the way (Photos 6159, 6162 & 6166).

Photo 6149: stream crossing Photo 6153: back down the glen

Photo 6155: Sgurr na Lapaich to the left (a different one from the one above Loch Affric) and to the right

Photo 6162: more like a crown than a hat Photo 6166: more of a jaunty fascinator

Photo 6159: down the glen to three more

I also discovered how I had missed the turn-off for Loch Mor and Loch Beag, which I show you in case you want to go that way (Photos 6160, 6161).

Photo 6160: turn off for the lochs Photo 6161: the turn-off is to the left (easily missed)

At the parking place, I got the best shot of the first two waterfalls and the rapids above (Photo 6172). A few more photos from the car window completed my visit to Glen Strathfarrar (Photos 6173 – 6191). Apart from the potholes, I found the whole trail by car and foot up Glen Strathfarrar idyllic. I’d never heard of it before – mind you, my knowledge of Scottish glens is very limited: , Great Glen, Glen Affric, Glen Garry, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, that’s about it. I wonder if the path up to Loch Mor and Loch Beag is worth the effort – my guess is that you would find two bleak and boggy lochs in steep mountain corries beneath forbidding crags.

Photo 6172: first two waterfalls Photo 6173: Lower Glen Innis an Loichel

Photo 6175: coming down from Monar Dam Photo 6179: Loch a Mhuillidh from the west

Photo 6177: Sgurr na Lapaich

Photo 6182: up Allt Coire Mhuillidh Photo 6184: Loch Beannacharan from the west

Photo 6190: the best bunch of heather I saw Photo 6191: a bagel of moss

232: Glen Cannich

Predicted rain meant that I wanted to do a short morning walk near to my B&B in Cannich so Glen Cannich was the obvious candidate as it runs west from the village. It’s not as long as Glen Strathfarrar but it too has a dam and a large lake, Loch Mullardoch, at its western end. The first scenic view is about 8k into the glen at Loch Carrie (Photos 6236, 6200).

Photo 6236: Loch Carrie Photo 6200: close-up of Loch Carrie

Photo 6248: middle part of Glen Cannich (as far as the road goes); Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842

At this point the glen is quite wide but it soon closes in around the abandoned house of Liatrie (Photo 6203) before the road climbs to the dam (Photo 6206).

Photo 6203: the road past Liatrie Photo 6206: Loch Mullardoch from the dam

I had planned to take a walk along the track in Photo 6206 to a waterfall and up the glen of Allt Mullardoch but there was a cull going on and a posse of ghillies denied me access. So I drove round to the other side of the dam (Photos 6208, 6210 & 6212).

Photo 6208: the far side is where I planned to walk Photo 6210: looking down the glen

Photo 6212: close-up of Loch Sealbhanach Photo 6217: from the west end

Then I went down to the shore of Loch Sealbhanach (Photo 6217). I was still looking for a short walk but the best I could do was a 25-minute circular jaunt down a track to the north- east of Latrie, across a bog and over a hillock back to the road. For what it’s worth, I offer:

“The Hillock to the Right of the Road just past the Bridge at Latrie”

Actually, this is not such a make-weight spot, after all: it’s probably the most typical Highland spot of this trip – in the middle of a glen, surrounded by boggy ground and brown- heathered hills with a swampy stream running past (Photos 6228, 6231 & 6233).

3k further down the glen, just above the bridge at Muchracdh, there’s a track off to the right which takes you to a view of a stretch of rapids that you might not otherwise notice (Photos 6240, 6243). A propos of Photo 6243, I should confess that all these photos of Glen Cannich were taken ‘blind’ by guesswork as my camera had lost its viewfinder function, although it was still recording adequate photos. I’m surprised how well the photos turned out using the basic ‘point and shoot’ technique (several others were deleted as I had to guess when using the zoom). I suppose I can’t complain: the camera has taken over 10,000 photos in the last 4 years. The same applies to my photos of Glen Affric (North Side).

Photo 6228: looking down the glen Photo 6231: looking up the glen

Photo 6233: looking north across the glen Photo 6243: ‘impressionist’ shot of rapids

Photo 6240: the rapids The head ghillie suggested I come back another day for my walk but I didn’t think I would – the terrain didn’t look all that interesting and my first priority in any fine weather was to walk the north side of Glen Affric. As I feel my photos show, Glen Cannich comes third after Affric and Strathfarrar in this limited selection of Scottish glens but it’s nevertheless a pretty and fairly typical one.

I apologise if you feel I am betraying the spirit of this website by including photos taken from a car but that, I’m afraid, is the nature of the beast in the Highlands: almost all the glens are only accessible by car unless you are wild camping, which is something I have never done since I was a Boy Scout – it was fun in a masochistic kind of way then but not now. Who wants to lug all that clobber around? And one of the main aims of this website is to show you places that you might want to visit – by any means necessary, in this case a hired car.

233: Glen Affric (North Side)

I’d run out of glens within striking distance of Cannich so I plumped for the trail along the north side of Loch Affric to see how it compared to the south side. It had rained continuously the day before so the path was wet and the streams were in spate but, hey, this is the Highlands – what do you expect?

Photo 6195: east end of Glen Affric; Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842 From the car-park, take the road to Affric Lodge, a pleasant tree-lined 1.5k by the loch (Photo 6251), as far as the outbuildings of the lodge (Photos 6253, 6254), where you are directed round its fence.

Photo 6251: road by the loch Photo 6254: outbuildings of Affric Lodge

Photo 6253: approaching Affric Lodge

At first, this path is smooth but soon becomes a stony access track for vehicles. The next 3k are mainly out in the open (no trees obscuring the views) but the views are not that great: mostly mountains to the south and west with few views of the loch itself. Then the loch comes into view with good views ahead (Photos 6269, 6271).

Photo 6269: loch coming into view Photo 6271: from a bit further along

After about 4k from Affric Lodge, you hit a spot:

“Large Rock by Two Small Trees at the Top of a Rise just before the Second Gate”

Here you are between the two ends of the glen: the more domesticated and forested eastern end and the wilder and more open western end. You get your first clear view of the western end of the loch – to me, the most beautiful part, with its spits of land sticking out into its waters (Photo 6273); you are also seeing up into Coire Leachavie beneath An Tudair (Photo 6274). Added to which, the rock is the first decent seat on the trail so far.

Photo 6273: west end of Loch Affric Photo 6274: An Tudair to the right

You have already had to negotiate several small pools and streams crossing the track but, after a pretty bridge amongst trees (Photo 6286), the pools become more frequent and forays into the heather to circumvent them become necessary (Photo 6313 – of course, this will be much easier in dry weather). A waterfall, Sputan Ban, comes into view on your right (Photo 6292) and you descend gradually to the stream coming down from it, Allt Coulavie. This was the coup-de-grace for me: the stream was in spate, overflowing its banks, and the stepping stones were hardly visible and certainly too difficult for me. So it was a question of “Boots and socks off or not?” (Photo 6301).

Photo 6286: the bridge is just visible where the track enters the trees

Photo 6313: pool on the track Photo 6292: Sputan Ban

Photo 6301: supposed crossing point Looking at the terrain going past Loch Coulavie ahead (Photo 6300), I decided not: my guide said, “the path is less distinct and slightly boggy”, which meant it would be very boggy, plus the terrain was over flat moorland with nothing much of interest until reaching the River Affric at Athnamulloch. My guide describes Athnamulloch as “a wonderful place, a flat green meadow surrounded by huge and dramatic mountains”. Well, the mountains I was already seeing so I was missing out on the flat green meadow which I had already glimpsed from the end of the trail along the south side of Glen Affric (Photo 6094, p.7 above).

Photo 6300: terrain ahead past Loch Coulavie

With these excuses, I cut my losses and took a lunch break by the swollen stream:

“By a Dead Tree-trunk Hanging over Allt Coulavie above the Crossing Point”

Here I was in the middle of the ‘stream-in-spate experience’, without getting my feet cold and wet; the waterfall and the end of the loch are hidden but the mountains to the south are in full view and you can see down the rest of Loch Affric to its eastern end (Photo 6305); however, you can’t see up Glen Affric as far to the west as you can from the spot at the end of the south side trail. I’m a sucker for rushing mountain streams so pardon me if this is not your thing.

Photo 6295: looking upstream Photo 6297: looking downstream

Photo 6305: looking east along Loch Affric

As usual, the trail back was an opportunity for a few photos I’d missed on the way out, plus a few attempts to catch the autumn-ness of the trees and bracken (Photos 6315 – 6338).

Photo 6315: the stream at the bridge

I was going for ‘pied beauty’ on this one (homage to Gerard Manley Hopkins)

I also tried to capture the beauty of Affric Lodge, which was in shade on the way out:

Photo 6326: Affric Lodge is between the two pine trees

There’s no doubt in my mind that the south side trail is preferable: the views of the mountains and of the end of Loch Affric are so much better, plus the track itself is smoother and more varied in its terrain. You just have to put up with rather too much forest in the first 2k. However, plenty of people disagree with me. If you do the whole circuit, I suggest doing it clock-wise so that the best views are ahead of you.

That brought my trip to Scottish glens to a fitting conclusion – two unforgettable trails along Scotland’s ‘most beautiful glen’ plus two forays by car into two adjacent glens that were certainly worth the effort, even if the trails I trod in them were short on spectacle. After Glen Affric, it’s hard to know where to turn: I’m not interested in Munros and I’ve already driven round most of Scotland in a camper-van and visited most of the islands to the west and the north, although only two of these trips are on this website. Perhaps that’s it for Scotland? But I expect I shall find somewhere enticing to draw me there again (see Trip 33: Scottish South- East Highlands). For instance, I’d like to walk across Knoydart but the distances may now be too great for me to manage. Any suggestions for a 73-year-old who can only manage 15k a day would be welcome….