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Thursday, 1st. June
Alex had decided that a combination of rail strikes and commitments in London meant that he had to leg it so it was just Chalky and me who returned to the car park on the A93 south of Braemar to continue our trek. Apart from Chalky’s water bottle electing to deposit a litre of water into his rucksack, we made a faultless start and headed up the rather beautiful valley of the Allt a’Gharbh-choire in, for the fifth consecutive day, hot sunshine. A lengthy and largely grassy plod led us past “grandfather and grandson” before we, in turn, were overtaken by “girl with dog” as we gained the summit of Càrn an Tuirc.
- Looking west over the hills of the previous days from the summit of Càrn an Tuirc (01.06.2023.)
The outline of the Northern Cairngorms was continuing to change as we added more miles from our starting point in Blair Atholl three days ago and now, as we moved on towards Tolmount around the steep trough end of Glen Callater, it was the snows of Ben Avon and Beinn a' Bhùird which drew the eye. That said, except for having to help “girl with dog” with her navigation half way across to Tolmount and Chalky enjoying a cooling snow patch, the rest of the round was grassy and uneventful with the cloud base gradually lowering until we were enveloped in mist on Glas Maol.
- Chalky risking a potential white out scenario (01.06.2023.)
- Feeling sweaty! (01.06.2023.)
Creag Leacach was easily the best summit of the day and, with some rock underfoot, it provided some excitement before we found ourselves descending through the depressing badlands of the ski slopes and re-greeted “grandfather and grandson” as, after presumably ticking off four rather than six of the summits, they descended – like us – down the road to their start point.
- Our route round the hills east of the Glen Shee Ski Centre (01.06.2023.)
This must surely be the easiest six Munros which can be climbed in a single day?
Anyway, all told, the last five days had been a terrific jaunt over seventeen Munros in five days of unbroken sunshine; we'd seek to extend the run next day by heading to Lochnagar.
- Five days heading out from Blair Atholl (28.05.2023. - 01.06.2023.)
Next Report:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=118941.
