Back o’ Ben Vrackie

[Jim777]

Starting from grid NN994624 on the Pitlochry to Straloch road I headed downhill over rough tussocky grass to the Brerachan Water. Finding a way across was tricky as most of the rocks sticking above the surface were coated in ice. Once across it was obvious that down by the Brerachan the ground was pretty boggy so I ascended and traversed at between 400 and 450 metres with no trace of any track and the ground rough tussocky grass and old woody heather. Where the Brerachan Water eventually turns into the Allt na Leacainn Moire I headed North West along the Lon Mor - and please no lawn mower jokes. This was where I picked up the first real track which I followed as far as Druim nan Aigeach overlooking Shinagag. The two small lochans down off the track at this point are given no name on the 1:25,000 map but I believe the stream flowing out of them is called the Allt Dubhag. This walk was mainly done to see what the Eastern and Northern sides of Ben Vrackie were like.

Looking back to start of walk

Firebreak in forest with rickety looking bridge in centre

Looking East to Carn Gael 776m

End of the forest with Cona Chreag on right

Looking North up Glen Brerachan with Beinn a’ Ghlo range hidden in cloud

Looking South back down Glen Brerachan with Carn Geal, Cona Creag and Creag na Iolaire in picture

Looking North West up Lon Mor

Heading up Lon Mor with Beinn a’ Ghlo in background

Looking South East back down Lon Mor to Glen Brerachan

Looking North West up Lon Mor with Creag Bhreac 560m on right

First and largest of the unnamed lochans sitting below Creag Dhubh

Ruined shieling in distance with Carn Liath in the background

Ruined shieling

Is that Shinagag I see ?

Remains of ruined shieling and pen at the foot of Druim nan Aigeach

Two unnamed lochans

Enormous erratic below Creag na Iolaire

Rickety bridge opposite firebreak in forest

Even worse seeing it from above !!

Nice seen from below

Waterfall just above where I initially crossed the burn