The Corrieyairack Pass....

[OldFart]

We're going up to Aviemore this coming weekend to amongst other things...recce the Corrieyairack Pass.

But....whilst researching I've come across this info, apparently the pass is now banned to vehicles :dunno1:
Anyone know more about this please ?


Quote :-

Corrieyairack Pass

Fort Augustus to Laggan .

A high difficult route joining the Great Glen to Speyside.

The off-road section of the Corrieyairack Pass runs from just south of Fort Augustus to Melgarve west of Laggan in Speyside. It climbs from 60 metres at the Fort Augustus end, to 775 metres at its highest point.
This military road is one of General Wade's, it was finished in 1731. There are two notices at the start at the Fort Augustus end. One tells you that the road over the pass is now an ancient monument and is in the care of the Secretary of State for Scotland (Historic Scotland), it is an offence to damage it. Another notice, by Highland Council, says that motor vehicles are prohibited; bikes are allowed. Travelling west to east is best for mountain biking as the descent on the east side is more rideable.

FORT AUGUSTUS APPROACH
The General Wade road now starts near the south end of Loch Ness, from a minor road connecting the A82 to the B862. At the south (A82) end the minor road is signed Ardachy, there is no sign where the minor road joins the B862. The first section of the Wade road is badly eroded, there is a gate to stop vehicles, but I doubt that any vehicle could get up it easily. After that the going gets better. The road climbs south-west at first, to get round the Culachy Burn, passing a fine series of waterfalls. After this it turns south-east and begins the first of the many zig-zags it uses to reach the summit of the pass. The climb is extremely steep, and the surface is quite rocky. Inevitably you will have to walk some of it. There are brilliant views of the Great Glen and Loch Ness as you climb higher and higher. Glen Tarff is quite pretty, with remnant pine woods near the river. Eventually you climb completely clear of the glen and the scenery is more forbidding. Finally you reach the summit at 775 metres. You might think that the worst is over, for all the rest is downhill. Don't be deceived; the descent is very steep and rocky, with sharp zig-zags in the steepest sections, extreme care is necessary.

GARVA BRIDGE APPROACH
You get to Garva Bridge by taking a minor road from Laggan. This is a pleasant bike ride in itself. As you approach the Wade road is clearly visible, climbing steeply up the hill. One of the Wade bridges is just north of the current bridge here and is worth a short walk to look at. The first section is completely straight, after that the track begins a series of eleven zig-zags to get to the top. The fact that the course of these zig-zags is still in place indicates just how well the road was surveyed in 1730. Look back and you can see right over Speyside to the Cairncorms with the River Spey far below. Again the descent on the other side needs extreme care.

[Tim in Scotland]

O.F. - I took my Defender up there in May to recce it with a view to taking a couple of Freelanders over it. Have posted some pics in the next few postings but I would not recommend attempting to drive it............... the "envirnomentally friendly" mountainbikers have chewed up the verges where they have cycled on them because the cobbles shake their bikes to bits, on the day I was there (I only did the first 3 miles in from Melgarve) I encountered several scrambler bikes and some folks out for a Sunday afternoon drive to see if their nice new Range Rover was any good!
The general condition of the road is poor, having suffered the ministrations of Highland Regional Council's best to repair the cobbles - they had lifted them, placed polythene sheeting on the ground and relaid the cobbles resulting in run-off water getting underneath and lifting the whole lot in the winter. I contacted the local resource centre in Laggan and the (very helpful) lady told me that the locals are not happy with the amount of use the pass is getting since it featured in a 4x4 magazine last year!
The second paragraph on the picture below says it all. Too many thoughless and inconsiderate people are causing too much damage and spoiling it for the rest of us.
If you would like a few more pics I have about 5 more - I didn't venture too far, I turned round at the first place I could without having to mount the verges or damage the very loose cobbles.
Tim

[Tim in Scotland]

This sign is at Garva Bridge.
I would love to join you, but unfortunately I'm off to Oban on Saturday/ Sunday and then the next weekend off to Tiree for a spot of windsurfing, boogieboarding and surfing.

[Tim in Scotland]

No3

[Tim in Scotland]

No4

[Tim in Scotland]

The Historic Scotland sign mentions "bridges" - all those that I encountered I would not even have tried to walk over, most are in a very bad state with most of the timbers rotted away - there are fords round them. Problem is does a 4x4 do any damage to the road, does dislodging gravel along it's length constitute damage?

[Tim in Scotland]

This is the ford beside the bridge in the photo above. It is in OS position 24517964 on Explorer sheet 401

[Tim in Scotland]

Sorry to put a dampener on your weekend OF, but I think it would not be a good idea to drive or even cycle over the pass and it's a bit too far to walk in a day as well. The bothies at Melgarve appear to have been renovated and were occupied and run as a small holding when I was up there.
There is an excellent camp/ caravan site near to Laggan - cannot remember its' website address but try searching on Laggan in a search engine. There is a distillery at Dalwhinnie though so you could have a good time there trying the samples!

[Otter]

Oh Dear Tim,

You showed him water. There will be no holding him back now!:nonono:

[Tim in Scotland]

It saves washing the car though, which must be a good thing!
But Loch Laggan should be big and deep enough even for a Disco so he doesn't need to go as far as Melgarve to find it. He can get right down to the waters edge at the reservoir enroute to Glenshero. He can even go onto the set of Monarch of the Glen and Hamish MacBeth which I think uses Glenshero Lodge as the set for the series.
I'm not familiar with these TV programs but read about how the owners could not afford to removate the lodge so rented it to the TV companies in the Sunday Times Property pages, so I could be mistaken about the program - I'm one of those insane people that don't have a TV in the house............... it's also one of the reasons why I only have the SE Range Rover and not an HSE or Vogue- I would have had to have bought a TV license for the CAR!!!!!!!!

[OldFart]

Originally posted by Otter
Oh Dear Tim,

You showed him water. There will be no holding him back now!:nonono:


/Packs lifejacket :p


Sounds good Tim and many thanks for the detailed information, I've noted your advice and will proceed with due caution ....forewarned is forearmed !

So traffic is'nt banned then :dunno1:

That info I posted was from a cyclist's site ...typical :snarl:

Fords are no prob for the Disco....unless the burn was in spate :yikes:

Its really just a recce in preparation for a winter stab at it at New Year with Stephen and Otter and anyone else who tags along, BUT.....the weather forecast is possible blizzard conditions up there at the weekend, so we'll play it by ear.

[OldFart]

Found this info...

Quote :- An ideal memento of your crossing can be the purchase of "One for the Pot", a little book by Dr Ian Richardson, who for many years was the local doctor. A brave piece of writing which could only come from a man in his position. Copies can be bought (£6.50) from the Community Office or Laggan Stores - both within 20 metres of the finish. Having traversed the wild country, you will understand better than most the importance of the book.



Route Info

The start: There is a large car park on the W side of the A82 just N of the canal and river bridges in Fort Augustus. Tariff 60p for up to 10 hours. This is the best place to unload the bikes, although the ride nominally starts on the A82, from the bridge over the Caledonian Canal.


1) 0.00km (0.00 mile) Fort Augustus, A82, bridge over Caledonian Canal. Ride S then swing L within 100m past the abbey entrance onto B862, huge signpost (SP) Errogie. Follow this narrow road for 1.30km (0.81 mile) past the southern end of Loch Ness, looking to turn R when the B862 swings L, uphill.
2) 1.30km (0.81 mile) Extreme southern tip of Loch Ness. Turn sharp hairpin R, uphill into narrower single track road. No SP for us. Follow SW for 1.80km (1.12 miles) past Ardachy Lodge and Culachy House, turn L into gorse lined track before white cottage.
3) 3.10km (1.93 miles) General Wade's Military Road. Turn L into rough track, before drive to white cottage. Scottish Rights of Way Society plate; 'Corrieyairack Pass. Fort Augustus to Laggan'. Intermittent flood damage to track, but all clear after 400 metres, when you simply follow the main track for 1.80km (1.12 miles) keeping R above Culachy Falls into wilder country altogether.
4) 4.90km (3.04 miles) Knollbuck road end. Keep L down towards the trees. Look for old road weaving its way up the far side of the glen. Several apparent options, but once you cross the burn the 'smoothest' road becomes obvious. Tough sustained climbing to Creag Dhubh col after 2.75km (1.71 miles).
5) 7.65km (4.73 miles) Creag Dhubh col, 320m. Under the power lines, briefly downhill, then up again and around to Blackburn. Big undulations for 2.54km (1.58 miles). Starts to get lonely.
6) 10.19km (6.33 miles) Black Burn. Straight across the burn, then swing L and back up to the pylons again, eventually swinging L down to the 'old' Bailey bridge (1961) at Allt Lagan a' Bhainne after 2.87 km (1.78 miles). Original Wade bridge upstream in the trees. Repairs imminent - follow signs.
7) 13.06km (8.12 miles) Allt Lagan a' Bhainne. Cross the Bailey bridge then steeply up through the hairpins, around to Allt Coire Uchdachan and same again. Onwards into the upper reaches of the Corrieyairack Pass itself, 4.56km (2.83 miles) to the summit. Still good stony surface and great views from the summit.
8) 17.62km (10.95 miles) Corrieyairack Pass summit, 764m. Straight on past the little building and power lines at 775m, then steeply downhill to the top of the zigzags. Take special care if misty. Follow the only track for 6.67km (4.14 miles) to Melgarve bridge, but keep an eye out for the older zigzags in the early stages. There used to be 18 traverses, now reduced to 13. Rough in the zigzags, even rougher at the bottom after a hard winter. Wet fords! Road improves as you approach Melgarve.
9) 24.29km (15.09 miles) Melgarve bridge - just beyond the bothy. Use the platform bridge - ford hazardous even when frozen - then follow the undulating single track Tarmac roughly for 10) 9.92km (6.16 miles) to the canal bridge at the mouth of Glen Shira. Leave the gate at Wade's Garva Bridge, 5.86km (3.64 miles) as you find it. Sometimes the stalkers leave it open deliberately.
11) 34.21km (21.26 miles) Concrete canal bridge. Cross then turn L, past the 'stranded' little Wade bridge, past the Spey Dam, down across the River Spey again and on to Laggan.
12) 41.76km (25.95 miles) The final point is Laggan, reached after 13) 7.55km (4.69 miles). Time for some well earned refreshments!
Total distance: 41.76km (25.95 miles)

[Tim in Scotland]

My pics were taken on May 19th this year - there was snow falling on the tops while I was there...........
Have fun and take care, I will be somewhere in the region of Singapore and the South China Sea fighting off the pirates at New Year - snow and cold will not be words I will be thinking about! Uzzi and Kalashnikof more likely........

[Spacemutt]

I would post pics of the pass, but I've lost them all. You shouldn't have any trouble getting up the pass, assuming it's not snowed up. It is quite bouncy and you'll need to take it quite slow, but I didn't see anything as bad as we did at the weekend on the section I did.

[OldFart]

Well i didnt get a chance to recce the pass, but i did discover another "Green Lane". Not especialy difficult but with snow it could be "fun" :p
Cairngorm Ranger tells me that the Northern end of the pass is no longer passable by 4x4...but you can drive up to and over the summit......you just have to find a point to turn around to get back.

So instead we spent much time walking and breaking in my new walking boots and snow ball fights :yay:

[OldFart]

....Note.... Mrs O/F Screams too :D

[OldFart]

..Spotted my new landy...I wish :hahaha:

[OldFart]

....Now when was the last time you saw one of these fellas ..

[OldFart]

Overlooking the New Year caravan and campsite that we're staying at with Otter and Stephen