Hillwalking route up Aonach Shasuinn and Carn a' Choire Ghairbh

Affric Corbetts

Hillwalking route from Glen Affric up Aonach Shasuinn and Carn a' Choire Ghairbh

In a quiet corner south-west of Glen Affric, paths lead away from the main trails to the foot of a circular hillwalking route bagging the grass-covered Corbett peaks of Aonach Shasuinn and Carn a' Choire Ghairbh.



Route outline


Corbetts

Aonach Shasuinn, 

Carn a' Choire Ghairbh

Ascent 1125m (3690ft)
Distance 23km (14m)
Time 7:40hr
Start/finish River Affric car-park
Grid Ref : NH201233
Terrain
easy hard
Nav
easy hard
Effort
easy hard
Scenery
ok fab


This circular route begins from the end of the public road in Glen Affric and heads into the wild and hidden area south of Loch Affric bagging the grass-covered Corbett peaks of Aonach Shasuinn and Carn a' Choire Ghairbh.

There are some excellent forestry roads to follow that run the length of Loch Affric, some other tracks by the foot of Aonach Shasuinn and a rough old stalkers path travelling to a height of 650m on the northern slopes of Carn a' Choire Ghairbh. Away from these, hillsides are pathless and in the main of rough heathery terrain, though crests are delightfully grass covered.



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Route description


1. Getting to Glen Affric

River Affric

River Affric

West of Inverness and Loch Ness, the A831 does a loop from Beauly to Drumnadrochit.

At the most westerly point on this road is the small village of Cannich with its tourist services and from where an unclassified road heads south-west following the River Affric upstream. This road travels for around 15km to its end by the head of Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin.

At the road-end there is a large car-park in birch woodland. The car-park has benches by a viewpoint and public toilets and there is a charge of £3 to park for the day.


2. Aonach Shasuinn

Aonach Shasuinn

Aonach Shasuinn

Out of the car-park, turn left and on a forestry track, head down to the bridge over Garbh-uisge. Over the bridge, follow the track south-west for just over 2km, past a house to a bridge over the Allt Garbh .

Just before the bridge is a knackered Right-of-Way sign pointing to Cougie, beside which is a rough path heading through heather and bracken undergrowth, tracing the east bank of the Allt Garbh upstream. For just over 1km, this path climbs gently, on the way heading though a gate in a deer fence and ends meeting with a track .

Turning left (east) on the track would take you to the end of a public road by Cougie and onto Tomich passing the rather lovely Plodda Falls.

To head to Aonach Shasuinn, turn right and follow the track south for just over 1km, on the way heading through another gate in a deer fence, to drop down to meet with the Allt Garbh by a small weir .

Shelter just east of Aonach Shasuinn's summit

Shelter just east of Aonach Shasuinn's summit

Leave the track, and keeping to the southern bank of the Allt Garbh, head south-westwards over pathless and sometimes soggy terrain. Above and ahead the crest of Aonach Shasuinn summit stands over Coire Gorm. Hiking through heather deer-grass, aim directly into the coire, thereafter turning south-east up a fairly steep slope onto Aonach Shasuinn's summit crest, just west of its highest point with its cairn and remains of a small shelter.

Shelter just east of Aonach Shasuinn's summit

Shelter just east of Aonach Shasuinn's summit


3. Carn a' Choire Ghairbh

Carn a' Choire Ghairbh from Aonach Shasuinn

Carn a' Choire Ghairbh from Aonach Shasuinn

From Aonach Shasuinn's main summit, head west over a delightfully grass-covered crest then some stoney ground to a cairn on Aonach Shasuinn's western summit . Continue westwards and drop down a grass-covered slope to Bealach an Amais. A track Ceannacroc to the south-east reaches and ends at this bealach.

Looking west from Bealach an Amais, the shoulder of An Elric rises on the left. Just to the north of this crest, a faint path can just about be made out climbing and heading westwards. Follow this path as it rises slightly then contours on An Elric's grass-covered north-facing slopes.

The path aims for the bealach, Cadha Riabhach, to the south of Carn a' Choire Ghairbh - I left the path around 1km east of this bealach and dropped down to the Allt Garbh , then clambered up Carn a' Choire Ghairbh's south-facing grassy slopes, picking up a line of tall old iron fence-posts higher up.

On Carn a' Choire Ghairbh's summit looking back to Aonach Shasuinn

On Carn a' Choire Ghairbh's summit looking back to Aonach Shasuinn

Following the fence-posts, a large cairn is met around 200m south of Carn a' Choire Ghairbh's summit, followed by a smaller cairn sitting on rocky ground marking the Corbett's highest point - a fine place to take in magnificent views of the surrounding higher peaks.

On Carn a' Choire Ghairbh's summit looking back to Aonach Shasuinn

On Carn a' Choire Ghairbh's summit looking back to Aonach Shasuinn


4. Return to Glen Affric

Hide on the descent from Carn a' Choire Ghairbh

Hide on the descent from Carn a' Choire Ghairbh

From the small summit cairn on Carn a' Choire Ghairbh, head north for a short distance over fairly level ground, then turn north-east to follow the crest of Carn a' Choire Ghairbh wide shoulder as it gently drops. Faint paths can occasionally be picked up and followed along with a line of old iron fence posts.

Lower down a grouse-butt is met, with the top of a stalkers path shortly therafter, marked by a small cairn . Follow the stalkers path as it twists and turns down a soggy hillside, passing woodland as it drops down to the track on the southern shores of Loch Affric .

Glen Affric from the stalkers path

Glen Affric from the stalkers path

Follow the track eastwards as it climbs and drops several times over the 7km back to the car-park.

Glen Affric from the stalkers path

Glen Affric from the stalkers path





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Maps and GPX downloads »


The route is shown in entirety on the Harvey Ultra map, but overlaps over two maps in both the OS Landranger and Explorer series.

Information on maps and GPX files is on this page.

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