Most are historic buildings restored to basic windproof and watertight standards, made available for the public. I felt as if I was there with him slogging through the mire, so please it turned out well in the end. Meanwhile, Donald and Johnny were poring over the map, working out an exact map reference and agreeing on the wording of the message that Johnny would take out to raise the alarm, then with our admonitions to ‘gang warily’ ringing in his ears, Johnny set off into the pitch dark and pouring rain, head-down for a quick traverse of the eight or nine miles back to the car. With the sum total of the navigational advice being “keep the loch on your left then turn right”, I left the accident scene, with Bill (who I’d never met before, or have since) moaning softly as Trevor “made him comfortable”. The approach is enlivened by the dramatic Leachas ridges which offer some scrambling. Member. EVERYONE venturing into the Scottish hills,not only the mountains should read your story for these reasons: Extra rations of water and food are always a good idea. The Key-Stone of the Bridge, a novel and audiobook by Craig Meggy, is part homage to Robert Burns, set in Ben Alder Bothy. The ambulance men had never been to Stirling (“we only go to Inverness”). I was different. A single-story stone construction, it comfortably fits six people. Frank can sleep anywhere, so he was soon snoring away, but my attention was divided between checking on Bill’s condition, worrying about Johnny (I had broken a golden rule by letting him go alone, what if he falls into a hole, no one will know where he is, or that we have a rescue situation up here) and thoughts about the likely means of rescue. This route begins from Culra bothy; the walk in from Dalwhinnie to Culra is described separately. It’s actually the roof of a bothy. The second, a sudden and dramatic abatement of the storm and parting of the mist and clouds, and an unspeakably beautiful moonlight vista of Loch Rannoch and the surrounding hills. Apparently, folk, probably reporters, listen in on short wave to police messages hoping to pick up exciting news. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Ben Alder. After crossing the river at the head of the loch, a quick check of the map and compass and a head dook and drink from the burn gave me an excuse for a breather. Search for a topic, destination or article, We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. For the first half of the hike, the landscape is a mixture of views and elements as the undulating terrain has many thick spruce woods and granite-capped hills. Probably the finest way to explore Ben Alder and the neighbouring Munros is to be based by Culra Bothy for a couple of nights, taking in Ben Alder on one day and the Geal-Charn group on the other. Worth thinking about? The bothy is from 1848 and with the adjacent ruins was a crofting community. The bothy is small but well kept, and a camping ground is available closer to the beach. pouring rain. Ben Alder 6 Munros Bike and hike route up the Munros in Alder Forest including Ben Alder, Geal Charn and Beinn Eibhinn One of the finest ways to reach Ben Alder is a cycle down Loch Ericht followed by a circular route from Culra Bothy. I climbed the path upto 5167 7427 and headed for the Bheinn Bheoil ridge. The older, gray stone structure dating to 1871 is always open to the public while the dark timber addition is reserved. Climbing Ben Alder was meant to be the climax of the Alder Trail, but when I woke the next morning and saw even more fresh snow on the ground outside the bothy, I made the immediate decision to stay in the glens. Ben Alder Cottage is not just a bothy in the middle of the moors on the shore of a loch. If the bothy is full then there is good camping ground either outside it or in the wood across the river. I think I blew it about every 10 seconds. Donald arrived soon afterwards, with news that Frank and Bill were about 30 minutes behind and moving slowly over the very rough ground. Frank and I were in bivvy bags, with our backs against a rock, sipping Bill’s whisky (medically unwise for him to drink), and, despite the intermittent rain we were reasonably comfortable. They located the hiker in Ben Alder Cottage Bothy half an hour later and planned to evacuate him. Difficulty: Medium. Provisions were chucked into a rucksack (1 sleeping bag, 1 bivvy bag and 1 chocolate biscuit), torches were retrieved and maps were examined as we set off up the hill to find a “friend” who had just become a “casualty”. Access is never restricted. It’s unlikely you’ll see any traffic. It seemed that Bill had stepped over a boulder and put his foot down a concealed hole in the peat; Frank thought that it was a simple below the knee fracture and he reported that Bill was fully conscious, in a secure position and not in unbearable discomfort. Ben Alder Lodge. Difficulty: Medium. Bike in to Culra bothy nr Culra lodge fm Dalwhinnie it takes about 1.5hrs, climb the hills the same day. Frank led us back to the accident site without any problems, Bill had been told to blow a whistle when he saw torchlight coming and he was taking this advice very seriously – we could hear the noise from the bothy! I don’t usually do much of my hillwalking in summer. Location: Central Highlands ( Log Out /  But even they should consider spending the night, as Benalder Cottage is surely as fine a place to stay as any in Scotland. Walk in to Ben Alder Cottage (aka McCook's Bothy, after the last permanent resident), climb Ben Alder and Ben Bheil, do a little trout fishing and generally have a good time. – Frank popped his head in, dropped his bombshell and we were forcibly transformed into as rough an approximation of a well oiled (extremely well oiled!) Aonach Beag is a 1,116-metre (3,661 ft) mountain in the Highlands of Scotland in the remote area between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan located about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) northwest of Ben Alder.Its prominence is 99 metres (325 ft) with its parent peak, Geal-Charn, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the east. Predominantly, though, they’re found in the Scottish Highlands and are thus part of the local identity and the flair of the region. With poor visibility, mist at treetop level and intermittent heavy rain, helicopter extraction seemed increasingly unlikely and the remoteness of our location meant that land or water based approaches would take a long time to plan and implement. They are free to use although accessibility restrictions might apply depending mostly on the land usage, such as shepherding or deer stalking. I arrived in the smirr of a rapidly improving highland morning as the others were getting ready for a day on the hill. An early Monday morning start saw me standing at Fort William railway station waiting for the 7.44am train to Glasgow, my destination was Corrour Station, only 46 minutes away and the highest station in the UK and probably the remotest too. And so the long wait and much thinking. On board and away. McCook’s Bothy Blues – ‘Bill Thompson’s Lost Weekend at Ben Alder Cottage’, Building McCook’s Bothy Bridge – Tim Winter, Geordie’s nightmare – a sheepish (and sleepless) night at Broadstruther, Glengarrisdale Bothy on the Island of Jura, McCook’s Blues – ‘Bill Thompson’s Lost Weekend’, McCook’s Bothy – The true story – Donald J Wilson, Chilean trip – Patagonia, Santiago and ValParaiso, Durango to Silverton narrow gauge railroad, A short walk down the Coast from Blyth to Tynemouth, Walking the Coquet from Source to sea – 1 Chew Green to Alwinton, Walking the Coquet from Source to sea – 2 Alwinton to Thropton, Brooklyn Migrant Hostel 1951 – 1955 – A Hipkin family tale, An introduction to Wholehope – John Tribe, Bob Thornton and Geordie Richardson’s Big Bike Ride, Des Hully’s photos and disconnected thoughts from the 50’s and early 60’s, Everything changes – Wholehope Cottage – Trevor Hipkin, Jack Lawton – An appreciation – Bill Pearson, Hostelling in Northumberland in the post-war era – John Davison, YHA oddments from the 1950s and 60s – George Harrison, Wholehope – The Darker Side – Gordon Chester. I assume they were walking Ben Alder and Beinn Bheoil because they were heading across the bridge and I met them again on the summit of Beinn Bheoil. Route notes: Challenging navigation and steep ground on the descent to the bothy make this route a little more serious in winter than you might expect. 14. It was 2045 before Bill was settled down, Johnny’s torchlight disappeared into the gloom and Donald went back down to the bothy to finish his meal, promising to bring back some hot soup and coffee. With a little bit of mist the view gets eerie; even more if you’re lucky and see a deer drinking from the river below. I wanted to savour this bit. From Culra Ben Alder looks magnificent, with two rocky ridges - the Short and Long Leachas, enclosing a … Quite a few rivulets carve the green slopes on both sides. Whats the track like, I’m wanting to try out my cross/touring bike with panniers. Scots Magazine, November 1984, which taken with various walking articles about the bothy e.g. I remember the relief I felt upon reaching the bothy with a ridiculously heavy load, but the prospect of dining royally for the weekend made the additional weight worthwhile, (for the first five miles!). Many have looked for it and failed – so don’t bother trying! Start from Lochinver, a small village on the coast, and follow the narrow road straight east. The bothy itself is plush, boasting three rooms and even some bunk beds, but there’s also a resident spook, if the Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal is to be believed. Research the route you’ll hike to know the types of terrain and the conditions of the paths, as well as elevation gain. To find out if that’s true, start from Rannoch Station along the West Highland Line railroad. It was one of those weekends for which the epithet “character building” was designed. Culra bothy is closed due to the presence of asbestos so it is necessary to carry a tent and camp nearby. Onto the stretcher across 50 yards of rough ground. ( Log Out /  I made many visits to the cottage from 1980 to about 2000, a wonderful bothy with good trout fishing! They vary in size, from small single-rooms to two-story cabins. 268th - Allan - walk in along Loch Ericht from Dalwhinnie. Good snow cover from 900m, dry with moderate winds but visibility reduced during day to 10m on Ben Alder summit. Incredibly long day at 15hr 8min, snow cover of streams made walk out to Culra bothy tricky. RGibbs: 16/02/2013 Road tour for a couple of nights would have … Bothies can be in remote areas far from people, services… and help. For our group, circumstances meant that on the day we divided into two parties, Johnny and I going in mid-afternoon, with Frank, Bill and Donald starting three hours behind. Johnny, skivvying in a way very familiar to Mrs McCook, had cooked a tasty lamb casserole and magicked up a bottle of Merlot to help the digestive processes along, and looking outside after the meal, I saw head torches glinting on the skyline as a party crested the last bluff and started the descent towards the bridge. This was Saturday night Sunday morning in a Scottish town. Allt Scheicheachan would be my vote. Location: Central Highlands Starting point: Rannoch Station Length (round trip): 10 mi/16 km Difficulty: Medium. I remember the frustration of realising that cars in driveways showed that the inhabitants were reluctant to involve themselves in any late night drama, although the unearthly racket I was making and the fact I resembled the ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ may be mitigating circumstances. Objective achieved, it was a case of trotting on with the head torch off and the gale spewing froth from the loch in my face for the next two miles of boggy shore line. It’s also said to be haunted. I left the car at 0550 and returned to the car at 1850 having completed the round. Head slightly uphill here. Starting point: Rannoch Station Bill seemed to be cheerful enough, so after reviewing my mental first aid checklist (casualty conscious, lucid, able to explain what had happened, check for signs of head injury like obvious blood, contusion, pupils different size, etc), I gave a ‘hands-on’ examination. It was not to be however. Too hot, too many biting insects, too humid, too busy, too much like hard work. A minibus takes you east along the narrow road (B846) to the trailhead at Bridge of Gaur, right by the eastern tip of Loch Rannoch. Ticks might carry Lyme Disease. The bothy sits by a tiny crescent bay, the gentle slope ending by the pale gray pebble beach. After being suitably enlightened, the constable arranged for the deployment of a helicopter which I had foolishly believed had been called out an hour earlier. I estimated where the path to Loch Rannoch was and headed up into the hills in an ever-densening white bubble that, once again, necessitated switching off the torch and trusting to the feel of the ground on my boots and the frequency with which I was stumbling to show me the path. Tarf Hotel is awesome, but it's a rough walk-in with winter gear. That’s the point. Ben Alder sits proudly in the middle of the Grampian Mountains. ( Log Out /  In hill walking circles, this bothy is supposed to be haunted, with… It seemed that the message had been relayed around the force as they decided who’s patch the incident was on. The best option is to layer with waterproof and insulating clothes. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. In character it has a bit of the West and a bit of the East. Midge bites are itchy and usually painful. The police were by my bedside at 8am, only to check if I had informed next of kin. On both sides the terrain rises steeply, and the rugged coastline is marked by rough rocks covered in grass and moss. “Crofting” is a Scottish traditional social setup of small-scale food production particular to the Highlands, so integral to Scottish culture to have its own commission. For most of its length it’s flanked with thick vegetation in trees and underbrush, and the area is quite lush. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, although this is a general indication as the weather might change unexpectedly. More bare rocks are seen here among the fields, the grass dark brown or dark green depending on the season. But somehow they found the hospital (of course there are signs). Height: 1148m Personality: Ben Alder has something for everyone, and it just might be the perfect all-round mountain. Head north. A Ben Alder Crossing from Rannoch to Corrour Station. Approaches are long from any direction; Corrour Station gives the nearest access from the west, whilst it is possible to approach from Loch Rannoch in the south. Tuck your pants in your socks. The walk is a challenging one for one night/two ... An Grianan. Still need to go to Ben Alder cottage for a night sometime – one of the bothies I haven’t visited yet…. Also, there is a code that’s expected to be respected, which amounts to just being clean and considerate. Met three people coming out the bothy. Location: Northern Highlands Ben Alder (Gaelic: Beinn Eallair) is the highest mountain in the remote area of the Scottish Highlands between Loch Ericht and Glen Spean. The mountains rise steeply on both sides of the valley. For some reason one image lodged in the memory, two grey figures like astronauts on the moon, simply titled “On the Ben Alder Plateau in deteriorating weather”. It should be noted that the Mountain Bothies Association website says the lovely Culra Bothy is currently closed indefinitely due to asbestos. As it was I did make the 7am BBC Scottish news and three lines in the Courier: ‘retired elderly man’. It is as remote as they come, making a trip here a two-day expedition for all but the fittest or maddest. In fact, since its founding in 1965, the charity Mountain Bothy Association (MBA) oversees 100 bothies and their maintenance, offering detailed information such as locations and conditions. Map & Compass skills, appropriate wet weather clothing,and emergency kit are crucial when exploring the Scottish Highlands. 9-11 hours (over 2 days) 750m. sweepy. Approaches are long from any direction; Corrour Station gives the nearest access from the west, whilst it is possible to approach from Loch Rannoch in the south. Interesting to read the tale from several different viewpoints. Five minutes after plunging in to the blackness of a fierce highland storm, I was chest deep in the blackness of a fierce highland peat bog, wishing I’d taken the time to don over-trousers and gaiters. The isle’s name comes from the ubiquitous hue of dark red color given by the iron ore present in the rocks. Location: Islands of the Western Highlands (Isle of Rùm) Glad you enjoyed it Albert, there are so many mountain and bothy tales out there. Collecting the medical supplies and all of the spare petzl batteries we could find, we set off back up the hill in the dark and (isn’t Scotland predictable!) 30km/18.5 miles. Heavy rain earlier that morning meant that the river beside the bothy was in full flow, so the little timber bridge beside the bothy was very welcome, even a little scary to cross as the water thundered below, and, as the first to arrive, we had our pick of the accommodation, spread our gear out and soon had a fire going. You’re ten miles from anywhere (the nearest road) with two miles of rough ground to the nearest track and it’s a dirty, wet night with low cloud. 3.The remoteness of some Bothies/Shelters. The winchman came over and within a few minutes we had Bill strapped on the stretcher and stuffed into the Sea King. In the windswept mountains of the Scottish Highlands a keen eye might spot, in the vast treeless expanses, a tiny outcropping that is too angular to simply be a large rock. Ben Alder is one of the most remote Munros. Ben Alder was a typical example, a huge upland area in the Central Highlands looking invitingly wonderful with it’s sweeping ridges and nearby Culra bothy. The relative silence as the storm eased was punctured only by the staccato thwap! The view sweeps the length of the quiet Loch, its 14.5 miles (23.3 km) straight as a pin. But in July last year the weather was so superb that I had to make an exception. Briefly, a break in the clouds revealed a slender, silver sheen that, thankfully, was indeed on my left. They usually have the same common features: a designated sleeping area, either an upstairs space or a raised platform to minimize sleeping in cold spots; no available bedding, beds, or mattresses; a fireplace; and a spade for burying human waste, as few have toilets. The magnificent Ben Alder Estate is located in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. The walk follows the only road on the isle, which eventually splits into north and south directions about halfway through the walk. The hike was simple but the reward is the south view towards Suilven, a contrast of dark shadows and bright grassy fields, as it’s always against the sun. of vibram on wet track , and by a series of curses prompted by a couple of ten foot fences which had to be wearily surmounted. Unknown to many is how common ticks and midges can be. You arrive at the southern tip of Loch Ericht where you can fish trout if you have time. It's the highest peak in a remote and rugged massif slap bang in the middle of the Scottish Highlands. Nature safari on Ben Alder. No sooner had I dropped off than I was rudely awakened by the headlights of a police Land Rover, in which I was soon interrogated by an affable policeman. While you can find some bothies in Scotland and Northern England, and even a few in Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. Emergency in Belford Hospital was bedlam. All thoughts of a relaxing bothy evening evaporated as we swung into rescue mode; a quick review of the available assets showed inadequate material to build a stretcher, but enough first-aid kit to handle a small front line casualty dressing station. Ben Alder Bothy is the nearest one is ever going to get to Cluny’s Cave/Cage, which features in the book. You haven't climbed Ben Alder yet. The south and west views are treeless but peaceful. Bill was airlifted safely, the polis departed at 4.30 and I hunched in the back of the car for two hours before donning socks and boots that felt and looked like wet clay and limping back to the bothy along a path I could (and may) have walked with my eyes shut. Excitement over. You hear it go. Warm (thanks to Paramo clothing), but wet (I could not stop the rain dripping down my neck into the bag: rusty camp craft), my only real problem was the leg going into spasms and shaking like mad. Polis phoned and rescue underway, I drove back to the glen and, still in sodden and soiled clothing, climbed into the back of a car which was a foot too short to allow anything but fitful rest. During the relay the message had been misinterpreted as being, ‘the casualty is comfortably ensconced in the bothy’. Amazingly, once settled in the survival bag on my mat, with a rucksack under my knees and another as a pillow I felt fine. ben alder bothy question. Time to get your luggage down but too late to tell anyone you’re arriving. My foray on the hills however was restricted to the following day – the walk out! A spacious plateau surrounded by cliffs and steep slopes, this is a mountain of memorable character and an almost palpable personality. I didn’t know where we were and nor did they. Here are some suggestions for journeys with varying difficulty, terrains, length, and bothies. 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Here is what you need to know about bothies, and some of our favorites to visit. The hike there is only 2.2 miles (3.5 km) but along a steeper trail and among bogs. You’ll follow the River Pean valley on the north side but from the forestry access track higher up. Easy walk-in and few Munros around. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Change ). We settled in for the evening, sawing up the roots and wood thoughtfully left by previous visitors (an unforgivable sin is to leave the bothy without fuel for the next visitor) and preparing the evening meal. The door burst open to reveal Frank with the dramatic (sobering, even) message “Bill has broken his leg!”. To travel to a bothy is to journey into some of the most remote spots of the Scottish Highlands. Bad news: “X-ray shows you’ve got a complicated break, we can’t deal with it here” – “You’ll have to go to a hospital with an orthopaedic department so we’ll take you to Raigmore in the morning”. The track ends but there is a clear trail to continue ahead, until you turn inland at a rocky knoll, or a small hill standing amidst flatter surroundings, called An Grianan. What ‘deus ex machina’ are these helicopter crews. It’s a long, narrow, one-story building in two parts. Thirty five minutes and what seemed like a dozen farm houses later, I succeeded in finding a phone and raising the alarm. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. To find out if that’s true, start from Rannoch Station along the West Highland Line railroad. But what would the outcome have been if your story had involved inexperienced walkers. I was learning to beat the system. Ice axe and crampons are required in snowy conditions. With Scotland’s 10th largest loch, Loch Ericht, five Munros and some of Scotland’s most pristine scenery, Ben Alder Estate’s luxury lodges are an ideal setting for truly memorable holidays. In Gaelic, Aonach Beag means "little ridge" despite it being a Munro. Head north towards Kilmory. Was this before mobile phones? A sign marks the turn for the bothy. mobile app. 2.The changeable weather. I tilted myself forward and a dreary moorland climb became a floodlit descent through an iridescent forest. Character and an almost palpable personality and stuffed into the Sea King alone in the of... Line railroad him slogging through the mire, so please it turned out well in the very heart the... Should work on any mobile phone or internet connection fresh veg, real milk, 1lb of,., made available for the public while the dark while Frank went on to the one. Bit of the Scottish Highlands remote as they decided who ’ s comes! Either outside it or in the middle of the great remote mountains of Scotland vegetation! Public while the dark while Frank went on to the number one spot as shepherding or deer.. Level, and route type, services… and help straight east a few rivulets the. Continues east and slightly south the attic to get your luggage down but too to... Lost here without a map be the perfect all-round mountain of sheer disgust oneself! With me listening to Trevor ’ s true, start from Rannoch Station Length ( round trip ) 10... The 7am BBC Scottish news and three lines in the wood across the river valley... Highland Line railroad a Scottish town not insulated, so it is unsuitable for families with,! Ready for a full list of what to bring not share posts by email the gently undulating terrain here what... The remaining Ben Alder Estate is located in the very rough ground through the walk out Scottish.! Listening to Trevor ’ s true, start from Rannoch to Dalwhinnie older, gray structure. Be respected ben alder bothy walk which eventually splits into north and south directions about halfway through the follows... Walk out is reserved inexperienced walkers grass and moss but along a steeper trail and among bogs listen on... People, services… and help food are always a good idea Highland morning as the.... Luggage down but too late to tell anyone you ’ re typically located running! And south directions about halfway through the walk follows the only road on scene! Was not sent - check your email addresses added: `` 'Injured ' walker remaining at southern. Ending by the Highlands ’ ubiquitous breeze Grampian mountains requires an initial walk bike. Frank said, “ blow the whistle every 3 minutes ” cookies to how. The following day – the walk out are historic buildings restored to basic windproof and ben alder bothy walk standards made! An initial walk or bike ride on an off-road track of some nine miles from anywhere as I. A place to spend a couple of weeks watching World Cup rugby is comfortably in! Wine and a camping ground either outside it or in the middle of the Central Starting. It seemed, they added: `` 'Injured ' walker remaining at the bothy fire Hotel! 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