Meall Chuaich and Creag Ruadh from Dalwhinnie

Meall Chuaich from the aqueduct

On the A9, around 4km north of the south Dalwhinnie junction and just south of the entrance to Cuaich Farm, there are two laybys (number 93 and 94) on opposite sides of the road - this hillwalking route begins from a track by here.

Parking is restricted to the lay-bys, though occasionally I have seen vehicles parked on verge by the entrance to the moorland track.

The bothy below Meall Chuaich

Immediately north of the lay-bys, on the east side of the A9 is a gate, a sign-board and the start of a track aiming uphill. A path is being gradually worn along the verge heading from layby 94 to this gate, saving walkers from walking too close to the A9.

The main gate is most often locked, but there's a pedestrian gate to the side, which is headed through to then follow a short section of track uphill to meet with another track travelling aside an aqueduct.

Turning left, the track aside the aqueduct is followed for 2km to a bridge by a building and some trees.

Over the bridge, passing the building, a small dam and some hydro works, the track is followed for a further 2km, on the way crossing over a bridge , to reach a junction just before Loch Cuaich.

Meall Chuaich's summit cairn and the Cairngorms

From the junction by Loch Cuaich, the track on the right is taken which leads past a private locked bothy and over a wooden bridge which crosses the Allt Coire Chuaich.

Where the track takes sharp turn eastwards, there's a small cairn by its side - the track is left here from where a worn path heading uphill is followed. This path, mucky and slippy in bits, travels north-eastwards over heather, then grass, before turning east-south-east over the more level ground of Stac Meall Chuaich.

With drier terrain underfoot, bouldery ground covering Meall Chuaich's western shoulder is approached, with the path becoming indistinct as it progresses through. Navigation can be testing when here in mist !

Having picked a route through the bouldery ground, the path becomes more obvious as the gradient easies and a line of fence-posts comes into view. These fence-posts lead to Meall Chuaich's large summit cairn .

Winter sunset from Meall Chuaich's summit fence-posts

Return is by the same route.

Alternatively, the fence-posts at the summit can be traced southwards for a distance, followed by a bound over heather to drop down into Coire Chuaich, where the track left earlier by the bothy can be picked up further up the glen, giving a longer return route.

On the summit of Creag Ruadh, looking to Meall Chuaich

Creag Ruadh is a modest Fiona/Graham hill that rises above Loch Cuaich, its summit sitting around 3km due west of Meall Chuaich.

As a detour from the route to Meall Chuaich, it's a straightforward diversion to reach Creag Ruadh's summit : beginning from the bridge , just past the hydro building, an easy hike is made up a gently sloping, heather-clad hillside, much of which is made more manageable thanks to the estate's muirburn. This detour adds roughly 2km, along with an additional 300m of ascent.

Alternatively, Creag Ruadh can be climbed on its own directly from the A9. There's a convenient lay-by beneath an average speed camera, about 3km northwest of Cuaich Farm. Just north of this lay-by, a track is followed through a gate, then uphill as it climbs quite steeply up through heather, passing a few grouse-butts along the way.

The track levels out briefly, heading south with excellent views opening up towards The Fara and the Alder range.

The track then climbs again, meeting with more grouse-butts. At this point, the track swings south once more - where I left it for a more direct ascent - though it appears the track continues to rise as I met it again on the approach to Creag Ruadh's summit.

Approaching Creag Ruadh from the A9

Approaching Creag Ruadh from the A9