Glen Tilt river crossing question

[al78]

Whilst I can't get out on the big hills, I am playing with OS maps looking at different multi-day excursions involving linear routes with summit bagging. I have been looking at a route from Blair Atholl to Braemar, but instead of taking the low route up glen Tilt -> Bynack lodge -> Linn of Dee, I was thinking of going over the Beinn a Ghlo range, drop into glen Tilt, camp near loch Tilt, then over the Grampian mountians via Sron a Bhoididh, Carn Bhac, Beinn Iutharn Mhor, Carn an Righ, Mam nan Carn, Glas Tulaichean, Beinn Lutharn Bheag, An Socach, Sgor Mor, Carn na Drochaide, and finally Morrone. I estimate doing that over three or four days is feasible, and takes advantage of the fact that once the height is gained, I can stay high so there is not much descent and reascent between the summits. My question is, when descending off Carn nan Gabhar by its north ridge (via Meall Gharran), and reaching glen Tilt where An Lochain flows into the river Tilt, is it possible to ford the river Tilt at this point to gain the path on the NW side of the river? I know there is a bridge further SW down glen Tilt I could aim for if this isn't advisable.

[Sunset tripper]

There is or was a dodgy looking wire bridge in that area. The tilt is still a substantial river at that point and might be difficult to cross. If you carry on upstream to where the Tarf joins or become the Tilt it would be far easier to cross. The Tarf supplies the majority of the water to the river at this point.
If the rivers are running full you really need to use the bridges for the Tilt and the Tarf.

All the best.

[DopeyLoser]

From 2015, this is the bridge at NN956763:

NN983796 Bridge over the Tarf below Falls of Tarf:

NN986798 At the confluence of Allt Feith Lair and Allt Garbh Buidhe (what I would have called the River Tilt but I suppose it's not):

The Allt Garbh Buidhe ford marked on the map is not quite visible there. I am sure it has less water than the Allt Feith Lair.

On that day I opted not to try to ford the Allt Garbh Buidhe. I went back another day and got across, with a bit of hopping and keeping my feet dry.

You might consider going up Carn a' Chlamain to the W of the Tilt, then cross the good bridge below Forest Lodge (not pictured) then you could do all your hills on the east of the Tilt without crossing it again.

[al78]

From 2015, this is the bridge at NN956763:

NN956763.png

NN983796 Bridge over the Tarf below Falls of Tarf:

NN983796.png

NN986798 At the confluence of Allt Feith Lair and Allt Garbh Buidhe (what I would have called the River Tilt but I suppose it's not):

NN986798.png

The Allt Garbh Buidhe ford marked on the map is not quite visible there. I am sure it has less water than the Allt Feith Lair.

On that day I opted not to try to ford the Allt Garbh Buidhe. I went back another day and got across, with a bit of hopping and keeping my feet dry.

You might consider going up Carn a' Chlamain to the W of the Tilt, then cross the good bridge below Forest Lodge (not pictured) then you could do all your hills on the east of the Tilt without crossing it again.

Thanks, yes that first bridge I am aware of, and is one I could use if it is too dangerous to ford the Tilt further up the glen. I get the impression that fording the river up where I am thinking is like trying to cross the Abhainn Strath na Sealga in Fisherfield, possible in some conditions but not in spate, and it is a gamble how high the river will be.

Carn a Chlamain is on the wrong route if I am heading to Braemar across the Grampian mountains and hoping to do the Beinn a Ghlo munros. It is on route for another planned excursion north to Aviemore via munro summits (in particular, those two in utter desolation overlooking upper glen Feshie/glen Geldie, one being the meeting point of three counties)

[Sunset tripper]

Here's a link with some info of the wire bridge you would be close to, after coming off Beinn a' Ghlo. Might be worth a look but might also be a bit risky. It was still there about 4 or 5 years ago when I was last that far up the glen.

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/200092

[Giant Stoneater]

There is a good going path down the north ridge of Carn nan Gabhar which leads towards the bridge that you all ready know about,then you pick up the stalkers path NN964 760 or near there down to a bridge across Allt Fheannach then across the bridge over River Tilt. Good camping ground also.
Rough idea of where stalkers path is,the path was ok but will be hard to spot because of various deer tracks amongst heather.

[arjh]

Hi Al,

Last year I did a short 2-day backpack starting in Blair Atholl and going over Beinn a'Ghlo on day 1 to a camp at Loch Loch (so good they named it twice). It is straightforward to descend east from the 728m col north of Meall a'Mhuirich. There is good ground by the loch at Cumin's Cairn (marked on the 1:25k map).

On day 2 I returned to Blair via Ben Vuirich, but if you wanted to continue to Carn an Righ/Carn Bhac etc it would be straightforward to head north and then east from Loch Loch to reach the track around Cnapan Liath. This is a good path that heads north to Fealar Lodge, you could break off east/northeast whenever convenient. It is used as part of an off-piste mountain bike loop so should be decent underfoot, see here:

https://www.highlandperthshire.org/wcall/wcblair/1779-Beinn-AGhlo-Loop-Glen-Tilt-circuit

Here's a photo of the Cumin's Cairn camp:

[al78]

Hi Al,

Last year I did a short 2-day backpack starting in Blair Atholl and going over Beinn a'Ghlo on day 1 to a camp at Loch Loch (so good they named it twice). It is straightforward to descend east from the 728m col north of Meall a'Mhuirich. There is good ground by the loch at Cumin's Cairn (marked on the 1:25k map).

On day 2 I returned to Blair via Ben Vuirich, but if you wanted to continue to Carn an Righ/Carn Bhac etc it would be straightforward to head north and then east from Loch Loch to reach the track around Cnapan Liath. This is a good path that heads north to Fealar Lodge, you could break off east/northeast whenever convenient. It is used as part of an off-piste mountain bike loop so should be decent underfoot, see here:

https://www.highlandperthshire.org/wcall/wcblair/1779-Beinn-AGhlo-Loop-Glen-Tilt-circuit

Here's a photo of the Cumin's Cairn camp:

LRG_DSC02358.JPG

Thanks for the info, that glen looks a very desolate and peaceful place to camp for the night and is worth considering for my itinery. I like the idea of being able to pick up a decent path or track, after doing the Minigaig three years ago, there is a limit to the enjoynment of trail blazing through heather, clumps of grass and patchy squelchy bits.