Glen Lyon 4 Munros

bootsandbanter
2 days ago
5 min read

Scotland Turned the Wind Up to Maximum

📍Route: Invervar Car Park → Carn Gorm ️ → Meall Garbh (Càrn Mairg)→ Meall a' Bharr → Càrn Mairg → Creag Mhòr (Meall na Aighean) → Invervar Car Park

📏Distance: 21.11 km

⬆️Ascent: 1675 m

⌛Time: 7.5 hours

📅 25 July 2026

Weather: Dry, crystal-clear visibility, powerful winds

Mood: Battered by the wind, spoiled by the views

The Morning

I woke up early to rain, low cloud and generally miserable weather. The first thing I did, as always, was check MWIS. It promised the rain would clear around midday, with gale force winds easing to "just" 40 mph for the rest of the day. 😆 By Scottish standards that sounded almost reasonable, so I decided to wait.

Just after 9 am I set off for Glen Lyon. It was still spitting with rain as I drove, but that journey...wow. After leaving the main A827 road - about 7 miles of single track road with passing places. Absolutely bonkers! At the start of this trip I'd have been terrified. Four days later I found myself driving it with confidence. Scotland has genuinely changed me as a driver!

Sunshine at Last

Deceptievly warm at lower level, I would soon put all layers on and not take them off till the end

As I pulled into the tiny car park at Invervar, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Typical Scotland. 🌞I was very lucky.

The car park cost £10, easily the most expensive of the trip so far. There were only 3 other cars there though, so parking wasn't a problem.

I had planned to walk the route anti clockwise, but every sign pointed you should do it clockwise. I figured there must be a reason, so I changed my plan.

Packing my bag, it suddenly felt heavier than usual. Maybe it wasn't the bag at all. Maybe it was simply Day 4, and I was beginning to feel the accumulated miles.

Carn Gorm, Wind Arrives

I started in just a vest, crossing the bridge towards Carn Gorm under blue skies and sunshine. As I gained height after the Invervar burn, the views towards Ben Lawers were incredible. I'd stood on those mountains only 2 days earlier. It was the first day of truly uninterrupted views, and I couldn't stop smiling. Scotland is just mountains in every direction. Wherever you look another range appears.

As I climbed higher, the wind became stronger. Hoody on. Then came several false summits. At what I hoped would be the last one, I decided to put my waterproof jacket on as well. It was getting chilly despite the clear skies and sunshine.

Best decision of the day! The moment I appeared on the summit plateau, OMG. Gale force winds. The gusts were actually knocking me off balance, and the wind chill suddenly made it feel like winter. Buff up, jacket zipped to the top, hood on, sunglasses on just to protect my eyes.

I tagged the summit and started descending straight into the wind. I turned my back to the wind, using it as a shield while I shrugged off my backpack and dug out my trekking poles. For the first time ever I had to use them not for climbing or descending, but simply to stay upright!

Four Peaks, Endless Views

I had a brief thought about climbing the Munro top of An Sgorr, but quickly decided against it due to the difficult wind conditions. Shame, as it was just there.

By the time I climbed Meall Garbh (Càrn Mairg) the wind had eased from gale force to merely ridiculously strong. 😅 That became the story for the rest of the day. Seven and a half hours of relentless wind, but not a single drop of rain. My boots stayed dry. My clothes stayed dry.

The biggest surprise? I didn't see a single person all day.

After the previous 3 days it felt so strange, but I actually didn't mind. My remote Peak District adventures have prepared me well for days without seeing anyone. The funny thing is, the day before I'd convinced myself these 4 Munros would probably be the boring ones of the trip. I couldn't have been more wrong. The section from Meall Garbh towards Càrn Mairg produced some of the best views I've seen so far in Scotland. Endless mountain ranges stretching in every direction.

The Little Details

Càrn Mairg summit, big blocks of quartz on it

Along the route I stopped to admire the sparkling mica schist and chunks of white quartz scattered across the mountainside. It's those little geological details that always catch my attention. There were loads of big quartz blocks scattered around and on the cairn of Càrn Mairg.

Then came the descent from Creag Mhòr (Meall na Aighean). The hillsides were covered in blooming heather, glowing with vivid purple against the green mountains. It honestly felt as though Scotland had put on a private show just for me. The descend was quite steep but good path and the poles helped a lot.

Still not another person in sight.

Back to The Car

Invervar car park - not a lot of spaces.

I didn't see anyone all the way back to the car, which still amazes me.

The wind battered me for 7.5 hours, but it couldn't spoil the day. The views were endless, the weather stayed dry, and somehow the drive back along that crazy single track road felt easy. Who would have thought? Scotland hasn't just introduced me to Munros. It's turned me into a single track road driver too. 😄

The Perfect Ending

With 4 days of Munros behind me, I decided my final day in Scotland would be spent a little differently. Instead of climbing another mountain, I wanted to discover some of the country's other treasures.

I headed towards Stirling, stopping first at the peaceful shores of Loch Lubnaig, then at the Doune Castle, before enjoying one of the nicest drives of the trip, smooth roads winding through forests with mountains rising on either side.

I spent 3 to 4 hours exploring Stirling Castle, wandering through its fascinating history and taking in the wonderful views from its walls. Before leaving, I treated myself to a handmade Scottish ring from Heathergems, a little piece of Scotland I can now wear wherever I go.

By the time I arrived home, the trip had totalled around 830 miles over 5 unforgettable days. In total, I covered over 73 km [with nearly 5700 m of elevation (!)] on foot and stood on the summits of 13 Munros. There were long days, steep climbs, ever-changing weather, and countless unforgettable views, roads that completely transformed my confidence as a driver, and memories I'll never forget.

This wasn't the end. It was only the beginning of discovering the incredible beauty of Scotland. I already know I'll be back.

🔍 Final Thoughts

Scotland challenged me with its weather, rewarded me with endless views, and completely exceeded my expectations. I arrived excited to begin my Munro journey and left already looking forward to the next trip.

This may have been my first Munro adventure, but it certainly won't be my last. Scotland, I'll see you again, soon.