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Walking the Corbett, Meall an Fhudair, near Inverarnan

Written by Fiona

March 21 2020

The Corbett Meall an Fhudair is a fairly straightforward walk in good weather, with the satisfaction of being a part circuit. It also rewards with a wild and remote-feeling landscape.

On a busy weekend with fair weather, my friend Ben and I saw no one else on this nine-mile walk, although we did spot footprints in the snow of several walkers who had covered the same route over previous days.

The walk starts on the side of the busy A82, opposite Glen Falloch farm, less than a mile north of Inverarnan. You need to park a little further along  the A82 and you should note there is only space for a few cars. Car share if you can.

The wide track heads upwards through forestry. To find the start of the (vague) path that heads into moorland you need to look for a few landmarks.

Snowy footprints.

First, the main track crosses a bridge over a trainline. Then the trail heads as you continue to climb on a zig-zagging track. 

At a fork in the track, close a large pylon, walkers for this Corbett take the right-hand route and then continue around the side of the bump in the landscape, Troisgeach Bheag. At grid reference around 310199, leave the track to climb a rough slope. There are a few short sections of path but nothing continuous.

From around 2000ft (600m), Ben and I headed on to snow and this required more careful micro navigation to stay on the right route. There were large areas of snow and then patches of green and lochans in between.

 We passed more large pylons and after a flatter section of the hill, the route climbs again along a wide ridge.

From cairn to cairn

A small cairn on Troisgeach is easily spotted although the summit of the Corbett is still another 2km, in a generally westerly direction. We felt fortunate to be walking on thick snow because the terrain is usually described as boggy and hummocky with lots of lochans.

This section of the walk feels remote and wild although it is not that far from the main road (some four miles!). The views from the summit are lovely, including Ben Lui, Loch Fyne and Beinn Bhuidhe. 

It was a windy day when Ben and I finally reached the top of Meall an Fhudair at 2506ft (764m) and so we hunkered down just below the summit, out of the wind, to each our lunch.

You can return the way you came, or in a circuit leaving the bealach between Meall an Fhudair and Meall nan Caora. You’ll descend in a north-westerly direction on a steep slope. We did not see a path, although there may have been one. Instead we hiked across bumpy and wet ground.

Ben and I on he summit of Meall an Fhudair.

Track back to the start

A vague path can be seen contouring lower down the mountain side and we joined this near a series of water intakes that feed Loch Sloy hydropower scheme. You’ll also see a huge water pipe on the hillside.

The path heads south-easterly, continually undulating, but certainly flatter than the outward route.  The path turns into a wider track and then eventually rejoins the the track at the start of the outward route.

This is a satisfying Corbett that is enjoyable because it feels so remote yet is easily accessible from the A82. It takes about 4hrs 45 mins to complete.

That’s Corbett 33 in my first round.

See Walk Highlands for their route details.

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