Creagan a'Chaise from the west, over Sgor Gaoithe

[gld73]

I've done the 2 Cromdale grahams (fionas) from Cromdale, but was having a look at walks I could do near Grantown after finishing a shift on a cold, windy morning and saw the walk description for the short walk up Sgor Gaoithe (not the Cairngorm munro, but a good viewpoint a short walk from the A939). Looking at the map, it seemed it wouldn't be too much more effort to extend the walk over a couple of bumps and up to Creagan a 'Chaise, the highest of the Cromdale hills, to give a change of route from the Cromdale side. It turned out to be a straightforward route which I did more or less as an out and back following a track, though I was glad to be doing it with the ground frozen, otherwise it would probably be a muddy, boggy route in several places. I had the wind at my back on the way out, but it was a bit of a slog into the wind on the way back even at this elevation, so MWIS had got it right saying walking would be impeded on the munros.

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

I followed the route as described for the Sgor Gaoithe (Cromdale Hills) walk, parking just off the A939 where there's space for a handful of cars opposite a disused small quarry.

The walk starts by crossing the road and going back towards Grantown a very short distance to join the start of the track which heads up the hill here. Sgor Gaoithe clearly visible from the start here.

Track passes through 2 more gates in the deer fence which protects the Lynbreck croft rewilding area

Top of Sgor Gaoithe

View of the western cairngorms

...and the eastern cairngorms

The route which lies ahead curves around over the high ground, following a track

Frozen conditions today mean not getting muddy

..And solid snow in peat hags made them easy to cross

Looking towards Carn a'Chaise (with the huge cairn visible) from Carn Tuairneir. (Ben Rinnes has it's summit in cloud in the background)

Now starting up Carn a'Chaise and looking back to the gate in the fence I'd just come through, the snow patches on the hill on the left were snow filled peat hags I'd come across on the way, cutting directly across Carn Tuairneir's slopes. On my way back I didn't cut across that hillside, but instead stayed on the track heading up and across the high ground of Carn Tuairneir.

Carn a'Chaise Jubilee cairn, though the bottle of whisky which used to be there is no more

Not much of a view back to Sgor Gaoithe now

Ben Rinnes in cloud

Cairngorms covered as I set off for the walk back to the car

[WalkingWithKids]

We did Creagan a' Chaise with the kids in November 2020 from the east, from Milton in Strath Avon. Today we just walked to Sgòr Gaoithe. That looks like an interesting easy walk. Maybe we will come back when the heather blooms.