Kinlochleven to Rannoch - Introduction

Day One - Mamore Lodge to Meanach
Day Two - Meanach - Lairig Leacach - Loch Treig - Meanach
Day Three - Stob Ban - The Grey Corries
Day Four - Meanach to Corrour
Day Five - Corrour to Rannoch

Kinlochleven and the Grey Corries

This was not the first time we had explored the area between Loch Leven, the Grey Corries and the West Highland Railway. Susan and Simon had walked through two years before, in 2000, and Susan had returned for a week with college friends in 2001. In 2002 including several days of backpacking on the West Coast was part of the holiday plans again.

The original thought was to start at Bridge of Orchy, crossing to Glen Etive before turning north to reach Glen Coe, then over to Kinlochleven by the Devils Staircase before turning east to the railway at Corrour. Ambitious plans could then contemplate continuing east to reach Dalwhinnie and the A9. It was pointed out that this outline was little more than a vaguely disguised pub crawl, with alcohol dispensaries at Bridge of Orchy, Victoria Bridge, Glen Coe, Kinlochleven, Corrour and Dalwhinnie. Ahhh. Rumbled!

In the event the grand scheme was deemed a little ambitious - starting at Bridge of Orchy (and avoiding the West Highland Way) the route involved a long stretch on hard tracks - or a rough and high pass to reach Glen Etive. Neither were fancied at the start of a holiday when we were not confident of our fitness. Also, the weather had been very unsettled in Scotland for weeks leading up to our holiday and there was little prospect of a change for the better as we set off north in the third week of July.

In the end we started at Kinlochleven. We knew that we could have a gentle start to the holiday with a modest day requiring very little climb to Meanach at the foot of the Grey Corries.

Day One - Mamore Lodge to Meanach
Day Two - Meanach - Lairig Leacach - Loch Treig - Meanach
Day Three - Stob Ban - The Grey Corries
Day Four - Meanach to Corrour
Day Five - Corrour to Rannoch