Above: Braeval distillery, taken shortly before returning to the cars.
The route taken was essentially the Walkhighlands route, though they describe the route in a clockwise direction and we walked it anti-clockwise.
| carn_mor_final_corbett.gpx |
CorbettsCàrn Mòr
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Distance/Ascent17.7km. 555m
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Time taken4h 50 minutes
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NotesWe parked at NJ 24240 20964
Parking can also be found at NJ 24359 20192 |
5 August 2026
It had been over 33 years since my first Corbett. As to which was my first Corbett, I cannot give a straightforward answer. I could say that it was Beinn a' Chlaidheimh in 1991, but I climbed it as a Munro, as it was not downgraded to Corbett status until 2012. On that basis, I would say that my first Corbett was The Cobbler, on 2nd May 1993. Along with my climbing partner, Lis, I climbed Ardgarten Arete on the North Peak (graded Severe at the time, though now usually graded Hard Severe) before crossing to the Central Peak to "thread the needle" and then scramble up to the true summit. It certainly generated an adrenaline rush, even though I was climbing regularly at the time.
My previous Corbett had been Beinn Mhol Chaluim at the end of July 2025. I could have gone straight out and completed my round, as the starting point for Càrn Mòr is only about a two-hour drive from home. However, I wanted to give friends plenty of notice.
My original plan had been to climb Càrn Mòr on 12th August, as it would have marked the 30th anniversary of completing my Munros. However, I was due to fly abroad on 13th August, so it would not have given me much time to dry and sort out my gear afterwards. Furthermore, there are grouse butts on the hill, so the "Glorious Twelfth" was probably not the best choice of date. I therefore decided to bring it forward by a week.
My previous Corbett had been Beinn Mhol Chaluim at the end of July 2025. I could have gone straight out and completed my round, as the starting point for Càrn Mòr is only about a two-hour drive from home. However, I wanted to give friends plenty of notice.
My original plan had been to climb Càrn Mòr on 12th August, as it would have marked the 30th anniversary of completing my Munros. However, I was due to fly abroad on 13th August, so it would not have given me much time to dry and sort out my gear afterwards. Furthermore, there are grouse butts on the hill, so the "Glorious Twelfth" was probably not the best choice of date. I therefore decided to bring it forward by a week.
The three of us met at the car park near Braeval Distillery: myself, Simon and Darryl. The connection between us goes back many years, as we all belonged to the Leeds University Youth Hostelling and Hiking Society. All three of us have completed the Munros, with Darryl having completed two rounds.
The plan was to meet at 9:00 a.m., but Darryl and I arrived about 25 minutes early, with Simon arriving around seven minutes later. This worked out well, as the weather forecast suggested that thunderstorms would arrive during the afternoon.
Although I had been active throughout July, I am not really hill fit at the moment, and I struggled to keep up with the pace set by my two companions.
Reaching the cairn seen below marked the point at which the steepest section had been climbed, and from there we could look across to the day's objective.
The plan was to meet at 9:00 a.m., but Darryl and I arrived about 25 minutes early, with Simon arriving around seven minutes later. This worked out well, as the weather forecast suggested that thunderstorms would arrive during the afternoon.
Although I had been active throughout July, I am not really hill fit at the moment, and I struggled to keep up with the pace set by my two companions.
Reaching the cairn seen below marked the point at which the steepest section had been climbed, and from there we could look across to the day's objective.
To let my friends know about my plans, I asked ChatGPT to generate an image of me on Càrn Mòr. I uploaded a photograph of myself on Meall na Leitreach, taken in April 2015, and asked it to create a watercolour painting of me standing on Càrn Mòr. After seeing the first version, I requested more purple heather. On reaching the summit, we tried to recreate the same scene for comparison. The weather was remarkably similar, although the lighting was different because we reached the trig point around midday, when the sun was much higher in the sky.
In reality, the heather was very short and nowhere near as colourful
I set up my camera on my backpack and used the 12-second timer to take a photograph of the three of us. Unfortunately, I should have selected spot focus, as the camera focused on the vegetation in the foreground, leaving the three of us disappointingly blurred. As a result, I discarded the photograph.
We did not linger for long. Simon needed to drive back to Keswick because he had an engagement the following morning. Darryl, who had very kindly driven from my home, also needed to get me back before heading on to Glen Strathfarrar to climb a couple more Corbetts.
I had bought a bottle of Champagne for the occasion, but with both Simon and Darryl driving, I left it in the car. Perhaps I will save it for my final Graham
I had bought a bottle of Champagne for the occasion, but with both Simon and Darryl driving, I left it in the car. Perhaps I will save it for my final Graham
Simon looked at the Met Office Rain Radar Map on his phone. All around us was dark blue areas, indicating rain, with us in between the areas of rain. We had been so lucky with the weather and we headed down before our luck changed. There were some light showers reusulting in some fine rainbows, but not enough for me to put on my waterproof jacket.
These days, I suffer from pain in the toes of my left foot, and this became a problem on the descent. I think it is caused by pressure on the blood vessels across the top of my foot, restricting the blood flow to my toes. The problem mainly occurs while walking downhill. I have experienced it with more than one pair of boots. Loosening the laces helps, but it does not eliminate the problem completely. I have also fitted better-quality insoles, although these have probably reduced the internal volume of the boots very slightly. They have always been extremely comfortable boots and have never given me blisters. I suspect I need to refit the original insoles and perhaps store the boots with something inside them to increase the internal height slightly.
This slowed me down a little, as I regularly stopped to wriggle my toes and restore the circulation.
This slowed me down a little, as I regularly stopped to wriggle my toes and restore the circulation.
Back at the cars, we enjoyed cans of ginger beer and Diet Coke while chatting. I had lost a lot of fluid on the ascent and was definitely dehydrated. We discussed possibilities for my final Graham, with one suggestion being somewhere in the Southern Uplands. I mentioned Mount Blair, although I had my geography wrong, thinking it was closer to Pitlochry. Perhaps Blàth Bhalg would be a better choice.
After saying our goodbyes and setting off in our separate cars, the heavens truly opened with torrential rain. We really had been incredibly fortunate with the weather for my final Corbett.
When I planned the route several years ago, I had estimated it would take around six hours, including food stops. In reality, we hardly stopped at all, so I was delighted to complete the walk in 4 hours and 50 minutes.
A huge thank you to Simon and Darryl for travelling so far to share such a special day with me.
After saying our goodbyes and setting off in our separate cars, the heavens truly opened with torrential rain. We really had been incredibly fortunate with the weather for my final Corbett.
When I planned the route several years ago, I had estimated it would take around six hours, including food stops. In reality, we hardly stopped at all, so I was delighted to complete the walk in 4 hours and 50 minutes.
A huge thank you to Simon and Darryl for travelling so far to share such a special day with me.
So what is next?
In my first edition 1993 reprint of SMC guide to THE CORBETTS AND OTHER SCOTTISH HILLS, it includes some non-Corbetts. I am not sure that this was necessary really, though this was well before the publication of the 2015 publication of THE GRAHAMS AND THE DONALDS. I would like to complete the other hills in the book, though some of these are a long way from home, most notably, Criffel, which is not even a Graham, along with Lamachan Hill (which is a Graham), which I can combine with a second visit to White Laggan. The thing is that I usually do not get away for more than two nights and they are a very long way for such a short trip. Maybe a three nighter?
I have done most of the Grahams north of the A87/A887, with eight remaining, so maybe I will make these the main target for my return to the UK in the Summer of 2027. There are some Munros and Corbetts that I want to revisit. I have for a long time wanted to do the Fannichs from Loch Luichart. There is Sròn a' Choire Ghairbh and Meall na Teanga and its nearby Corbetts, which I want to do as a three-day backpacking expedition. I also want to set up base camp in Glen Lochay to do some hills from there, including the Corbett Beinn nan Imirean and the Munro Beinn Challuim. So there are still things that I want to do other than the Grahams.
I have done most of the Grahams north of the A87/A887, with eight remaining, so maybe I will make these the main target for my return to the UK in the Summer of 2027. There are some Munros and Corbetts that I want to revisit. I have for a long time wanted to do the Fannichs from Loch Luichart. There is Sròn a' Choire Ghairbh and Meall na Teanga and its nearby Corbetts, which I want to do as a three-day backpacking expedition. I also want to set up base camp in Glen Lochay to do some hills from there, including the Corbett Beinn nan Imirean and the Munro Beinn Challuim. So there are still things that I want to do other than the Grahams.