Great Glen Hostel - Walks

Loch Oich Loop

This is an enjoyable circuit around Loch Oich using sections of the Great Glen Way.

Turn left out of the hostel and walk 200m with care along the A82 to the bend in the road. Turn left here on to a track and then right over the wooden footbridge. This path is part of the Great Glen Way (GGW) – look out for the waymarked posts further on. After half a mile the path comes out on the A82; cross over and follow the GGW signs around the Great Glen Water Park.

Behind the Water Park, the Way ascends to the route of the old Spean Bridge - Fort Augustus railway and passes the old Laggan station – the platform can be seen on the right. The Way continues along the old railway line for some time before contouring down to the left to the banks of Loch Oich.

The route follows a well-made landrover track through deciduous woods alongside the loch. Crannogs can be seen in Loch Oich and there are views across the loch to Ben Tee and the ruins of Invergarry Castle. There are many inviting spots for a picnic or a swim on a warm summer day. The track passes an abandoned cottage at Leitirfearn, and further up it climbs up and crosses over a tunnel on the old railway line - look out for the castellated entrance to the left. (The bank drops very steeply down to the old railway line here and is unfenced so care should be taken!)

At the head of Loch Oich the GGW zig-zags up off to the left and on to a restored railway bridge. Cross this and continue to follow the GGW around the northeast bank of Loch Oich (where there are lovely views down the loch to Ben Tee and the Munros) and along the Caledonian Canal to Bridge of Oich.

Cross over the swing bridge (parting company with the GGW) and pause for a look at the old Bridge of Oich before continuing west along the A82. After passing a phonebox and a small carpark look out for a narrow path – the old Great Glen Cycle Route (GGCR), maymarked as an alternative GGW route - ascending steeply to the right.

Follow the route through the forest for the next 3.5 miles. Some sections are steep – watch out for cyclists! Towards the end a clearing offers fine views of Loch Oich. At Invergarry the track emerges on to the A87 beside the Invergarry Hotel providing a welcome opportunity for some refreshment. From here turn right (west) along the the A87 as far as the Post Office (about half a mile). Just beyond the Post Office a little path descends to an attractive bridge over the River Oich. Cross this, and beyond the gate on the other side turn right above the river until a second gate is reached. After this gate turn left and follow the fence south beside the field. On the other side follow a path up through trees to a gate and on to a single track road.

Turn left here, and after the cattle grid regain the GGW alt. route at a forest track branching off to the right. This track climbs steadily to a viewpoint of Loch Oich and Loch Ness and then descends back to the A82 at a point just north of the South Laggan swing bridge. Take care walking on this exposed section of road (there is no pavement). Cross the swing bridge and shortly afterwards turn right back on to the GGW and head south along it, reversing the first short section of the day's walk back to the hostel.

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Loch Lundie

A wild moorland walk around a picturesque loch with fine views of Ben Tee.

Begin at the Invergarry Post Office and walk quarter of a mile west along the A87. Turn off to the right after crossing a bridge over a burn: there are two houses here - the one closer to the road used to be the village shop and post office, and there is still a post box in the wall beside it; the house to the right was the Aldernaig mill. Take the landrover track up hill between the two houses and through a gate; it climbs up through mixed woodland alongside the Aldernaig Burn. After about 10 minutes turn right at a T junction. The trees thin out shortly afterwards giving views to the windfarm and the hills to the north.

About 15 minutes later the track passes a stand of scots pine trees and then takes a sharp turn to the right. Look out for the boathouse to the left a few minutes after this - a lovely spot to stop and take in the first views of Loch Lundie.

The track continues on along the east side of Loch Lundie with good views across to conical Ben Tee. After about 1 mile the track reaches another T junction with a big track - turn left here. It contours around the hillside under the now-invisible windmills, passing ruined crofts and crossing several streams (avoid the rickety remains of bridges and ford the streams instead). Just before reaching the Allt Lundie turn off the new track on to a less distinct track on the left. Further on, about one mile after the T junction, the track reaches a fence which is easily crossed with a stile, and then climbs up for about 50m. Heading downhill on the other side ignore all new tracks coming in from the right and follow the main path down towards the forestry plantation.

The track skirts alongside the forest and soon reaches a gate in the deer fence. Not long after this gate a grassy fork in the track leads down to the right through the trees and reaches the A87. Turn left and walk with care along this busy road for about quarter of a mile to a junction signposted 'Faichem'. Don't take this road, but instead cross over the A87 and find a footpath heading south downhill. This track leads down to White Bridge and the river Garry. Cross the forest road, staying on the left bank of the Garry, and follow the path alongside the river for 1.5 miles. On reaching the metal bridge across the Garry, take the track up to the left to return to the Invergarry Post Office.

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The Loch Lochy Munros and Ben Tee

The Munros

Our two local Munros are Meall na Teanga (917m) and Sron a'Choire Ghairbh (935m), on the west side of Loch Lochy. They can be accessed from the north via Kilfinnan, and from the south at Clunes or Cia-aig (by Loch Arkaig). From the hostel, the most direct route is from Kilfinnan.

Take the minor road along the west side of the Caledonian Canal to Kilfinnan farm. From here walk (or cycle) about one and a half miles along the forest road (ignoring the left fork which the Great Glen Way takes soon after the gates), then turn right onto a small track which heads steeply up into the trees. Once out of the forest the track continues to climb steadily up to the Cam Bhealach.

To reach Sron a' Choire Ghairbh from the bealach take the stalkers track which zigzags up the hillside to the north. When the path peters out, head directly up to the crest of the ridge, then turn northwest for the short final climb to the summit.

To reach Meall na Teanga, head uphill south from the bealach, skirting around the side of Meall Dubh, to reach a saddle between it and Meall na Teanga. From here climb southwest up to Meall na Teanga's northern ridge, and turn south along it to the summit. (Allow an hour to reach here from Sron a' Choire Ghairbh.) Return by the same route.

Ben Tee

Ben Tee is a Corbett (901m) north of Sron a'Choire Ghairbh, on the northwest side of Loch Lochy. It can be accessed either from Kilfinnan or from the Forestry Commission land at Whitebridge in Glengarry.

Park at the end of the sealed road to Kilfinnan, just before the Kilfinnan Burn. From here head straight up the hill in a NNWesterly direction on faint tracks to reach a track contouring NW along the side of the hill high above the Kilfinnan burn. Follow this track; after about half a mile it crosses a deer fence at a stile high above Kilfinnan Falls and then turns west towards Coire Glas before petering out. Head NW again over rough ground to Ben Tee's east ridge, then climb this to gain the summit. Return by the same route.