The Drumochter pass seen from the south at the bottom of Coire Dhomhaim

The Drumochter pass seen from the north near Balsporran Cottages

Introduction
The Pass of Drumochter is the main link from central scotland to Inverness and beyond. The A9 and Inverness railway line pass through the 450m high pass. It is quite usual during most winters for the pass to be completely blocked by snow at times. During these times, the only way north is either via Aberdeen on the east coast of Scotland or Fort William to the west. Such is the vastness of the wilderness either side of the road, you really can't appreciate it from the road fully unless it becomes blocked!

The Eastern hills of Drumochter with Meall Cuaich sticking out from the plateau

Looking southwest from the western hills to the Ben Lawers hills

The hills on both sides of the pass rise up very steeply and are typically clad in heather. It's quite a bleak area, both in the pass with the constant noise of traffic and on top with its large expanse of plateau and smooth ridges. The western hills are more distinctive and sport 4 munros, the highest being Beinn Udlamain at 1011m and the most remote summit in the group. The eastern hills have two munros and are both part of a vast plateau that wouldn't exactly be the best place to be in in a white out. A further munro - Meall Chuaich sits back on its own as one distinctive lump.

Looking up Coire Dhomhain to Sgairneach Mhor

A' Mharconaich seen from the south

The most striking view of the Drumochter hills is from the A9 just south of Dalwhinnie, from here the profile of A' Mharconaich shows off what is probably the dramatic corrie in the range. The only other crags in the group exist on Sgairneach Mhor. The views out west look out over the remote Ben Alder Forest. A' Mharconaich in my opinion offers the best view of the four summits with a view right along the escarpment of the eastern Drumochter hills to the Spey Valley. The terrain up here is a mixture of cropped grass and stone with Beinn Udlamain offering the roughest progress.

Geal Charn, Ardverekie forest as seen from the Drumochter hills

Wide views high up towards the Pitlochry area

The Fara and the Monadliath hills beyond

A' Mharoach seen from Beinn Udlamain

By contrast the eastern hills have very few rocks and at times on the plateau the grass can get quite thick. Unfortunately man has made its presence felt up here in the form of bulldozed tracks that go right up to the plateau, it makes the view from Dalwhinnie even less appealing. The best feature of these hills is the ability to look eastwards all the way to the Cairngorms and know that no roads at all cross your view. It's seriously inhospitable country and would take several days to get to Braemar without skis.

Walking east from Beinn Udlamain

The eastern hills of Drumochter seen from A'Mharoach

Geal Charn - the northernmost hill in the western group

Looking down the Allt Cuaich

Meall Cuaich
Meall Cuaich sits on its own further north. The approach to the hill follows a track alongside an aquaduct that links Loch Cuaich with Loch Ericht. At the base of Meall Cuaich, a well worn path is followed upto the summit. It's a short walk, but one that offers views into the remote Gaick forest. The rise up to the top isn't at all steep but with the top at 951m, it's just higher than the Monadliath group and thus it's possible to see all the way to the north western highlands.

South West Panorama from the summit of Meall Cuaich, Gaick to Loch Ericht