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En route to taking my father to see Mac Floyd in Aberdeen, I had planned an overnighter in Braemar and would take in the Graham, Creag Bhalg and the Corbetts, Carn Liath and Culardoch. The plan was to get to Linn of Dee for 1600-ish and while this was admittedly a late start for a venture up and down a hill, I felt comfortable knowing that it was at worst an hour to the summit. However, it has occurred to me in the last week or so that I have perhaps been too intent on getting to the top of a hill rather than actually enjoying the whole experience of it. With new camera in hand, I was spotting some fantastic fauna, which prevails in Autumn - namely the fungi kingdom. Basidomycetes galore! Creag Bhalg is such a lovely wee walk from the road between Linn of Dee and Linn of Quoich and the gentle ascent brings you out at a deer stile, where a lone tree stands proud. From here, the path to the summit allowed for expansive views across to the Cairngorm massif, where a trace of snow was already present. Winter will not be long in coming. At the summit, I sat and listened to the roar of the stags, vying for supremacy. I gazed across at the summit paraphernalia on Morrone and felt incredibly small. I would see more man-made structures on day 2, when I climbed Culardoch. The fungi were abundant and it reminded me that even after death, there is life. How bloody morbid.
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- Autumn fauna 2
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- The path begins
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- Autumn fauna 1
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- The final rise
On day 2, I left Keiloch and bade good morning to an older lady at her cottage. I wondered how many folk she had seen come and go past her window over the years and again, I reflected on life and death. I began to query my state of mind but I felt very at ease as I climbed through the forest to reach the land rover track, which would take me over the barren moor before Culardoch and Carn Liath. I was disturbed from my thoughts by two 4-WD jeeps heading past, with 'HighlandSafaris' emblazoned across the sides. As they wound their way towards the beach, I felt it that it was a shame that such silica gleam (Betjeman) should be found in such a wild place. The paraphernalia at the beach itself was also an eye-opener, though no doubt all in the interest of assessing 'climate change'. Of course. Unfortunately, no views were to be had on Culardoch but a biting wind had me rapidly gulp lunch and descend quickly before heading across to climb Carn Liath. I scared a few deer in the process and began the easy climb up and across the South summit. The wall, which has been created here right along to Creag a chait, is something else. Once again, it showed that man can make his presence felt on the hills but in a more subtle fashion. A rapid descent through the forest had me back at the car at 1445 and ready to take in some 'Us and them' with Senior P. Hello, is anybody out there?
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- Autumn fauna 3
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- HighlandSafaris in the distance
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- The solitude
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- The inorganics are here
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- Just another brick on the summit
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- Another brick in the wall?
