📌 Glenmore, Highland
★★★★
Bynack More is the northernmost major summit of the Cairngorm plateau group, with a stegasaurus-like profile on approach from the Ryvoan Pass. Its remote, 1090-metre summit area features several spectacular granite tors – or to use the local word, barns – which are well worth exploring on any ascent of the hill. There’s a long but excellent approach path from the north which we use here for the outward route, but our even longer suggestion for the return shows off the more dramatic, southern aspect of the mountain, with views of even remoter Beinn Mheadhoin and Loch Avon at the heart of the range.
📷 Chronological photo guide
An Lochan Uaine – the green lochan 
An Lochan Uaine 
Track underneath Meall a’ Bhuachaille 
River Nethy 
View up Strath Nethy – the route used for the return 
Looking back from the path up Bynack More 
Bynack More 
Bynack More 
View north from the summit area 
Looking south towards Cairn Gorm (right) from the summit 
Little Barns of Bynack 
Barns of Bynack 
Ptarmigan 
Ptarmigan 
Looking towards Ben Avon from the Barns of Bynack 
Snow patches around the Allt Dearg, A’ Chòinneach 
Lone reindeer on A’ Chòinneach, Ben Avon beyond 
Reindeer, Cairn Gorm in the background 
Descent towards Loch Avon 
Lochan on descent from A’ Chòinneach, Beinn Mhheadhoin beyond (left) 
Tors on A’ Chòinneach, east slopes of Cairn Gorm behind 
Loch Avon 
Loch Avon 
Return along Strath Nethy 
Return along Strath Nethy 
The broader, lower part of the return through Strath Nethy is boggy
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Allt Mòr car park, on the road through Glenmore 4 mi east of Coylumbridge
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NH 984087
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.158100,-3.681522
🚌 Glenmore Visitor Centre (0.5 mi). Instead of following the road to the start, take paths directly to An Lochan Uaine (1.5 mi) & join route here
🚗 Car park (charge)
📝 Key info
▶ 29 km / 18 mi | ▲ 890 m | ⌛ 9-10 hr
Features: 🌲 Glenmore Forest Park ★★★; 💧 An Lochan Uaine; △ Bynack More (1090 m, Munro); △ A’ Chòinneach (1016 m)
⬤ Tough | Excellent track and paths for most of ascent, though steeper and rockier for last part. There are rougher paths for most of the rest of the route, though section to A’ Chòinneach is pathless. Descent through Strath Nethy is quite boggy lower down.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise lollipop walk: start – An Lochan Uaine – footbridge over River Nethy at 🧭 NJ 021105 – Bynack More – Little Barns of Bynack – Barns of Bynack – A’ Chòinneach – The Saddle – footbridge over River Nethy via Strath Nethy – start by outward route
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: 6 ptarmigan on Bynack More, solitary reindeer on A’ Chòinneach. Hundreds of frogs, stonechats in Strath Nethy, shrew in the forest.
Weather: Mostly sunny with scattered clouds, becoming cloudier at the end of the day. Moderate winds, around 10°C on the summits, high teens at the base. A few snow patches above 900m or so.
July 2020
