Geal-Chàrn

Geal-Chàrn is a Munro and Marilyn standing 1132 metres high in the Grampian Mountains of Highland. Its Gaelic name means ‘white hill’. The mountain lies east of Fort William between Loch Ossian and Loch Ericht as part of a four-Munro ridge running roughly southwest to northeast. To the southeast the broad bulk of Ben Alder is separated by the Bealach Dubh col, which reaches 722 metres. The summit is a wide, flat plateau of about one square kilometre with three low, rounded tops. The highest top in the west is marked by a cairn. Steep, partly rocky walls drop away on almost every side. A narrow ridge on the west-southwest side, always above 1000 metres, leads to the nearby 1116-metre Aonach Beag. To the northeast a rugged ridge falls to the 925-metre subsidiary top Diollaid a’ Chairn, which in turn links to Càrn Dearg. Northwards a short spur, Sròn Gharbh, descends to about 800 metres. Southwards a short, broad ridge ends in the cliffs of the subsidiary top Sron Ruadh. The most striking feature is the 1028-metre rocky top Sgòr Iutharn to the east. It is separated from the main plateau by a shallow col and its steep northern walls enclose Loch an Sgòir at about 700 metres. To the east the mountain falls away in the bold, northeast-facing Lancet Edge, a steep rock ridge that drops into the valley of the Allt a’ Bhealaich Dhuibh. Because it lies in remote, uninhabited country far from roads, the only ways up are long walks or mountain-bike approaches with a bivouac, or a four-Munro ridge traverse starting from Dalwhinnie or Corrour Station.