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This trip started out ok, with a new Corbett bagged. But thereafter, I struggled with motivation. It was hard to come up with plans, and even harder to execute them. The weather has been unpredictable (welcome to Autumn in Scotland), the creepy crawlies are still out in abundance, and the news from home that I’m losing my long-term tenant at the end of the month (precipitating some major work on the house) put me into all sorts of out-of-sorts.
Tues 21 Sep
It’s a long way to Braemar-ary
Corbett: Sgor Mor
5 hrs / 19.5km / 584mI hatched a plan to drive to Inverness via Linn of Dee. I know, it’s hardly on the way, but somehow, it seemed slightly less daunting than a return trip to/from Braemar from either home. And Sgor Mor has been bugging me; I really wanted to get it done and dusted this year, and Evie had declared “not interested,” not even tempted by a PBJ cake stop on the way home.
I’d hoped to be walking by 9:30, but events (a slightly late start, thus more congestion through Glasgow/Cumbernauld; a tractor for much of the way between Stanley and Blairgowrie; looky-loos through Glen Shee) transpired against me, and it was after 10am before I set off. The WH desc said 6-7 hours, and I knew that if it took as long as at the upper end of that timespan, I’d be racing against the daylight to get over the hills to Inverness. Here we go again…it seems like just yesterday I had to carefully watch the clock on every outing. How can it be that time of the year again already?
So I kept a slightly faster pace than I was comfortable with, I didn’t stop much, and honestly, I didn’t really appreciate or enjoy the outing as much as I’d have liked. I considered coming back down the same way I ascended, but once I saw how far it was still to the summit from Carn an ‘lc Duibhe, I decided to go ahead and do the circuit. It was further, but I’d make good time once I reached the Lairig Ghru outbound path.
the River Dee, from near the spot I left the track
I stopped for a comfort break at the gate through the electric fence.
There.were.keds.
With no small amount of horror, I skedaddled out of the sheltered trees, and onto the open hillside and into the wind as fast as possible, which wasn’t particularly fast, considering it was still steeply uphill at that point. So much for my theory that the Spawn of Satan doesn’t like the east and/or Cairngorms. Thankfully, they did seem to be only in that one spot, and not as persistent as they’ve been in previous encounters. Once I got rid of the initial batch, it seemed to be the end of them. (Although I did more than a few checks throughout the outing, and felt all oogy for quite some time. The encounter solidified my decision to not return the way I’d come.)
from further up the hill, looking back down onto the forest of horror
It was mostly pleasant walking between Carn an ‘lc Duibhe and Sgor Dubh, and then onto the summit as well. There were a few boggy bits, but it was a relief to be away from the deep heather and steep uphill.
Sgor Dubh on the right; my summit further along the ridge to the left
It took me only a bit longer than 2 hours to reach the summit. At that point, I was quite certain that I’d be ok for time, but I still didn’t want to take any chances, and had a hard time turning off “fast mode.”
The high tops of the Cairngorm big boys were in cloud, unfortunately, although I did appreciate what I could see: The Devil’s Point, the shoulder of Carn a’Mhaim, and up into the Lairig Ghru; Derry Cairngorm and up into Glen Luibeg; back down toward Derry Lodge and my return route; in the other direction, down toward White Bridge and out through Glen Dee. I had a real sense of being up close and personal with a large portion of the Cairngorms.
I *think* it's Derry Cairngorm on the right, and MacDui (in cloud) on the left. My photos are more disappointing than my memory...
summit-y rocky thingies / tors, in the general direction of White Bridge / Glen Tilt, and beyond (how that for a detailed and specific description?
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Derry Cairngorm / MacDui again; is that Carn M'haim in the foreground? I believe so -- the location is correct, but it's hard to recognise without being able to see its ridge
I don’t think it took too long to make my way over to the Lairig Ghru path, but the terrain I crossed was quite wet in places, necessitating extra avoidance steps.
I thought it’d be a doddle once I reached the path, but it seemed a very looooong way to Derry Lodge. And, of course, then the usual looooong (soul destroying) way from there back to the car park. Parts of it were very enjoyable; I don’t think I’ve ever actually been on that path further along from Derry Lodge.
I saw two dragonflies locked together in a passionate embrace, and while I managed to get a (not very good) photo whilst they were stationary, the real magic was in watching them take off like a tiny Chinook helicopter, wings fore and aft whirring rapidly. I didn’t get a photo of that.
tiny Chinook helicopter (you can just see the second set of wings above the grass. I'd say "at rest,"...but...hardly
looking back the way I'd come (before reaching Derry Lodge)
I arrived back at the car just after 3pm, with plenty of daylight to spare. I even had time to stop at the PBJ café, but sadly, they didn’t have any. It’s apparently not a staple menu item. So I took home a piece of red velvet instead, which was very good, but not quite as special. A bit of a mixed day: a nice hill that didn’t really get the respect it deserves; not quite the views I’d hoped for; no PBJ cake as a reward. But a safe (albeit long) journey, and my Cairngorm Corbetts, bar one (Beinn Bhreac), tidied up.
Wed 22 SepLotsa rain, and I did lotsa nuffink.
Thurs 23 Sep
east Nairn beach + western end of Culbin Forest
3 hrs / 12.5km / 87m
Fri 24 Sep
Culbin Forest Explorer
6 hrs / 22km / 276mEvie and I met at the Cloddymoss (great name) car park, and made our way through the maze of forest tracks first to the main (Wellhill) car park, and further east, til there was no more east—the mouth of Findhorn Bay. We walked along the shore as/when we were able, but climbed steeply back up into the trees in an effort to avoid disturbing the seals (which we—me—scared off anyway when I tried to get just a step or two closer to take photos).
startled seals making their way back into the water (I tell myself it was feeding time again anyway
)
We stayed in the forest for a couple of kms as we headed back west, but eventually dropped back down to the beach, and had a bit of a recce of the long (>2km) dune spit—an adventure for another day—before skirting along the shore of the western edge of The Gut. This was quite wet in one or two places, but still passable. From there, we headed to and climbed Hill 99 and the Fire Tower, before heading back to the cars.
across The Gut
It was a long satisfying walk, even though there wasn’t much ascent involved. It unveiled several more places that I’m keen to explore, given the opportunities.
Sat 25 Sep
not Carn Chuinneag (or “all God’s creatures”)
4 hrs / 13.75km / 561mMidges, wind, rain, keds, ticks. More or less in that order. At least it was a nice drive up the glen to the start point, and a pleasant walk along the track (until the keds descended, on our way back). And, to be fair, the first part of the ascent up the stalkers’ path was enjoyable as well.
looking back down into Glen Calvie, and across to the ridge that leads to the Diebedale Ridge (which is on "the list")
lovely Glen Diebedale
It wasn’t until we came out of the coire onto the first knobble (A’Chioch) that the wind kicked up fiercely. Even that wasn’t awful, but then, what had at first simply been the mist that accompanies low cloud, became light rain, which then became heavier and more persistent. It was rather miserable, and since I’d been to the summit previously, and because we weren’t having much fun, we decided to call time.
back down at the river, near Glencalvie Lodge, all was calm again...
A shorter outing than planned meant plenty of time for cake, a natter, and a mooch in the shop at the Storehouse of Foulis.
Although I’d have not been surprised to find a ked or two on my person after returning home, which I didn’t, I was surprised to find a tick, then a bit later, another one, on my hands (can’t remember if it was the same hand or not). They were the tiny nymph ones, and hadn’t settled in enough to become engorged, but still needed to be plucked off. I know they can be found year-round, but I also haven’t seen any since much earlier, in the Spring. Ew. I dreamt of creepy crawlies (of all manner) that night.
Sun 26 Sep
west Nairn beach
3¾ hrs / 11.85km / 41mThese beach forays aren’t particularly creative or exciting, but I do enjoy them very much, and there is fresh air, and exercise. They’re good outings (the likes of which I don’t have doon south) that don’t require much driving. And they are, for the most part, creature-free.
Mon 27 SepRain all day.
Tues 28 Sep
Corbett: Bac an Eich (repeat)
6 hrs / 18.93km / 825mThis was a real mixed bag, wrt the weather. It was meant to be dry all day, but it was raining when we reached the shores of Loch Beannacharain, so we sat in the car for 20 min or so waiting for it go off. Once it had, it was still “sunshine and showers” throughout the day. There was a lot of faffing about when we reached the large sign about stalking, near the ruins. I *thought* that the WH desc had said that the main paths were always ok, but I’d read about so many walks whilst developing a plan that I wasn’t 100% certain that that was the correct/current information for this walk. We tried to call the number on the sign, but had no signal. About this time, two gamekeepers (trainee stalkers?) pulled up, towing a trailer that subsequently proved to be carrying at least one horse. We posed the question to them, and were asked to wait for the stalker who was “just behind them.” After waiting around for another 15 minutes or so, without an appearance from him, Evie managed to check the WH website and confirmed that I was remembering correctly; this walk DID say that “main paths are always ok.” So we carried on, but worried throughout most of the walk that we just may have disrupted someone’s carefully planned outing. (A couple we met on the descent, who were staying at one of the estate cottages, said they’d been told there’d be no stalking during the week.
)
those evocative ruins. May as well take a photo or two, whilst waiting for the stalker...
It’s a very nice walk up the glen (not named on the map), past Coire Mhoraigein to the bealach. The river tumbled down over rocks enthusiastically, fed by the previous day’s heavy rain. Once we’d left the path, it seemed a long way to the summit, and the wind was very cold when we finally reached it.
Evie approaching the summit
I think these might be some of the Strathfarrars (but I don't really remember which way I was facing)
still don't really know what hills these are (sometimes, it just doesn't really matter)
The rain held off just long enough for us to have a bite to eat as we huddled out of the wind, but kicked up again as we beat a hasty retreat. It wasn’t a pleasant return to the bealach and the stalkers’ path—we’d decided, for several reasons, to return the way we’d come, rather than taking the long, probably very soggy (one of the reasons) route down through Gleann Chorainn. But the rain moved off once again, and when the sun DID shine, it was warm and downright pleasant.
blue sky! Looking out along Creag Coire na Feola
We detoured across to check out the magnificent waterfalls on the River Meig, and spent a fair amount of time wandering down along the bank before returning to the car.
Our return walk through the woods near the loch was marred by an onslaught of keds. We thought we’d managed to quickly move through them unscathed, but I later pulled one off my neck while driving back. Ew, ew, ew. I had to stop ASAP to get rid of the vile creature. Gross.
We came home via Muir of Ord/Beauly, on the lookout for cake and coffee (The Coffee Bothy in Contin was closed). We managed to find a place (the Muir Hub) that was open until 4:30, but the cakes weren’t homemade, and the lattes tepid. Will likely not return there unless desperate.
Wed 29 Sep
Caledonian Canal, River Ness to Clachnaharry sea lock
3 hrs / 14.5 km / 37mI just needed to walk. Once again, I was not at all inspired (and very tired) the night before. It was pleasant enough.
Thurs 30 Sep / Fri 01 Oct Nothing of note, exercise/adventure-wise. Tidied my space, laundry, etc. on Thurs; drove south early on Fri.
