Càrn Gorm

Càrn Gorm, at 1,029 metres, is the westernmost of four Munros forming a broad, undulating ridge on the north side of Glen Lyon — a broad, rather undistinguished dome in its own right, but offering fine views over the glen, with particularly impressive vistas west towards Meall Ghaordie.

The route starts from a small car park at Invervar, below a phone box — access here has a long history of restrictions, particularly during the stag stalking season, so checking current arrangements with the North Chesthill Estate is worthwhile before setting out. A track climbs through felled forestry and rhododendrons before reaching open hillside, with a faint path branching off to climb directly up the western shoulder of the first Munro of the day (usually Meall na Aighean when tackled clockwise, or Càrn Gorm itself if anticlockwise). Càrn Gorm's own broad summit offers little in the way of drama, but the views across Glen Lyon and towards the Lawers range make the effort worthwhile.

From the summit, the descent follows the mountain's south-east shoulder on a path described by regular visitors as a hill-runner's delight, dropping around 500 metres to the edge of forestry above Invervar, where the ground becomes notably sodden. From here, tracing the forest boundary north-east leads to a rickety bridge over the Invervar Burn and an old track back down to the start.

The full four-Munro circuit — Càrn Gorm, Meall Garbh, Càrn Mairg, and Meall na Aighean — from Invervar is around 22 kilometres with roughly 1,476 metres of ascent, typically eight to nine hours, an appreciable full day's outing across this broad Perthshire ridge.

Fence posts aid navigation across much of the ridge in poor weather or snow, though the boggy ground near the forest edge and the generally featureless nature of this broad ridge still demand full hillwalking competence.

The Invervar car park is small and fills quickly; overflow parking is available around 1 kilometre further up the road. There is no public transport to the start.