by Mal Grey » Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:31 am
Hey
My thoughts;
A. Depends! This early in the year, you shouldn't have too many midges. By late May/June they will be out in force, by July and August you will need to carry pints of spare blood and give yourself a transfusion every morning. You might get away with it (though personally I've always preferred a tent in the Highlands, just more sealed from everything; wind, midges, rain etc. Pack repellent, hopefully you won't need it much.
Also be aware and check for ticks. Take an O'Tom Tick Twister with you.
B. Footwear. With your experience, this may be the best option, though I have heard of people giving up due to wet feet. Its still not that warm out there. Of course, its critical that you keep your spare socks dry for evenings, chuck an extra pair in! I always wear boots in the Highlands, but I don't do more than 2 or 3 nights out at a time often.
C. I almost never treat water in the Highlands, and where you're going there should be no need, assuming you are sensible about looking what's upstream for a couple of hundred metres, hopefully no dead deer! I occasionally carry a Sawyer Mini Filter in lower lying country. The tabs might be a sensible back up I suppose.
D. Can't help with the specifics here, but this river is notorious and is deep for a considerable distance upstream, after a very wet approach too. You're right with the definition of "In spate", but this can last for weeks in the Highlands after a wet period!!! Or it might be fine. If you're comfortable in rough terrain (which you'll need to be just to attempt the whole CWT) you might be able to work out an alternative route, maybe along the east bank heading north, but there are crags close to the river a few miles up if you've not found somewhere by then. Another route might be from Strathan via Kinbreak, upper Glen Kingie and over to loch Quoich near Sgurr Beag. There's been a recent thread on this.