Meall Chuaich from Glen Tromie

Forests by Drumguish

The B970 travels along the southern bank of the River Spey, linking Kingussie to Aviemore. On this, around 4km south-east of Kingussie, the road twists sharply as it crosses the River Tromie via an old bridge (no parking here).

Around 500m north of the bridge, a sign points east to Drumguish. Drive uphill on a narrow road into woodland and park somewhere appropriate, without causing obstruction, before reaching the houses at Drumguish.

Bhran Cottage and bridge over River Tromie pre-2023.

On bike, cycle up the narrow road to the crossroads in the heart of Drumguish. Turn right and head downhill on a rough track to join the main estate track through Glen Tromie.

Now on a fine, fairly flat estate track, cycle down delightful Glen Tromie. The journey is around 9km, the first half of which is on track to Lynaberack Lodge - a rather 1970's housing-estate looking building and a bit out of place in such a beautiful area !

Beyond the lodge it's on tarmac all the way to Bhran Cottage . On the way the fast flowing River Tromie begins to hug the track and the last time I was here, a fair number of behives were standing close to the river just before reaching Bhran Cottage.

Ford on River Tromie (by Cat Wright).

To the western side of Bhran Cottage, a track drops down to some woodland and to the River Tromie. A rather rickety bridge used to cross the fast flowing water at this point, but unfortunately the bridge was heavily damaged in autumn '23 and the remains of the iron frame currently lies opposite Bhran Cottage.

On the OS maps there is a footbridge marked around 250m upstream of Bhran Cottage. Alas, this has long disappeared with only the concrete foundations on both banks surviving.

On the eastern side of Bhran Cottage another track leads down to the river where there is a ford of sorts, though this will not be crossable if the river is in spate.

Onto the southern side of the River Tromie, the track is picked up again, heads out of woodland and after a short distance, begins to climb. Through a gate in a deer-fence, around a corner, the track does a couple of short little climbs before leveling out to a more easy gradient as it ascends around 150m over the next 1.5km.

The constructed track ends abruptly on Carn an Fheoir Bhuidhe .

Approaching the final climb up Meall Chuaich

Approaching the final climb up Meall Chuaich

Descending Meall Chuaich

Return is by the same route.

Once back on bike, the effort made on the uphill is rewarded by some really enjoyable downhill free-wheeling !

On Carn an Fheoir Bhuidhe looking north

I'd previously always approached Meall Chuaich from near Dalwhinnie on the A9, either running up it on its own or on a route with A' Bhuidheanach Bheag and Carn na Caim.

It was only when cycling down Glen Tromie to head for the likes of Meallach Mhor or An Dun above the Gaick Pass and with Meall Chuaich appearing in much of the view ahead, did I think of this route. It's certainly longer than approaching from the west, but with quieter parking at Drumguish compared to the lay-bys on the busy A9 and with the cycle down Glen Tromie being quite lovely, I'd prefer this over the aproaches from Dalwhinnie.

McGowan Environmental Engineering were working on the moorland above Carn an Fheoir Bhuidhe when I was there - I'm wondering if they'll connect the tracks over the marshy ground !