Rannoch to Corrour
NN370549 The path runs on eastwards, crossing slopes looking down on Loch Laidon. Soon it reaches a tall kissing gate (rather too tight for a backpack and a person both at once). A soggy quad bike track continues, soon reaching the end of a gravelled track. Follow this ahead, through open broadleaf woodland. NN384556 After 1.3km the track enters plantations. Follow it ahead – in 4km it leaves the plantations at the foot of Loch Laidon. It passes a smaller loch, then bends right, across boggy grassland, to a gated level crossing at Rannoch Station. At the tarmac road, turn left and take the passenger footbridge over half of the railway onto the central island platform, which houses Rannoch Station Tearoom.
NN422578 Follow the small road east past the Moor of Rannoch Hotel and alongside Loch Eigheach. After 2.5km, a track on the left has a right of way signpost for Corrour (NN446578). This is the famed ‘Road to the Isles’ of the traditional Scottish song. Humming melodiously to yourself, follow the track north-west, bending north as it crests the moorland with views towards the end of the Grey Corries range. The track descends gently to the stream Allt Eigheach.
NN435602 Cross the stream by a long footbridge, turning upstream to rejoin the track, which has arrived over a ford. It continues upstream, then rises along the right-hand edge of a plantation. Keep following the track as it bends left and slants uphill. After 500m, the track turns uphill more steeply; here take a fainter green track continuing ahead.
NN430612 The green track runs very gradually uphill until, after 4km, you pass the ruined Corrour Old Lodge. The track, still running level, curves around the flank of Carn Dearg. As slopes ahead drop to Loch Ossian, a rock with a plaque to a person called Peter is found on the left. NN393669 Take the rough, stony path down left (west). Passing the top corner of a plantation it becomes a gravelled track, leading down to Loch Ossian. Turn left, ignoring short tracks on the right leading to the youth hostel at the loch side. Instead follow the main track ahead (south-west) gently uphill to Corrour Station.