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Weather forecast was really good. Intention was to get round the 3 Corbetts in this area viz - Gairbeinn, Carn a Chuilinn, Carn na Saobhaidhe.
Gairbeinn went to plan, just a straight up & down from Garva round the back of Meall Garve Beag, passing under the new mega electricity pylons connected by their access roads, scarring the hillside.
A lot more snow than I first thought, so it was a toil for my old unfit legs, which haven't seen a winter day like this for many years. Cold on top so shot off a few pics & headed down -" a tut vitesse ".
A few shots of the surrounding hills, which were in stunning condition.
Summit of Gairbeinn looking SE
WSW from Gairbeinn
On the way back along the glen, a herd of stags blocked the road and just ambled off to the side as I drove through them. Further down the glen I saw a gille putting out feed for another group of stags. I'm glad the ones on the road didn't get disgruntled that I didn't have any feed, as some of them had a fair head of antlers !
A herd of stags on the Garva Road
I drove round to Ft Augustus and stayed the night in the Stavaigers Hostel, which was very comfortable.
Next day was a beautiful frosty morn, with geese feeding at the end of Loch Ness, barely lifting their heads as I stopped to snap them.
Feeding Geese Ft Augustus
I'd decided that after my wrestle with the slopes of Gairbeinn that two corbetts were too ambitious for my frail body, so elected to attack Carn na Saobhaidhe. (CnS).
At Dunmaglass, there was a lot of activity by RJ McLeod, putting in the infrastructure for another Fannery !
Negotiating the construction traffic on my bike wasn't too bad as the drivers were very courteous. Managed to get about a third of the way up the track before abandoning my bike.
The trusty steed with Dunmaglass Lodge behind
The snow wasn't too bad at first, as a Land Rover had been up before me, to just beyond the turnoff to the lone wind turbine.
Solitary Wind Turbine on the way up Carn na Saobhaidhe
After this, the snow filled any part of the track that had sides, so I had to take to the heather or plough through the snow wreaths that steadily got bigger & deeper. At 666m, the wind was blowing drift down the hill into my face, enlarging the already big wreaths, which made me concerned as to whether I'd have enough puff to be able to get back, as my energy tank was beginning to run low. So I headed back down. Could've done with someone to help break the trail...... Seemed a shame to abhort so close to the top - but C na S 'll still be there in the summer !
The whizz on the bike downhill on the track took a few minutes compared to the time taken on the way up.
A superb day nonetheless and my face is still burning to prove it !
Hills across the Great Glen probably the Meall Chrathaich group
I took the scenic driving route back - over a wee road from Strath Nairn into Strath Dearn and onto the A9 at the Slocht, as I'd never visited this area before. Unfortunately the trip was marred by another 30-odd turbine Fannery waving at me from Carn na Sguabeag & it's sister tops.
The Findhorn brig upstream from Tomatin seemed a bit of a brutish concrete structure , but it provided a good view of the A9 and rail crossings a wee bit downstream to the north.
Findhorn Brig S of Tomatin
A9 and Railway bridging the Findhorn from the Findhorn Brig
Saw what I thought was a pair of eagles (seemed too big for Buzzards etc) soaring opposite Clune in Strath Dearn.
Clune on Strath Dearn where the eagles sighted.
I took the south route to join the A9 at Slocht and had to find a gap in the speeding traffic to get to the southbound carriageway - a near death experience !
Anyway, I made it to my traditional pit stop at the Firestation cafe in Tomintoul on the way home, just in time for a coffee. The drive home was highlighted by a grand view of the gorms from the A939 at the Boat o Garten turnoff.
A great couple of days - Scotland at it's best !
