Balmoral Giza

[Gordon Ballantyne]

After checking the weather this morning on MWIS, noticed that the forecast winds were quite strong and rain was creeping in earlier that we'd thought, so switched to plan B. Needed to mop up the two Ballater tiddlers followed by a long -delayed visit to some of the Balmoral obelisks.


THE KNOCK

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Parkup for The Knock

Wandered along the track then up the ridge, following ancient forwarder tracks to the top, dodging around some windfall on the way to the first top, then zig zagged around the windfall to get to the top and the summit cairn which was covered by a couple of trees that had blown over.
Did a bit of gardening and removed some of the branches to reveal the cairn in all of its 2 ft glory.

Some of the windfall on The Knock

GC mounts the summit cairn on The Knock

Returned more or less the same way.




TOM MOR

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Looking back to the parkup for Tom Mor

GB reposing on Tom Mor

Again dawdled up the track , then followed another ancient forwarder track to the top.

GC and Harvey at the top of Tom Mor

Returned to gain the track a bit further S.


CREAG AN LURACHAIN (Albert & Beatrice) & CREAG GOWAN ( Helena )

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Managed to squeeze in beside a big car occupying a lot of space by injudicious parking - opposite E Balmoral entrance.

Parkup opposite East Bamoral for Alberts cairn

Wandered through the conurbation of buildings looking for the start of the track up to Alberts cairn. A helpful workie pointed out that he'd parked his car beside the start of the track. Also, there was a big notice for the tourists - and aged walkers.

Security huttie at E Balmoral

Strolled up the path, passing descending tourists who encouraged us by saying " it wasn't far".
We must've looked a bit distressed to warrant this comment !

Princess Beatrice's cairn on the way up to Albert's obelisk

Passed Beatrice's cairn - fairly big - but it paled in comparison to Alberts's obelisk, which made us do a double-take, as we thought for a minute we'd stumbled through a wormhole and landed in Giza.

Albert's muckle cairn ( obelisk)

We gazed in awe at this mighty construction and wondered how long it took the keepers and gillies to build it.
It took a while to decipher the inscription below the main plaque, but eventually GC managed it - but now we've forgotten !

GordonC deciphers the plaque on Albert's obelisk

After a wee while, we descended a path to a view point below the NW side of the obelisk, then zig zagged around to try to avoid the crags. The moss-covered boulder field at the bottom was a real ankle breaker, but we managed to negotiate it without any injuries. Wouldn't recommend this diretissimo route to anyone else - just follow the track round to the west to get to Gowan!
Crossed the Dubh-chlais and ascended to the track then walked along to the start of the track up Gowan. Negotiated a rickety gate and strolled along to where we struck off to the cairn, but stumbled into the main path to the cairn - which we followed.

Princess Helena's cairn

Helena's cairn plaque

Had a piece at the cairn, then wandered along an old forwarder track to the top, tripping over bits of the old fence which has been stomped into the ground - presumably by the forwarder - and was partially overgrown.

GC and H at the top of Creag Gowan

On the way down we met a couple o lassies heading for the top, so stopped for a brief news.
Returned to the car and de-tooled, ready for our rush to the Ballater coffee shoppie.
The Cafe was fairly full, so we just had to sit and drool into our coffees until the BR's arrived.
Refreshed, we drove home, with the forecast rain, still yet to arrive. - Another braw day !