Ski ascents from Glen Feshie and traverses across the Mhoine Mhor to Mullach Clach a Bhlair and the remote Monadh Mor on the Cairngorm Plateau

Location: Cairngorms
Map: OS Landranger 43
Distance: 16 miles (26km)
Time: 8-10 hours
Terrain: Long, serious mountain walk

Monadh Mor and Beinn Bhrotain rise on the southeast periphery of the atmospheric Moine Mhor, an expanse of stony ridge and hollows of turf and moss. It’s a favourite feeding place of red deer and reindeer and a haunt of Arctic-type birds like ptarmigan, snow bunting and dotterel.
Moine Mhor offers solitude, green rather than grey, a soft pearl in a crown of hard diamonds. Its acres flow south from the Sgurans and the head of Loch Einich and over Mullach Clach a’Bhlair to upper Glen Feshie.
Bounded on the east by the huge swells of Monadh Mor and Cnapan Mor, its peat-hag ridden heartland is gnawed deep by the River Eidart, a tumultuous watercourse fed by some of the highest burns in the country.
Climb up from Glen Feshie, following a footpath up Coire Ruaclh and on to the broad col between Sgor Gaoith and Carn Ban Mor to access the remote Munros of Monadh Mor, 1,113m, and Beinn Bhrotain, 1,108m, returning to Glen Feshie by the old foxhunter’s path to Achlean.
It’s a big day — about 16 miles of hard walking.
Below Sgurr Gaoith, Loch Einich ﬁlls a cliff-girt hollow. Opposite, wind-scoured corries pockmark the dome of Braeriach, the UK’s third highest mountain. Beyond lies the squarecut proﬁle of Cairn Toul, the fifth highest hill in the land. Easing itself south from these landmarks the Moine Mhor forms an addendum to the high tops of the Cairngorms. The result is an area that is neither moorland nor mountain, but a mixture of both,
a shallow basin in the cusp of Carn Ban Mor, Mullach Clach a’Bhlair and the diminutive top of Tom Dubh.
Beyond Tom Dubh's dumpy profile lie Monadh Mor and Beinn Bhrotain.
From Tom Dubh climb the slopes of Monach Mor to its whaleback ridge and take a path to the summit cairn. The highest point is about halfway along the ridge. From there the path leads to a subsidiary top then down steep slopes to a bealach.
From there, steep boulder-covered slopes finally led to Beinn Bhrotain.
The local name of this high pass has led the mountaineer and ecologist Dr Adam Watson to question the assumed translation of the great corrie that falls from the pass into Glen Geusachan. Most authorities suggest Coire Cath nam Fionn means the corrie of the battle of the Fingalians, the warriors of the Celtic hero Fionn Macumhail, but if the corrie is named after the bealach above it, as would seem likely, then it’s simply the corrie of the pass of the Fingalians, and nothing to do with a battle. The Fingalian link is probably authentic, as Beinn Bhrotain is the hill of Brodan, the jet-black hound of Celtic mythology.

Route:
Start and ﬁnish at the Red Burn car park in Glen Feshie (GR: NH852012)
Follow the path that climbs through the woods beside the Alit Ruadh and high into Coire Ruadh.
Where the footpath stops a more sketchy path climbs the corrie to the shallow bealach between Sgor Gaoith and Cam Ban Mor.
From here head SE, past the head ol Coire Odhar and views of Loch Einich and continue to Loch nan Cnapan.
Continue just S of E, skirting Allt Luineag to the high ground above Loch nan Stuirteag.
Head S on to the ridge that leads to the summit ot Monadh Mor.
Walk past the summit, descend to Cadha nam Fiann and climb steep rocky slopes to the summit of Beinn Bhrotain.
Return the way you came but head slightly S of Loch nan Cnapan to pick up a bulldozed track.
Follow the track tor just over a kilometre until it takes an obvious bend to the left.
Leave it here and continue due W, over Meall Dubhag and down its NW slopes to the pine woods of Baden Mosach.
Follow the path to Achleen.