Ben Alder
Encyclopedia
Ben Alder is the highest mountain in the remote area of the Scottish Highlands between Loch Ericht
and Glen Spean. The vast summit plateau is home of one of Britain's highest bodies of standing water, Lochan a' Garbh Coire. It is the 25th highest Munro
, and due to its remote location, one of the less frequently visited. Situated 19 km from Dalwhinnie
and 15 km from Corrour railway station
, it is commonly climbed in a two day expedition, usually taking in its lower neighbour, Beinn Bheoil. There are two bothies
near to the mountain: Culra Lodge to the northeast and Ben Alder Cottage to the south, both potentially providing shelter for walkers in the area. Ben Alder Cottage is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a ghillie who hanged himself from the rafters.
If a mountain bicycle is used on, or permission is obtained to drive on the track along the north west shore of Loch Ericht, Ben Alder is one of six Munros that a fit climber may be able to summit on a single late spring or early summer day.
Although the police later ascertained that his clothing came mostly from French supermarkets, it was not until November 1997, following a cranio-facial reconstruction of the dead man's face, that a friend of the family wondered if the man might be Emmanuel Caillet, from south Paris, France. Last seen by his parents on 14 August 1995, it was established that Emmanuel had crossed the Channel the next day. He then sold his car for £350, less than its value. Two days later he stayed one night in the Stakis-Ingram Hotel, Glasgow
, paying with his Visa card. His identity was duly confirmed.
There have been suggestions that he might have been murdered because, for example, a witness claimed that he had been with another man at Corrour railway station
, but forensic evidence
points to suicide
Ben Alder is one of the locations featured in the novel Kidnapped
by Robert Louis Stevenson
. The main characters David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart are hosted by the Scottish clan chief
Cluny Macpherson
, fugitive after the Second Jacobite Rising, in one of his hiding places at Ben Alder.
Loch Ericht
Loch Ericht is a freshwater loch on the border between Perth and Kinross and the Highlands Council areas of Scotland. It is situated at a height of 351 metres above sea level and has a north-east to south-west orientation. The village of Dalwhinnie lies at the north east end of the loch...
and Glen Spean. The vast summit plateau is home of one of Britain's highest bodies of standing water, Lochan a' Garbh Coire. It is the 25th highest Munro
Munro
A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over . They are named after Sir Hugh Munro, 4th Baronet , who produced the first list of such hills, known as Munros Tables, in 1891. A Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a separate mountain...
, and due to its remote location, one of the less frequently visited. Situated 19 km from Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie "Meeting Place" is a small village in the Scottish Highlands.-Location:Dalwhinnie sits at an altitude of 351 m. It is one of the coldest villages in the UK, having an average annual temperature of 6.5oC, making it suitable for winter walking and mountaineering.It is north of Drumochter,...
and 15 km from Corrour railway station
Corrour railway station
Corrour railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line,Scotland. It is situated near Loch Ossian and Loch Treig, on the Corrour Estate. It is the highest mainline railway station in the United Kingdom.- Location :...
, it is commonly climbed in a two day expedition, usually taking in its lower neighbour, Beinn Bheoil. There are two bothies
Bothy
A bothy is a basic shelter, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge. It was also a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on an estate. Bothies are to be found in remote, mountainous areas of Scotland, northern England, Ireland, and Wales....
near to the mountain: Culra Lodge to the northeast and Ben Alder Cottage to the south, both potentially providing shelter for walkers in the area. Ben Alder Cottage is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a ghillie who hanged himself from the rafters.
If a mountain bicycle is used on, or permission is obtained to drive on the track along the north west shore of Loch Ericht, Ben Alder is one of six Munros that a fit climber may be able to summit on a single late spring or early summer day.
The "Man with no Name"
A man's body was found near the top of Ben Alder in June 1996, seated at the edge of a cliff face, overlooking a lochan, his heart pierced by an old-fashioned lead ball bullet. All the labels had been cut from his clothing. Forms of identification such as credit cards were missing. He had a replica Remington .44, unsuitable slip-on shoes, an unnecessary three 1.5-litre bottles of water in his rucksack and £21 in cash.Although the police later ascertained that his clothing came mostly from French supermarkets, it was not until November 1997, following a cranio-facial reconstruction of the dead man's face, that a friend of the family wondered if the man might be Emmanuel Caillet, from south Paris, France. Last seen by his parents on 14 August 1995, it was established that Emmanuel had crossed the Channel the next day. He then sold his car for £350, less than its value. Two days later he stayed one night in the Stakis-Ingram Hotel, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, paying with his Visa card. His identity was duly confirmed.
There have been suggestions that he might have been murdered because, for example, a witness claimed that he had been with another man at Corrour railway station
Corrour railway station
Corrour railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line,Scotland. It is situated near Loch Ossian and Loch Treig, on the Corrour Estate. It is the highest mainline railway station in the United Kingdom.- Location :...
, but forensic evidence
Evidence
Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...
points to suicide
Kidnapped
Kidnapped (novel)
Kidnapped is a historical fiction adventure novel by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Written as a "boys' novel" and first published in the magazine Young Folks from May to July 1886, the novel has attracted the praise and admiration of writers as diverse as Henry James, Jorge Luis...
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
. The main characters David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart are hosted by the Scottish clan chief
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
Cluny Macpherson
Cluny MacPherson
Cluny Macpherson, MD was a medical doctor and the inventor of the gas mask.During the First World War the German army used poison gas for the first time, against Allied troops at Ypres, France in 1915...
, fugitive after the Second Jacobite Rising, in one of his hiding places at Ben Alder.