The path is fringed mainly by meadow full of pignut and bluebell, with creeping buttercup, speedwell and meadowsweet, in Spring and Summer, and with some fine old birches. There is a short, steep little ascent from here to reach Sron Coire a'Chriochairein. If you are lucky and visit early morning in Spring (April/May) you may also be treated to the sight of male black grouse engaged in competitive displays (lekking) to attract the attention of visiting females. Fork left off the track onto the excellent footpath and then ignore two other paths leading off to the left. Please consider setting up a direct debit donation to help support the continued maintenance and updates to Walkhighlands. I really don’t think a hike up Meagaidh is a huge risk. Open start point in Google Maps for directions. This 2015 walk completes a clockwise loop around Coire Ardair to visit the three munros associated with Creag Meagaidh. Things to do near Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve The Highland Mountain Company Vertical Fever - Day Adventures Nevis Cycles Hunter Mountaineering Highland Mini Tours Steall Waterfall Lochaber Guides - Private Day The path is a little boggy at first but improves further down where it keeps further from the river. Creag Meagaidh is a great swathe of cliffs and deep corries when seen from the A86. Always check the weather forecast and let others know if you are walking in the hills. Poor mountain day 7th March 2020 (Above) Not a great day in prospect with a walk (in rain – clearing at times) to investigate some recent debris seen middle of slope center, on Sron a Ghoire. Combining Creag Meagaidh with these peaks makes for a fine circuit with options of returning through Coire Ardair or staying high over Puist Coire Ardair for long-lasting views. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, Fort William: Address, Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve Reviews: 4.5/5. The route has some steep sections but for much of the way rises fairly gently to the lochan along a very good gravel path. We left the cottage at 9am and drove on the A86 to the Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve car par. There is an information point with reserve leaflets and sightings board, picnic bench and loo at Aberarder farmhouse, as well as some interpretation boards and benches on route. The hotel retains the traditional charm of an age gone but with comfortable modern en-suite rooms. Walk of the week: Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, Highlands Loop round an ancient lochan and discover mica-sparkling rocks and Arctic … 6 mile walk in 6h30 from 10.00 to 16.30 ... Off to Creag Meagaidh. Other possible sightings include pipits, willow warblers, wren, greater spotted woodpecker, blackbird, song thrush, robin; to mention a few. The walk passes over a board walk section across more boggy ground, with cotton grass (including Eriophorum angustifolium and Eriophorum vaginatum) purple moor grass and willow. : NN 483873 ///deep.shallower.simmer 21 km / 13 mi | 1080 m | … Take a stroll by the river, watch for goldfinches and deer, or walk to a remote loch Lochan a The heath sections support heather (Calluna vulgaris), bell heather (Erica spp), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea), bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), and deer grass (Trichophorum germanicum), with heath speedwell (Veronica officinalis), heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile), tormentil (Potentilla erecta) and devil’s bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) adding splashes of colour from spring to late summer. The simple answer to your question, Mary, is that the name appears to derive from local oral history. The path passes through grassy heath with natural regeneration by birch and rowan. This spectacular crag overlooks a beautiful, tranquil lochan - … All walking is potentially dangerous and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are properly dressed and equipped, have a map and compass, have checked and planned your route in advance and are able to navigate effectively. using a map and compass. From here, return across the plateau and back down to 'The Window'. Maps displayed on these walking pages are intended as an overview of the walk and are NOT suitable for navigation. I did this walk in August 2015 driving to the large car park at Creag Megaidh National Nature Reserve by the A86 between Spean Bridge and Newtonmore. There are several information points on route, as well as bird feeders and several benches. Off to Creag Meagaidh We left the cottage at 9am and drove on the A86 to the . The views are superb and when I first walked the loop a decade ago, the conditions worsened so by the time we reached the third summit of Creag Meagaidh, we could hardly see a thing due to rain and mist. Please follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and respect landowners and residents' privacy. There is a good-sized car park at Aberarder on the north side of the A86, opposite Loch Laggan. Then path then heads into another lovely section of alder woodland, crossing a stream. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve: Amazing walk - See 34 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. The plan for our second day in Laggan was to climb one of the many Munros in the area. Two days hiking up several Munros in the Central Highlands, including mighty Creag Meagaidh. Click for details, Hear pronunciation Press to hear pronunciation. Creag Meagaidh is a magnificent massif, a bare plateau fringed by some of the grandest cliffs in Scotland. People are asked to stay at home except for essential purposes. Cross this to a giant, very old looking cairn on the northern fringe of the tablelands beyond - Mad Meg's cairn. Continue up some stone steps by a boundary wall to a lovely viewpoint with an information board. This tiny sheet of water is utterly overpowered by the great bulk of Creag Meagaidh's cliffs high above. Creag Meagaidh is a magnificent massif, a bare plateau fringed by some of the grandest cliffs in Scotland. Information is provided free of charge; it is each walker's responsibility to check it and navigate This is a fabulous walk (or run) with The Creag Meagaidh circuit is one of the classic walks in the Highlands and allows no fewer than three Munros to be climbed relatively easily in one day. Walk: Mad Meggy & her ugly sisters Start / finish at car park for Craig Meagaidh NNR, A86 midway along Loch Laggan, G.R. This is the first Munro of the day at a height of 1006 metres. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve (NNR) is the complete mountain experience. Aberarder, car park off A86 between Laggan and Spean Bridge. Thoroughly miserable conditions with rain throughout the morning and not a hint of new snow until much later. Descend the steep slopes leading east from the Window; the path is steep, stony and eroded and keeps to the left on the way down at first, before switching to the right on the second steep section. It was only a matter of time before the flat, meandering path deteriorated into a scramble up a bolder field! Scotland is under national lockdown. Good view of the surrounding hills and there is a large picnic area and a bird-blind screening some bird feeders. This is the highest mountain in the area at 1130 metres, and the views are very extensive on a clear day. However, I had the chance to go in from the Braeroy side this week. Full disclosure: I’m not a dog owner. From wild mountain plateau to woodland that’s slowly returning to life, Creag Meagaidh feels like the Highlands compressed into one reserve. Creag Meagaidh is a vast plateau, and one of the higher mountains of the central Highlands - … From here continue northwest - a branch path leads off, making for a long grind up the broad hillside, which becomes stonier near the summit. Turn right at the T-junction following the signposts back to the car park. A short ascent along this ridge brings the cairn of Creag Meagaidh into view. A stunning walk with fabulous hill views to lochan a Choire in Coire Ardair, following the watercourse, Allt Coire Ardair, in the Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve. The Apprentice, who occasionally features on the blog, is unleashed onto the hill by my back … (Above) Still plenty of snow for ski access above 400m – although it would have been a soggy affair …foot soldiering today in the wet snow . The actual summit of Creag Meagaidh is several hundred metres further west, where the plateau narrows into a ridge, and it's marked by a less monumental cairn. You don’t need more of my words: just go hear it for yourself. The reserve extends from the shoreline of Loch Laggan to the high summits of the hills that form the whaleback ridge surrounding the ‘great bowl’ of Coire Ardair. Look out for a cairn where a rough path heads off amongst the birch trees. Walkin’ the dog. The trail is very easy angled and well constructed. 1128m high. Creag Meagaidh (which translates as the rather unflattering boggy crag) is the highest summit in a sprawling massif slightly adrift of the Monadliath range above Loch Laggan. The actual summit of Creag Meagaidh is several hundred metres further west, where the plateau narrows into a ridge, and it's marked by a less monumental cairn. A lovely short walk through meadow and ancient alderwoods with an herbaceous understorey with bluebell, pignut, creeping buttercup and wood cranesbill. The entire route is around 15 miles and can be a serious undertaking especially in winter conditions. There are a few events each year organised by Scottish National Heritage for which booking is essential, please contact SNH at Aviemore for details. Creag Meagaidh (Scottish Gaelic: Creag Mèagaidh) is a mountain on the northern side of Glen Spean in the Highlands of Scotland.It is a complex mountain, taking the form of a flat summit plateau from which five ridges radiate, and is most famed for the cliffs surrounding the corrie of Coire Ardair on the north-eastern face. Rugged mountain walk. Three lovely short walks from the car park in Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve providing an opportunity to experience various habitats, including meadow,  ancient alder woodland and heath land. Continue down the path right back to the start. Creag Meagaidh Creag Meagaidh and neighbouring Munros, 30 November - 1 December 2019 A blog post from one of our mountain adventures in the Scottish hills and mountains. In addition, there is an interpretation board, next to a picnic bench and affording view over the river (Alt Coire Ardair), celebrating the magic and biodiversity of the alder  and birch woodlands. Climb up to the lochan in Coire Ardair to view the magnificent cliffs of Creag Meagaidh. The slope soon eases into the vast plateau of Creag Meagaidh. A guided walk up Creag Meagaidh and the Horseshoe The Creag Meagaidh Horseshoe is a stunning mountain route due to it’s bare plateau, beatiful crags, views and cories. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve: A Scenetic walk all the way - See 34 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. Natural woodland regeneration is being actively encouraged on the reserve by removal of sheep and by reducing deer numbers (roe, Sitka and red deer). Shortly after which the path heads through a lovely section of ancient birch and alder woodland. Park at in car park Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, clearly signposted off the A88, at Aberarder. Ascent of Creag Meagaidh from 'the Window': After circa 150m of height gain, I was onto the flat plateau of Creag Meagaidh. meagaidhadmin 22nd March 2020 6:51 am Hi John, In some ways I agree with you. There are some lovely sections of mixed woodland with alder, oak and rowan, with a mixed herbaceous understorey with bluebell, pignut, creeping buttercup and bracken. This walk provides a great opportunity to see a range of woodland birds including, siskins, redpoll, tits, and finches on the multiple feeders throughout the woodland. A Wildlife Adventure Awaits. A cracking Sept day with … Park at in car park Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, clearly signposted off the A88, at Aberarder. Once passed the farmhouse, the path begins to ascend more steeply passing through heathland with natural woodland regeneration. Exactly what you want for a walk! Topics covered in information points include importance of fungi, natural defences of plants, red and roe deer, native trees and dragon and damselflies. Park at in car park Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve, clearly signposted off the A88, at Aberarder. Sodden 10th March 2020 (Above) A sodden walk into Coire Dubh today. The path heads down one side of a meadow then into small section of alder wood, and then out again up the other side. WalkLakes recognises that hill walking, or walking in the mountains, is an activity with a danger of personal injury or death. Trees weren’t growing here. Day 2 - CREAG MEAGAIDH, STOB POITE COIRE ARDAIR & CARN LIATH Surprisingly, given the recent warm weather, it was -1C at the Creag Meagaidh car park on Sunday morning. 4 NN4183987530 Return past Mad Meg’s Cairn and head back down to the west end of The Window. The path passes by a lawned area with picnic benches at the start, and then by a bird-blind screening a bird feeding area. Creag Meagaidh and neighbouring Munros, 23-24 February 2019 A blog post from one of our mountain adventures in the Scottish hills and mountains. The music played at Creag Meagaidh is an utterly beautiful thing. Continue on at the junction as directed. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve in the Monadhliath Mountains is a rocky landscape of ice gorged summits, plateaus and ridges that extends from north-east Lochaber into the Cairngorms. Descend south southwest to reach 'The Window', the bealach between the ridge just traversed and Creag Meagaidh itself. The walk follows a gravel track through meadow with the land managed as it would have been in former times by local crofters/farmers. Climbed from Aberarder car park to do the Creag Meagaidh circuit, with Carn Laith first, Stob Poite Coire Ardair then Creag Meagaidh, retuning down the Coire Ardair path from The Window. Once above Na Cnapanan, very thick mist pretty much throughout with very strong winds. Meet Richard on the summit of Carn Laith, thankfully we teamed up to … Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve: Amazing walk - See 34 traveller reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. From here the slopes begin to narrow to form a ridge, and old iron rusty fence posts point the way towards the peculiar trench-like bealach of Uinneas Min Choire. The Creag Meagaidh Circuit, including three Munros, Carn Liath, Stob Poite Coire Ardair and Creag Meagaidh, is one to save for good weather. Have you found an error or is any information wrong or missing? There are excellent views across to the great crags of Creag Meagaidh behind Coire Ardair, relieving the monotony of the slope. I therefore stopped to take some Paracetemol and Ibuprofen. 4. According to local legend it is the burial mound (or cist) of a suicide victim, constructed by the victim’s family. The path passes by an interpretation board on crofting, two information points and another interpretation board on the fairy knoll. Turn right at the information boards and then right again as directed. We set off bang on time again and headed off up the excellent path into Coire Ardair. So little effort for such grand views. Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve: Creag Meagaidh - "Scottish Gem" - See 33 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Fort William, UK, at Tripadvisor. The first part of this moderate walk, which follows a very good path, passes through the regenerating woodland of the National Nature Reserve. Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Creag Meagaidh. An enjoyable day on Creag Meagaidh & its neighbouring peaks, Stob Poite Coire Ardair, & Carn Liath. There are some lovely specimen trees supporting shrubby and foliose lichens and mosses. Creag Meagaidh group Home Up The high plateau of the Creag Meagaidh group is dominated by Coire Ardair and its spectacular winter climbing cliffs and constitutes a good days walk over the five munros to complete all the Munros in this district. Crab Crawl: Creag Meagaidh's most unusual route was first climbed solo by winter legend Tom Patey in 1969. The map can be resized and dragged using your mouse. The summit plateau of Creag Meagaidh can be difficult to navigate in poor visibility - precipices nearby! The walks offer some stunning of views of Creag Meagaidh … Average 0.9 mph, in some ways I agree with you displayed on these walking pages are as! 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