free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Forecast for today seemed quite good, cooler than yesterday and windy on the tops so a good day to bag a couple of Corbetts that I've been after for some time now.
Parked up at Keiloch, £3 paid and walking for 7.30.
![1.jpg]()
- Only car in the car park
A bit of tarmac to start the day as I head for the back of Invercauld House and take the ROW (Tomintoul via Loch Builg) heading uphill through the wood. After about 100 yards I ignored a right turn and continued to climb on the main track as it zig zagged on an easy incline with the wind whipping the tops of the trees whilst remaining flat calm at ground level.
Just a case of staying on the main track until it leaves the trees behind and continues on the open moor.
About half a mile on the open moor the waymarked route heads off uphill to the right and my route continues straight on, through a gate, then linking up with a larger track climbing up from the left. Shortly after linking up with this larger track I got my first view of Culardoch.
![5.jpg]()
- A distant Culardoch
Something really strange happened as the track started to drop down towards Allt Cul - the sun came out (it's been a while)
After the Allt Cul the track starts to climb as it heads for the bealach between Culardoch and Carn Liath. A lot of the climbing is being done now but it's on a wide smooth track and it makes for a very easy climb.
![8.jpg]()
- Culardoch getting closer
On reaching the bealach I headed over to have a nosey at the heather cages.
After passing the cages I headed over to the main track and followed it for a short distance to the point where it took a sharp left and I headed on an older track heading up Culardoch. After another 50 yards at a small cairn I left the track behind and followed a narrow path more directly uphill. The gradient was OK and the walking was fairly easy until being hit by the wind close to the top.
![10.jpg]()
- Culardoch summit
![11.jpg]()
- Culardoch summit
![12.jpg]()
- Looking down on the track
![13.jpg]()
- Loch Builg
Retraced my steps back to the heather cages and on down the track to the point where I needed to head up Carn Liath. The narrow path can be seen when descending Culardoch so it is easy to find and I headed over to a short boggy bit.
![14.jpg]()
- Bog ahead
The bog is very easy to cross and whilst the gradient gets harder it's never difficult and it doesn't take long to reach the cairn at 857m then the current summit then the top beyond which may well be the highest point (as per WH walk report).
![15.jpg]()
- Current top
![16.jpg]()
- Future top?
![17.jpg]()
- Back at the 857m cairn
I then retraced my steps back to the main track.
![18.jpg]()
- Culardoch on the descent of Carn Liath
![19.jpg]()
- The long walk back
All that was left now was a very pleasant wander back with a gradual drop down to the Allt Cul followed by the last climb of the day for half a mile after the crossing of the Allt.
I have a thing about photographing dead trees, I simply can't walk past them without getting the camera out (checked other reports -others have the same problem
).
![21.jpg]()
- Life and death
Have to say, great day, really good couple of hills these.
Walking time 5hrs 9mins with 11 mins searching for sandwiches in my rucksack and taking photos (not to mention searching for the shades that haven't been seen since September).
