Across the Great Moss to Beinn Bhrotain

The Devil's Point from Monadh Mor

MONADH Mor and Beinn Bhrotain rise on the south-east periphery of the atmospheric Moine Mhor. This ‘great moss’ is a vast expanse of stony ridge and green hollows of turf and moss, drained by a profusion of sparkling clear streams. A high tableland like a vast raised moor, it's a favourite feeding place of red deer and reindeer and is a haunt of Arctic-type birds like ptarmigan, snow bunting and dotterel.

It’s a place that offers a lonely solitude, green rather than grey, tending to the gentler end of harsh, a soft pearl in a crown of hard diamonds. Its billowing 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 streams in the country.

I had climbed up from Glen Feshie, following a footpath up Coire Ruadh and onto the broad col between Sgor Gaoith and Carn Ban Mor. Before me the Moine Mhor rolled on, lochans sparkling like all-seeing eyes in the midsummer sun. Despite the time of the year and the sunshine a north-east wind cut through my clothing like a knife – lingering was out of the question, I had to keep moving to stay warm.

My plan to was to climb the two remote Cairngorm Munros of Monadh Mor, 1113 metres, and Beinn Bhrotain, 1108 metres, returning to Glen Feshie by the old Foxhunter’s Path to Achlean.

It’s a big day – about 16 miles of hard walking, but time wasn't critical. A shorter route is possible from the east, from White Bridge in Glen Dee, particularly when you can ride a mountain bike from Linn of Dee to the slopes of Carn Fiaclach Beag, but the sense of remoteness of these two hills is well and truly heightened when you have to cross the Moine Mhor first.

Loch Einich and Braeriach from the Great Moss

Below Sgurr Gaoith Loch Einich fills a deep cliff-girt hollow. Directly opposite, across the deep trench, wind-scoured corries pockmark the massive dome of Braeriach, the UK’s third highest mountain. Beyond lies the square-cut profile of Cairn Toul, the fifth highest hill in the land.

Easing itself south from these great landmarks the Moine Mhor forms an addendum to the high tops of the Cairngorms, an afterthought, as though the great landscape architect had finally run out of ideas. The result is an area that is neither moorland nor mountain, but a mixture of both, a high level shallow basin in the cusp of Carn Ban Mor, Mullach Clach a’ Bhlair and the diminuative top of Tom Dubh. Beyond Tom Dubh’s dumpy profile lies Monadh Mor and Beinn Bhrotain.

Despite the chill wind I had wandered across the great moss in a rather desultory fashion, watching meadow pipits feed their fledglings and listening to the haunting call of the golden plover. Best of all was seeing dotterel, the fool of the peat-moss according to the Gaelic (an t-amadan mointeach), due to its apparent tameness.

Reindeer on Tom Dubh

On a whim I climbed to the summit of Tom Dubh and was surprised to find a family of reindeer, the youngsters all spindly legs and boundless energy. Reindeer were introduced to the Cairngorms back in the 1950’s and you’ll still come across them in some of these quieter backwaters, adding to the Arctic atmosphere of these high places.

From Tom Dubh I climbed the stony slopes of Monach Mor to its long whaleback ridge and followed a footpath to the summit cairn. The highest point is about half way along the ridge. From there the path continued to a subsidiary top and then down steep slopes to a high bealach that’s locally known as Cadha nam Fiann, the pass of the fair-ones. From there, steep boulder covered slopes finally led to Beinn Bhrotain.

The local name of the this high pass is intriguing and has led the mountaineer and ecologist, Dr Adam Watson, to question the assumed translation of the great corrie that falls down from the pass into Glen Geusachan below. Most authorities suggest that Coire Cath nam Fionn means the corrie of the battle of the Fingalians, the warriors of the legendary 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.

I suspect the Fingalian link is authentic enough as Beinn Bhrotain is the hill of Brodan, the jet-black hound of Celtic mythology.