Geal Charn from Glen Markie - there is a BRIDGE!

[jdavidsimons]

I've noticed that almost all the routes up this Munro are from Garva Bridge rather than Spey Dam. I'm not sure why as the former adds on several more kilometers of driving from Laggan along a single track road. I wonder if it is because people are put off by the possibility the Markie Burn is in spate and that it will not be possible to cross it at Piper's Burn and result in an aborted trip up the Glen. Fear not! There is a BRIDGE!

Starting from the Spey Dam - there is a lot of construction work going on there and so it is not possible to park at the elbow where the Old Military Road turns sharp left to cross the Spey but I was able to park by the dam itself after a polite word with the security guard. From there head north up Glen Markie for about 3.5 kms - lots of gates to go through each with its own peculiar lock/chain. If possible, cross the river on the north side of Piper's Burn. I was there mid-September after relatively dry summer and the crossing was still a bit iffy. So I continued upstream looking for a better spot. The path has petered out at this point, so follow the course of the river, slightly higher up, along a fence, and after about 300 yards you will come to an excellent BRIDGE. Once crossed, don't follow the well-defined stalkers path - instead follow the fence line up the steep slope - you can either go straight over the top or contour around towards Piper's Burn - the main thing is to head for the same broad plateau you would have gone for if crossing at Piper's Burn. From there continue round the corrie above the lochan until the summit cairn.