The mountains of Ben Alder, Loch Ossian and Loch Laggan

Loch Ossian Youth Hostel, £12 per person per night (2007 prices): Despite being basic, it's the nicest and characterful youth hostels around. Very warm with common room being drying room in the cold evenings and a resident warden to referee the "run around Loch Ossian in under an hour club" membership! Other long term residents include some deer that snoop around the kitchen when your're out. The warden has yet to be beaten at Jenga - any challengers out there?
The Pottery Bunkhouse, Laggan - £11 per person per night (2006 prices): This bunkhouse is quite a nice one. Very warm inside - even in the mornings. The bunkhouse is conveniently located near to the pub at the Monadliath Hotel. Unfortunately the location of the hostel means that if your're carless, your're limited in the choice of nearby hills you can do.
Corrour Station Hostel: I've never stayed here - but it's situated on the Station platform and as such is quite a narrow building. Great for trainspotters but also those who just can't be bothered to walk to the youth hostel.
Station Lodge, Tulloch, £ 14 per person per night (2007 prices): This bunkhouse is the perfect location for those arriving by train, as it's on platform 1! This hostel is more expensive than many youth hostels, although locally in Glen Spean it's a similar price to other such accommodation. In its own right it's a nice enough place although I was put in a room with 8 bunk beds and little room for luggage. The kitchen is well equipped, and the dining and common rooms were a good standard, though in June I was feeling cold!!
Travel
Trains from Glasgow to Corrour & Dalwhinnie

Introduction
This area is one of the desolate spots in Scotland. It's also the east-west transition where the shapely peaks of the west steadily transform to the big rounded hills of the east. Because of the size of the hills and the "half way house" situation, the area often receives a lot of snow and ice during the winter. The mild westerlies are less influential (though still damp) while easterly snow storms come this far in.

Ben Alder and Lancet Edge
seen from Culra Bothy

This area is split into three groups. To the north, Loch Laggan lies - the only valley with a public road going through it. This gives access to such mountains like Creag Meagaidh and Beinn Teallach. To the west lies the hills of Loch Treig and Ossian - more rounded and grassy with few deep corries between them. In the east lies the remote Ben Alder forest - narrow ridges, vast plateaux and deep deep corries characterise this area.

The last two areas are the most remote - most easily reached by train and then the challenge is to time your walk with the timetable - an extra winter challenge. Many folk tackle these remote summits using mountain bikes. The tracks are of a good condition with the Dalwhinnie and Pattack approaches taking about 90 minutes by bike. Thus otherwise remote tops can be done very comfortably in a day.

Loch Ericht seen from the Ben Alder track

During good weekends, the river beneath Culra Bothy can see many tents and you sometimes wonder if this really is a wilderness area. But pick the right route in, and you can get these summits all to yourself.