Back of Schiehallion
1 NN742470 At the west end of Fortingall, take a track to the right (east) of the wide stream Allt Odhar (Allt Muilinn on Harvey map). Pass between houses onto the hill track rising beyond. Follow this uphill, with ever widening views. After roughly 5km, it passes through a wide col and is joined by a fence on its right. It runs level by the fence, to pass through a slightly higher col.
2 NN720511 The track runs down north-west towards the head of the remote back valley Gleann Mor. In clear conditions, Schiehallion rises impressively on the other side.
3 NN710526 After
2km the track turns down right towards the Glenmore hut just below, but keep ahead, on faint wheel marks, slanting down to join the stream Allt Creag a’ Mhadaidh. Cross it, and follow it down to its junction with Allt a’ Choire Glais. To find the small pothole Uamh Tom a’ Mhor-fhir, note a moraine hump on the east side of the stream, 50m north of the stream junction. The cave is due west from this, 75m up from the stream over green limestone-type grassland with remains of shielings, summer huts (NN 7078 5337). If you explore a couple of hundred metres upstream, Allt a’ Choire Glais has a small limestone gorge. All this seems a little weird among the grey schist of the Scottish Highlands.
4 NN708532 Head down the valley, to the right of the main stream. After 1.5km you pass through an old deer fence. In another 800m, you scramble down heather beside waterfalls in the main river, to the foot of an incut side
5 NN728528 Follow this track to the left. It rises gently up the valley side and crosses the ridgeline to Pheiginn Bothy (open when I passed it). The track drops to Allt Coire Pheiginn, and heads down to the left of this stream. As the ground becomes wooded, the track crosses the stream, and heads right to join a sidestream. After another 1km downhill, look
out for the small Garth Castle on the spur point where two streams join, down to the left of the track. 6 NN762503 The track continues through woods above Keltney Burn, with a small parking area serving the nature reserve here. The track emerges on the Fortingall road at Keltneyburn farm. Turn right for a 4km walk back to Fortingall.