2023-15 | Cross-Country Hike and Camp | Corrour to Fort William

Join Mo and I for a multi-day hike through the rugged wilds of Scotland and share with us some wonderfully remote camping spots and fine views of the surrounding mountains.

[@onedogherman2926]

Excellent video as usual Dave & Mo although i watched most of it from the warmth & comfort of my bed knowing how cold yous would of been ..😄

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Hi Sandy, glad you enjoyed it. I’m just home from a day trip with the canoe. Mo followed your example and spent a fair part of her day reading in bed. She was quite amused when I sent her a photo of Loch Ba, (where I had hoped to paddle) frozen end to end and more or less invisible in the mist. I did eventually find a stretch of open water but, ‘note to self’, December is not the best month for canoeing in Scotland! :) A braw day out though. ATB, Dave and Mo

[@davidhale1568]

Cracking trip 👍

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Good morning, David. Glad you enjoyed the trip. The crossing is a grand hike, through some rugged terrain. Mo and I are presently in Torridon, where we can barely see beyond our noses! The clag is down and we are bracing ourselves for 3 more days of torrential rain and strong winds. Sadly, the rough conditions will probably prevent us from breaking out the cameras on this trip (we were hoping to get a video up before Christmas). ARB, Dave and Mo

[@davidhale1568]

@@daveoutdoorsscotland2854 I take all waterproof kindle with me these days for just such an occasion👍

[@Jennifer.4]

Very enjoyable video. Such beautiful scenery on what looked like a challenging route. We have the wh. Murray book you mentioned, I will read that description when I find it! We have enough books to open a library and this one seems to have been mislaid.

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Hi Jennifer, glad you enjoyed the video. I love this part of Scotland and especially enjoy hiking the glens and following the rivers. I first explored these routes in my youth. As the years progressed, I discovered the high country and was drawn into the addiction of summit bagging. It is simply wonderful to tramp or cycle these ancient routes again, through lonely glens beneath familiar mountains. I suppose it closes the circle for me and it is such a privilege to share these adventures together with Mo. I've filmed a fair few adventures in this area in recent years and ponder whether viewers might tire of the views. I'm inclined to take my bike by Lochan na h-Earba again this winter. I've filmed this route twice already but am inclined to go back soon, simply because the proposed hydro scheme, which is likely to go ahead, will have a significant impact on the area for several years to come (due to construction works). I hope you find Murray's book in your collection. My own collection of mountain literature grows slowly these days (too much money spent on bikes and not enough on books). You can never have too many books. Have a great Christmas. ATB, Dave

[@Jennifer.4]

@@daveoutdoorsscotland2854 I never tire of seeing these routes on video and I’m sure most of your subscribers would agree.

[@rantmaker6427]

Brilliant stuff mo & Dave love your trips your a lucky man Dave

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Good morning, glad you enjoyed the vid and I can only agree that I am indeed blessed to be able to enjoy these trips with Mo. We are hoping to squeeze another one in before Christmas, and will take the cameras along. ATB, Dave and Mo

[@voicezful]

Stunning walk - I was surprised you camped out first night given the close proximity of the bothies. Did you actually meet anyone else en route? Interesting you mention Bill Murray's books. As a teenager I spent a succession of nights reading his book, a heavy hardback under the bed-covers by torchlight, so not to wake my brothers. My father was a postman and when I heard him going to work to start at 5 am, I again realised I only had an hour to get some sleep before I got up for my paperound. It was incredible he had his first manuscript taken from him and yet could recall with such accuracy every detail of every climb in the published version. I'm sure your own book would be of a similar calibre Dave! Someone in the literary scene might give you pointers as to how this is best achieved. Landrover and bothy tales to your expertise in mountain craft, and the Himalaya, etc

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Good evening, Andrew. I loved reading your account of you delving into Murray's book from beneath the covers whilst your brothers slept. And, then getting up at the crack of dawn for your paper-round. I too was a paperboy, delivering broadsheets to the offices 'up town'. My pal and I cycled to Edinburgh's West End each morning to then push trolley loads of papers up and down the grand streets of the New Town, sometimes delivering as many as a dozen papers to a single office. It was certainly a paper-round with a difference. Murrays writing is sublime and his adventures legendary; recounted in a truly Scottish understated manner. I fear my own adventures would not compare well with those of the great adventurers of the past. I have read and reread the adventures of Shipton and Tilman (Tilman is somewhat of a hero of mine). During my own Himalayan expeditions, I tried so hard to emulate his hardiness and pioneering spirit but would invariably fall short and (at times, all too easily) succumb to the temptation of a comfortable night in an inn or hostel. The weather is looking calm (but cold) for the next few days, so I might try to get out again for a night beneath the stars. ATB, Dave

[@justmyopiniontoday7548]

Hi Dave and Mo. I have been catching up just bits and pieces from your treks. It is a bit over 6mths that I advised you I had prostate cancer and was scheduled for NHS surgery in Edinburgh. I now have 6 mths remission thus far. And now wanting very much to challenge myself with Scottish routes. Last mth I was up a munro with camping pack. Somehow the Scottish wild places have an even more intense allure. The comments I leave these days tend to be of the congratulations, weather and route type. So I guess I am saying keep bringing a couples approach to the hills - almost all the voices are males climbing alone. That seems to be a language limitation in my view. Thx for posting. JMO.

[@mo9981]

All the best for your recovery and enjoy the Scottish hills. ❤

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Good evening JMO, so good to hear from you and I’m really pleased to hear that you are doing well. Thanks for the lovely comments, we’re glad you are enjoying the videos. I can only agree that Mo’s presence on these trips (and in the videos) brings another dimension and adds a valuable voice. I’m ever mindful of just how quickly time passes and am grateful for every minute we devote to our outdoor adventures. Stay strong, stay safe and all the very best for your own outdoor adventures, Dave and Mo

[@BrokenBackMountains]

I did Rannoch station to Fort william in May last year. A night at old corrour lodge then on to Meanach and the to Glen Nevis campsite. It was a tad dreich and the burns from Meanach to Glen Nevis were all in spate. A bit of wading was involved. Thinking of taking the wife next year :)

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Hi Ewen, you did well making the crossing in dreich weather, especially with so many burns to wade. I did it in the opposite direction in wet weather (a good number of years ago) and have a recollection of how hard it was, especially the boggy sections. If you tackle the route in spring or summer, you can entice the wife with the promise of a nice meal or coffee and cake at Carrour Station, and there is now a summer bus service from the lower falls carpark to Fort William. ATB, Dave

[@BrokenBackMountains]

@@daveoutdoorsscotland2854 The bus wasn't running when I was there. A German gave me a lift to the camp site. It was well dodgy crossing those burns. Waist deep at one point. I was lucky I had trekking poles. I bought a newspaper at the campsite to stuff the boots with and dry them out. I much prefer the way you did it with more camps. Old Corrour lodge to Meanach was a wee bit of a slog and Meanach through Steal to the car park in bad weather was quite a slog too. It reminded me that I'm not as young as I used to be. Doing these walks in yer late 50s relies heavily on lightweight gear. I am not a fan of bothies, preferring the tent but Meanach was a godsend in the storm. It was also mouse free, a big change from when I had stayed there about 30 years beforehand.

[@hikebikescotland9121]

Another excellent adventure Dave - Hats off to you and Mo for withstanding multiple nights out at this time of the year!! I've yet to visit this section of the highlands properly and quite fancied a trip over the Penny pass to Meanach bothy returning via Lairig Leacach - I know you've done the Lairig Leacach (another excellent video) on foot and was wondering how bike-able you think it would be... I don't mind a bit of a push but not everyone likes this kinda slog apparently so I'll need to decide if its a journey for 1 or 2.. All the best and wishing you and Mo a splendid Christmas!

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Hi Tom, you pose a really interesting question; one that I've also toyed with over the years. Despite giving the route some consideration every now and again, I'm at a bit a bit of loss what to advise. Here are some (random) thoughts. The ride through the Penny Pass to Meanach is absolutely doable on good single track. Weather conditions would be the only real challenge as it can accumulate a fair bit of snow in winter and is also prone to icing up. Not sure I'd like to try it from south to north though as I'd surely struggle with the climb. The Lairig Leacach is 'messy' south of the bothy and can be very boggy. I guess, during dry weather, you could ride much of it, especially if you were heading south, but again, it would be much tougher ridden south to north. I'm pretty sure I couldn't ride it from south to north and would probably end up hiking most of it, whichever direct I chose. So here's where my thoughts get more random: Park the car in Spean Bridge and ride south to Meanach, cross (wade) the river (Abhainn Rath) to pick up the track by Luibeilt and follow this to just beyond the Mamore Lodge, where you can join the WHW to Fort William and then hop on the train back to Spean Bridge. If you are really set on a loop: Ride south from Spean Bridge to Meanach then ride/hike to the south end of Loch Treig and pick up the track to Ossian and then follow the route you filmed at Strath Ossian all the way to Glen Spean. At the junction (the bottom of the hill) where you enter Glen Spean, ignore the right turn to Luiblea and, instead, turn left and head for Fersit. From Fersit, you could bomb down the road to Roy Bridge and onwards to you car in Spean Bridge or, you could take a chance on the East Highland Way. The EHW, however, seems poorly set up for bikes with lots of gates and indistinct sections through farm fields, (where the farmer might not be enamoured by cyclists). I've toyed with cycling parts of the EHW myself but have received very mixed reports about how cycle friendly it is. One couple I met, who live in Roy Bridge, said if was doable by bike but they did mention the gates. Food for thought. I might try one of these routes this winter, if the weather is open. I'll let you know in advance. Are you on facebook/MSM? ATB, Dave

[@hikebikescotland9121]

Some good ideas here Dave - I've just pinged you a friends request on FB 🙂

[@Grangeburn]

Lovely video Dave. It is great to accompany you both on these adventures though I am not so keen on Mo’s less than complimentary comments of la ville de ma naissance. Besides, the WHW starts in Milngavie.

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Good morning Grangeburn, glad you enjoyed the vid. Sincerest apologies if our humour about the city of your birth caused any offence. In fact, we love the vibrancy of Glasgow; it is the only city in Scotland that comes anywhere close to hustle and bustle of the populous cities in China where Mo grew up and I travelled frequently for work. To paraphrase the words of the Big Yin, 'we all come from somewhere, and we should be rightly proud of that'. I'm not familiar with the first few miles of the WHW and didn't actually know it started in Milngavie, so thanks for bringing me up to speed. ATB, Dave and Mo

[@Grangeburn]

No offence taken at all. It was all in jest Mo. We folk fae Glasgow are made of sterner stuff. Keep up the good work producing such fine videos.

[@bobreid4553]

Great walk and filming as usual, did you see Davy at his tent at Loch Treig hre has been living there for about 12 years all the year round, he's a Fifer 😅

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Morning Bob, Davy's camp looked quiet so I guess he was out, perhaps getting in some supplies. I've spoken to him a couple of times. He is a hardy lad and always very personable. I'm glad you enjoyed the vid. We hope to get out again before Christmas with the cameras. ATB, Dave and Mo

[@neildraycott5272]

Guys well done on this I am intending to do this next year I am not sure of the distance or the number of days it took you any tips.

[@bigcasey4143]

I did this walk with my butty Mike 30 years ago when I had a pair of knees that worked properly Dave... We visited Staonaig Bothy enroute too... I'm sure we stayed overnight at Meanach Bothy before walking into Glen Nevis YHA, which was a very long day's walk with the weather closing in... Memories Memories

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Hi Big Casey, so happy to hear that the wee movie brought back memories for you. Time passes so quickly. It is a grand walk through some really bonnie mountain landscapes. I never tire of this part of Scotland. ATB, Dave and Mo

[@smoggiewalks578]

Tonight's viewing

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

Hope you enjoy this one, Martin. ATB, Dave

[@smoggiewalks578]

@@daveoutdoorsscotland2854 managed to watch it sooner. A grand adventure abit chilly though at times. I bet. Love the drone footage. Thanks for sharing, will be try to work out the route on my maps. ATB to you both. Martin

[@daveoutdoorsscotland2854]

@@smoggiewalks578 Glad you enjoyed it Martin. The route is essentially, Corrour to Loch Ossian, Loch Treig then follow traces of a track westwards past Meanach Bothy to Steall and then into the Nevis gorge and out to the upper end of the Glen Nevis road. The final section is through the forest just above the floor of the Glen until we picked up the final few km’s of the WHW. I’m sure you’ll find it on the map. ATB, Dave and Mo.

[@smoggiewalks578]

@@daveoutdoorsscotland2854 thank you Dave