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ROUTE 10

Cam Chreag and Ben Challum

Start/finish	Car park between road and river east of Kenknock NN476367
Distance	27km/17 miles
Ascent	1200m/4000ft
Approx time	9hr
Max altitude	Ben Challum 1025m
Terrain	Tracks; pathless grassy ridges, occasionally steep
Note	Bicycle to Allt Challuim intake, 8km each way, saves 2½hr

Up Glen Lochay’s upper track, and back down the track of the valley floor, gives a track walk of 15km and 250m of ascent (9.5 miles/800ft) – about 3½hr. The scenery is almost unchanging, but it lets you examine five Munros and two Corbetts as well as the big hydro pipe.

The pathless side of Ben Challum might not be enough to justify the 9km walk in along Glen Lochay. So grab the impressive Corbett Cam Chreag at the same time.

Start at a new car park 1km east of Kenknock (the traditional parking place west of the farm is now discouraged by signs and blocked by schist boulders). Walk west along the road for 1.2km, passing below Kenknock. Follow the private road as it turns right, uphill, passing through a gate. The potholed road zigzags up the north side of the glen. Just below where it bends back right for the second time, take a track ahead.

The track crosses over the top of a massive hydro pipe, then contours along the glen side, passing in and out of deer-fenced woodlands being planted in 2012. After 4km, it crosses a stream above Badour cottage. In another 1.5km, it runs briefly downhill, then crosses another stream above Badvaim (or Batavaime) cottage. In 200 metres, a track turns down left at a spoil heap.

Glen Lochay track, to Ben Challum

For the Lochay tracks walk, turn down this track to the valley floor, and return alongside River Lochay.

The track enters a final woodland plantation, then ends at a gate out of the enclosed land just below the intake dam of Allt Challuim. Head up to right of the stream, just below the deer fence. At the 500m contour the deer fence turns away across the face of Cam Chreag. Head directly up the grassy slope, northwest, to reach the ridgeline above its lower outcrop.

The ridge above rises in grass and rocky outcrops. With more grass than outcrops, it’s fairly easy to gain the plateau above. One way is to keep to left of the lowest outcrops, up steep grass, then slant out right at the top corner of the grass. On the grassy terrace above, slant back left to gain the plateau just above.

Head gently uphill, west, to the first knoll (875m). The bumpy ridgeline now runs northwest, with notable drops on the right, to reach the small cairn at Cam Chreag summit.

Return along the knolly ridge. At its end, the ridge broadens into a small plateau with peat pools. Turn right to descend from the southwest corner. In mist, make sure you’re descending southwest, rather than south (too far left) or west (too far right). A short way down the slope is the top of an old fence and wall. Follow the fence down the steep grass spur, and across the broad col Bealach Ghlas Leathaid at 575m. Old fence posts down left are an escape route via Allt Challum.

Follow fence posts up the spur ahead. They end against a slabby outcrop. Scramblers can tackle it direct; it is most easily bypassed on the left (east). Regaining the crest, you arrive below a knobby outcrop. This should be bypassed on the right (south). Above this the ridge changes its character, becoming stones and moss, and leads up directly to Ben Challum summit cairn.

South Top option

As you arrive at the cairn, a path joins from the right (south). You could use this for an out-and-back walk along the airy summit ridge to the lower south top, 800 metres away (1.6km there and back, 70m of ascent, about 30min).

From Ben Challum summit descend a steep spur east, to reach the level shoulder and slight rise to Stob a’ Bhiora. Descend just north of east to a final knoll. The spur drops steeply below. If you’re above a fringe of crag, move a few steps left. Go straight down northeast into broken ground, descending between a couple of small crags. As the ground eases, continue down the spurline until you see the deer fence crossing below. Then slant back left to the intake dam on the Allt Challuim at the end of the approach track. Continuing straight down to the valley floor involves a deer fence and ungrazed tussocks of newly planted woodland.

Return along the approach track for 2.5km to the track junction above Badvaim/Batavaime. Descend the winding track all the way if you wish or else, directly above Badvaim, keep directly downhill with deer fence on your left. Head down to right of the stream to an old gate and Badvaim hut. Its access track reaches the valley floor past farm sheds.

A smooth track runs down the valley to left of the river, to the road corner near Kenknock. Continue ahead along the road to the car park.