Meall a’ Bhuachaille – Great for whetting your appetite

Meall a’ Bhuachaille is a rather low hill compared to the giants right next to it. But it is this superb position at the edge of the massive Cairngorms fortress that makes this Corbett a perfect viewpoint. And even better: An excellent path leads through Glenmore Forest, up and over the hill and back down again.

This circuit is an adventure that will not only get new hillwalkers hooked but may also be ideal for more experienced walkers who want to reignite their passion for the hills. 🙂

You start the walk at Glenmore Forest Park Visitor Centre . Follow the footpath parallel to the road that leads to Glenmore Lodge . Pass the lodge and continue on the broad track. Stay on this one and ignore other tracks branching off.

After a while, you reach the Green Loch – a magical place, perfect for having a quick break.

Continue on the path northwards, ignore the path to the right. Eventually, you come across Ryvoan Bothy – well-maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association.

Now the true hillwalking part begins, as you turn left at the Bothy and head up the hill path. At first, the gradient is gentle but becomes steeper soon. For parts of the way, you climb up a rocky staircase. The steepest section has some awkward stairs to climb as well, but shouldn’t give anyone any trouble, as the path is in a good condition and the slight exposure when walking uphill is barely noticeable.

Further up, the gradient eases again and the going becomes more pleasant on an excellent footpath. Following this one, you soon reach the summit of Meall a’ Bhuachaille .

The views up here are grand – to say the least. To the East are Cairngorm and the other mighty giants watching over the plateau. To the South, you look over Glenmore Forest and Loch Morlich into Glen Feshie. And to the West, you see the vast expanse of the lower Monadhliath Mountains in the Central Highlands.

After you’ve enjoyed the view, you continue west, where another excellent path leads down the slopes. At the fork take the path to the left, which is the straightforward way back to the Glenmore Visitor Centre.