Walk from the Line – Circuit walk from Corrour Station

CIRCUIT WALK FROM CORROUR STATION – PETERS ROCK, CORROUR OLD LODGE, LUBNACLACH AND MEALL NA LICE HILL

Arriving at Corrour at 0832hrs and 1230hrs from the North or from the South at 0858hrs (Caledonian sleeper), 1121hrs or 1524hrs, (the latter train only if walking route during the summer months due to light conditions and timescales/late finish)

see : https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/

Alight at Corrour station, which is adjacent to Corrour station house

see : https://www.corrour.co.uk/station-house/

The station house has a bar and restaurant and the old station signal box offers 3 boutique bedrooms and a reading room. It is open from March till November. Early booking for accommodation is essential as it is a VERY popular destination.

Corrour station house

Leaving Corrour station head east along the footpath towards Loch Ossian and it’s Youth Hostel. Just beyond the hostel, there is a junction in the path. A lower path continues straight ahead and skirts the shore of Loch Ossian which can be circum navigated, the walk itself is a fairly easy 9 miles (see ‘Loch Ossian circuit from Corrour Station’ on www.walkhighlands.co.uk ).

1st junction with Meall na Lice on right

For the circuit walk, turn right (south) and after a short distance, is another (2nd) junction.

Circuit walk 2nd junction

If following the circuit in a clockwise direction, at this 2nd junction, turn left (east) to join the “Road to the Isles”, which turns southwards at “Peters Rock” after just under 2 km and thereafter carries on to the B846 and Rannoch station, some 13.5 km away.

(If following the circuit in an anti clockwise direction, turn right at this 2nd junction to walk the 2.5 km to the ruined shell of Lubnaclach lodge)

Looking west towards Lubnaclach and the railway, Meall na Lice to North (on right of photo)

Head West over the undulating peat bog and after some 40 mins you will come across the track which runs from the aforementioned 2nd junction (just beyond Loch Ossian youth hostel) and Lubnaclach. The abandoned Lodge of Lubnaclach is reached by following this track South, then a very short distance west to the lodge. The lodge is located very close to the railway line and was built to house navvies for its construction. The building, now roofless, was later used by Corrour estate gamekeepers.

Lubnaclach lodge

Looking to your East you will see “The Road to the Isles” hugging the flanks of Carn Dearg from whence you came. A few hundred metres from the lodge to the east are the remnants of the original track back across to the “Road to the Isles” which can be followed albeit it is non existant in places (if doing the circuit anti clockwise).

Track looking towards Carn Dearg to East

If doing the circuit clockwise, return to Corrour station via the track and the 2 junctions. If walking anti clockwise, follow the remains of the original track which fades out quickly and continue some 2 km of bog hopping east to meet the “Road to the Isles” as mentioned above.

Meall na Lice hill can be climbed from most points on the circuit, however although small, it has cliffs on its steep north face which are perhaps best avoided. The most gradual and easiest slopes are from the track between 2nd junction and Lubnaclach, albeit the terrain is again rough, rocky and boggy in places. The summit lies approximately 1 km from the track; there is a small cairn to the west side of the hill before some flattish ground is crossed to the summit cairn on the north east side of the summit at 584m (1916 feet) in height. Decent is easiest made back to the Lubnaclach track, avoiding the cliffs.

View from summit of Meall na Lice west towards Corrour station and Nevis Range (on right)

Trains return North at 1524hrs and 2120hrs and South at 1825hrs and 2051hrs (Caledonian Sleeper service). Please note Corrour has a very short platform (only the middle doors of the train open here)

Summary

Distance: 11 km (12km if visiting Corrour Old Lodge), additional 2km if climbing Meall na Lice

Duration: Circuit alone 4 hours, Corrour Old Lodge add 1 hour extra, Meall na Lice add 1 hour extra

Height gained: walk starts at 1328 feet (408m) at Corrour station, track and path walks are undulating, with height gained and lost, Corrour Old Lodge at 1723 feet above sea level, Meall na Lice hill summit is 584m (1916 feet above sea level)

Terrain: moderate mountain track/path, changing to medium terrain, undulating peat bog and including small river crossing

Map: OS Landranger 41/42 (if visiting Corrour Old Lodge)