Candle in the bothy

[dogplodder]

Climbing Creag Rainich on 8th July had been to my mind only a partial success, with the younger grandson pulling the plug not far from the summit. There had been a lot of pathless ascent over wet ground and I hoped the experience wouldn't have put him off.

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=98196

What I wanted to do was get out again and climb a hill with a good path that was half the distance - and do it soon. The chance came a week later when we headed for an old favourite, Meall a' Bhuachaille by Loch Morlich. It was tried and tested with children, including two of the grandsons, one when he was 4 years old.

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25304

That time we had done the circuit in a clockwise direction but this time we went up to the Green Lochan first. We parked at the Glenmore visitor centre where the parking meters weren't working so got free parking which was a wee bonus at the start. We followed the WH route left up the track before the reindeer centre. It was a route the whole group had done before as far as the lochan and the first few photos are from November 2017 when the youngest had managed the rough part of the path holding her mum's hand.

November 2017

Beautiful old Scots pine

Holding mum's hand

An Lochan Uaine

Fast forward to July 2020 and we were back on the same wide track with the same view back to Loch Morlich.

Feng and Mei

The whole group at the seat with view to Cairngorm

The group consisted of Feng and Mei with their 3 children, my son David with 3 of his boys and their old granny (me). So that was 3 households with 6 people aged 12 and over - all within the limits for numbers meeting outside at that time. None of the kids had any difficulty with the narrower path and when we reached the part with protruding tree roots, descending to the track before An Lochan Uaine, it was the old granny who fell behind while all the kids streaked ahead. When I got to the lochan they were already down on the beach throwing sticks for the dog.

Green lochan

I had wondered if it would be difficult to persuade the kids to leave the lochan but it was no problem at all. Now they had to find Ryvoan bothy and off they went. I told them not to breathe a word to David but there would be a surprise at the bothy. Today was David's birthday so inside my rucksack was a small carrot cake, along with a plate, knife, candle and matches. My original plan had been to produce it at the summit but the wind was too strong for the candle so my revised plan was to use the shelter of the bothy, provided it was open.

Pit stop at the bothy

When we reached the bothy I tried the door and it was open. I went inside ostensibly to check it out (as you do), got the cake organised and called the others in. We were only inside for 10 minutes, didn't touch anything and used lots of hand sanitiser, so any risk was minimal. I wonder if in a few years time reading this will sound very strange. But in the context of 2020 it sounds perfectly normal.

One small candle flickering in a bothy, a place of shelter in a storm. It makes me think of the indomitable human spirit that keeps fighting on in the face of the most challenging year in living memory. I've got some idea how hard Feng has been working in hospital and David in school with long extra hours and difficult decisions.... and still it goes on. So many unsung heroes.

Candle in the bothy

Happy birthday!

Celebrations over we quickly cleared out, leaving the place exactly as we found it. Fortified by a small piece of carrot cake those kids powered up the path and I freely admit I was last to the top - my excuse being I stopped to take a few photos on the way.

View down to lochan

Bell heather

View down to bothy and over to Bynack More

Meall a' Bhuachaille summit

The wee lass was waving - not objecting to photo being taken!

Serious hand cleaning going on here

Three of the grandsons

The two older boys had been here in 2012 but the youngest was just a baby then and this was his first time. I was so glad to see him enjoying himself and any lurking negative thoughts about pathless ascents kicked into touch.

Start of the descent

Loch Morlich

Pine forest regeneration going on here

I've written this up on the evening of Hogmanay with fireworks going off every so often and Keira curled up at my feet or frantically barking at the window. It would be fair to say she's not impressed. I wish folk would keep them until midnight and then let them off all in one burst.

I'll not post this until the bells so I can wish all the folk I feel I know (but mostly haven't met) a very happy and healthy 2021.

[Gordie12]

All the best for 2021 DP - let's hope it's a better one!!!

[Huff_n_Puff]

Brilliant - you are really doing your bit to ensure that there will be plenty of young people on the hills in the future and what a lovely treat for David.

This reminds me of a walk we did with Italian friends in the the hills to the east of Lake Garda many years ago - it was a Sunday afternoon and we saw quite a few groups of walkers but what struck me was we saw a much higher proportion of the young and old (I've edited out the very in front of old ) than we would in Scotland - even on the more gentle hills. Glad to see you're doing your best to rectify this

[Sunset tripper]

Great stuff. A fine report and good to see everyone enjoying the great outdoors. A fine hill also. I haven't been up there for a good few years, at least five I think. I have been up past the bothy recently, though I dont think I have ever looked in. From what I've seen the bothies are taking different approaches. I think they are all unlocked though the MBA website says they are all closed. Ryvoan and Coulags looked as normal when I passed but in Glen Callater where I was in July there were posters on the door saying closed, no entry, Covid (or words to that effect) though I was told it wasn't locked. I guess it is up to the individual MO how they go about it.
I'm not a big user of bothies myself and don't go in that often, but they are a fantastic resource and a life saver for many I guess.

For 2021 - things can only get better - sooner rather than later. 🤞
All the best.

[dogplodder]

All the best for 2021 DP - let's hope it's a better one!!!

Thanks Gordie. Here's hoping....

[dogplodder]

Brilliant - you are really doing your bit to ensure that there will be plenty of young people on the hills in the future and what a lovely treat for David.

This reminds me of a walk we did with Italian friends in the the hills to the east of Lake Garda many years ago - it was a Sunday afternoon and we saw quite a few groups of walkers but what struck me was we saw a much higher proportion of the young and old (I've edited out the very in front of old ) than we would in Scotland - even on the more gentle hills. Glad to see you're doing your best to rectify this

When does 'old' turn into 'very old' or does that depend on the age of the person saying it?

[dogplodder]

Great stuff. A fine report and good to see everyone enjoying the great outdoors. A fine hill also. I haven't been up there for a good few years, at least five I think. I have been up past the bothy recently, though I dont think I have ever looked in. From what I've seen the bothies are taking different approaches. I think they are all unlocked though the MBA website says they are all closed. Ryvoan and Coulags looked as normal when I passed but in Glen Callater where I was in July there were posters on the door saying closed, no entry, Covid (or words to that effect) though I was told it wasn't locked. I guess it is up to the individual MO how they go about it.
I'm not a big user of bothies myself and don't go in that often, but they are a fantastic resource and a life saver for many I guess.

It's finding that tricky balance between reducing the potential for virus transmission during an overnight stay while still leaving the building open for use in an emergency.

[Booga]

From what I've seen the bothies are taking different approaches. I think they are all unlocked though the MBA website says they are all closed. Ryvoan and Coulags looked as normal when I passed but in Glen Callater where I was in July there were posters on the door saying closed, no entry, Covid (or words to that effect) though I was told it wasn't locked. I guess it is up to the individual MO how they go about it.
I'm not a big user of bothies myself and don't go in that often, but they are a fantastic resource and a life saver for many I guess.

Some are left unlocked for genuine emergency use but the MBA stance is they shouldn't be used for non emergency overnight stays and let's face it, it seems the majority of bothy visits are for the sole purpose of drinking beer by the fire then walking back out in the morning! I certainly wouldn't want to be sharing a small building that has no washing facilities with a bunch of strangers at the moment.

Sadly at least 6 I've heard of have been locked by landowners over the past year due to people continuing to use them as drinking dens during lockdown and leaving litter etc. Considering we've already lost Peanmeanach recently with the estate blaming problems caused by visitors I wonder how many of these will re-open?

This isn't a criticism of the OP by the way, there's a big difference between a leave-no-trace cake stop and an overnight booze up by people who can't carry their litter out. It looks like a great family trip

[dogplodder]

Some are left unlocked for genuine emergency use but the MBA stance is they shouldn't be used for non emergency overnight stays and let's face it, it seems the majority of bothy visits are for the sole purpose of drinking beer by the fire then walking back out in the morning! I certainly wouldn't want to be sharing a small building that has no washing facilities with a bunch of strangers at the moment.

Sadly at least 6 I've heard of have been locked by landowners over the past year due to people continuing to use them as drinking dens during lockdown and leaving litter etc. Considering we've already lost Peanmeanach recently with the estate blaming problems caused by visitors I wonder how many of these will re-open?

This isn't a criticism of the OP by the way, there's a big difference between a leave-no-trace cake stop and an overnight booze up by people who can't carry their litter out. It looks like a great family trip

Phew! I'm glad you said that.