An Socath & Carn Bhac, + a Wee Wander!!
Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 5:06 pmHaving missed the 2 previous weekends fantastic weather i was extremely eager to get on them hills, An Socath & Carn Bhac would see the Southern Cairngorms completed. I had asked Woodsy to join me but he pulled out due to being a woose!! Going solo is always enjoyable and knowing i had a couple of group walks ahead in the coming weeks it felt a trek on my own was much needed.
Left Glasgow at 6am via Edinburgh airport where i dropped 2 young ladies bound for sunnier climates in South America, i then headed for Glenshee. Arrived at Glen Clunie 9.15am and was on my merry way at 9.30am.
Clear views, sunshine, stiff 25mph breeze and a hail/snow shower would be the order of the day.
My route
Over the gate and follow the track 2km SW
When the Allt Coire Fhearsneag meets with Baddock Burn follow the track heading West
Continue following in a SW direction till you come across a phallically shaped cairn, i could imagine a few ladies becoming rather hot and bothered...and a few men
A bird
The walk West along the ridge/plateau is rocky in places but presents no difficulties
looking back East
Loch nan Eun comes into view from the South
Soon you reach the Summit of An Socath with views to the snow covered Northern Munros of the Cairngorms
Next target Carn Bhac centre, left is ridge leading to Beinn Iutharn Mhor
It had been pretty easy going till now and after a break for food i decided i would descend the steep Western face of An socath and ascend the steeper Eastern face of the ridge to BIM.
Wildlife
It was pretty steep descending from An Socath through the ferns, i had managed to stay clear of scree and boulders.
The climb up to BIMs ridge was again steep and pathless, when reaching the plateau it was very rocky indeed.
On reaching a cairn 1km NE from BIM i decided it was such a beautiful day that i should rest a little and fry my face red from the scorching heat eminating from the sun above.
East to An socath
Looking over BIM i witnessed lots of activity - other walkers!! I was really enjoying the isolation so instead of going over to BIM, or taking the route to Carn Bhac from the ridge, i decided to descend back down to the glen and then head NW across pathless terrain to Carn Bhac - sorted!
Summit of Carn Bhac - Southern Cairngorms completed
On the summit was the only time i met and spoke to anyone, a lovely couple of senoir walkers. He was 70 and she in her 60s, although they could have passed for 20 years younger. 32k and 2 Munros for them, a 12 hour mammoth - inspirational stuff indeed, and something to aspire to. Turns out he was from Glasgow and had met his partner when on a walking holiday, she was from Lincoln and never walked a Munro. Our man invites her up to do the Wee Bookil in full on winter conditions, crampons and ice axe...the rest is history
From Carn Bhac i followed a stalkers path on the Northern side of Allt nan Clach Geala for 2k
It was now 1k to the foot of An Socaths NW scree ridden face. At this point the hail/snow storm appeared and lasted for 15mins.
The scramble up the scree was the difficult part of the day, but good fun.
NE to Glen Ey
Once at the top it was a case of retracing your steps from An Socath back down the ridge and to the Glen.
The ridge
The Glen
Back to the car at 6.25pm and was driving home for 6.30pm.
This was a fab day out wandering the hills and doing the extra ascent hopefully has set me up nicely for the Fisherfield 6 which i plan to do in the coming weeks - hitting the 200 Munros mark
Left Glasgow at 6am via Edinburgh airport where i dropped 2 young ladies bound for sunnier climates in South America, i then headed for Glenshee. Arrived at Glen Clunie 9.15am and was on my merry way at 9.30am.
Clear views, sunshine, stiff 25mph breeze and a hail/snow shower would be the order of the day.
My route
Over the gate and follow the track 2km SW
When the Allt Coire Fhearsneag meets with Baddock Burn follow the track heading West
Continue following in a SW direction till you come across a phallically shaped cairn, i could imagine a few ladies becoming rather hot and bothered...and a few men
A bird
The walk West along the ridge/plateau is rocky in places but presents no difficulties
looking back East
Loch nan Eun comes into view from the South
Soon you reach the Summit of An Socath with views to the snow covered Northern Munros of the Cairngorms
Next target Carn Bhac centre, left is ridge leading to Beinn Iutharn Mhor
It had been pretty easy going till now and after a break for food i decided i would descend the steep Western face of An socath and ascend the steeper Eastern face of the ridge to BIM.
Wildlife
It was pretty steep descending from An Socath through the ferns, i had managed to stay clear of scree and boulders.
The climb up to BIMs ridge was again steep and pathless, when reaching the plateau it was very rocky indeed.
On reaching a cairn 1km NE from BIM i decided it was such a beautiful day that i should rest a little and fry my face red from the scorching heat eminating from the sun above.
East to An socath
Looking over BIM i witnessed lots of activity - other walkers!! I was really enjoying the isolation so instead of going over to BIM, or taking the route to Carn Bhac from the ridge, i decided to descend back down to the glen and then head NW across pathless terrain to Carn Bhac - sorted!
Summit of Carn Bhac - Southern Cairngorms completed
On the summit was the only time i met and spoke to anyone, a lovely couple of senoir walkers. He was 70 and she in her 60s, although they could have passed for 20 years younger. 32k and 2 Munros for them, a 12 hour mammoth - inspirational stuff indeed, and something to aspire to. Turns out he was from Glasgow and had met his partner when on a walking holiday, she was from Lincoln and never walked a Munro. Our man invites her up to do the Wee Bookil in full on winter conditions, crampons and ice axe...the rest is history
From Carn Bhac i followed a stalkers path on the Northern side of Allt nan Clach Geala for 2k
It was now 1k to the foot of An Socaths NW scree ridden face. At this point the hail/snow storm appeared and lasted for 15mins.
The scramble up the scree was the difficult part of the day, but good fun.
NE to Glen Ey
Once at the top it was a case of retracing your steps from An Socath back down the ridge and to the Glen.
The ridge
The Glen
Back to the car at 6.25pm and was driving home for 6.30pm.
This was a fab day out wandering the hills and doing the extra ascent hopefully has set me up nicely for the Fisherfield 6 which i plan to do in the coming weeks - hitting the 200 Munros mark
