Where is the adventure?
The Ben Alder range is remote yet accessible. In recent years, the Alder Estate has massively improved the road along Loch Ericht to the point it's now a joyful ride in. This is the best approach for the Ben Alder pair, and this is accessed from the small village of Dalwhinnie in the eastern Highlands. Dalwhinnie is accessed from the main trunkroad (the A9) which travels north-south between Perth and Inverness, and also on the mainline. Indeed, we even meet at Dalwhinnie station. If you're a Londoner, you can get on the train at Euston and arrive in the highlands on the Caledonian Sleeper!
The other 4 Munros are on an elegant ridge. Carn Dearg at the far eastern ridge can be accessed from Dalwhinnie. The remaining three make more sense to come in from the Laggan side from the north.
We will split this ridge up and specifically attempt Carn Dearg from Dalwhinnie again as a short day unless we have an exceptionally fast group and very good weather!
About the Adventure
The Ben Alder group is in the central highlands and there is lots to encounter - high plateaus, lochans, ridges, fantastic views - all while bagging 6 Munros! We'll be cycling in and out each day rather than camping (camping in the central highlands in summer can be a testing experience with the highland midges!). We've set aside three days for this adventure to give ourselves options - we've found that on occasions, bigger days are best broken down into two separate ventures dependiing on weather and the group. It also gives us the possibility to have a rest day (these are big days) or avoid a bad weather day.
We won't know which day we'll tackle any particular Munro on until much nearer the time. Please note that days 1 and 2 could be reversed, or days 2a/b combined! You'll need to commit to all three days or at least two if coming for a day.
Day 1
Ben Alder (Beinn Eallair) (1,148m / 3,766ft)
Beinn Bheoil (1,019m / 3,343ft)
These fine Munros form a circular walk from the disused Culra Bothy. A long but pleasant cycle in from Dalwhinnie brings us to the heart of this area. If the weather is good, we can scramble the easy ridge up to Ben Alder and then over the rocky but straight forward Beinn Bheoil. We'll then cycle out. The cycle ride takes about 2h each way.
Day 2a
Beinn Eibhinn (1,102m / 3,615ft)
Aonach Beag (1,116m / 3,661ft)
Geal-charn (1,132m / 3,714ft)
We'll cycle in from Laggan along good (but slightly rougher) tracks into a truly wild and remote area. Once off the bikes, we've a river crossing then we're off piste on the ascent. A faint track traverses the Munros and we're then back on rough ground back to the river crossing and our bikes. If we're doing well and the weather is on our side, we may combine this day with day 2b below from Laggan.
Day 2b
Carn Dearg (1,034m / 3,392ft)
We'll cycle in again from Dalwhinnie toward Culra bothy. From here, it's a straight forward (but steep and heathery) ascent to the summit and back to the bikes.
If you want to come for one day, we've counted Ben Alder as a day, and the ridge of 4 as a separate day even though we may well have to do this over two days.
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