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You can reach the Ardverikie three from Dalwhinnie, which means you don't need to use a car. A couple of problems occur, though. You've to negotiate the tortuous Scotrail bike booking. There's only four spaces on the trains and a lot of foreigners seem to want to go to Thurso. Beats me why. Anyway I thought I'd succeeded but I found I was booked up and down on different days. It didn't matter in the end but still Scotrail should be providing more space and making it easier to book. The other problem is the risk of spending more time than you need in Dalwhinnie, which has to be the most nowhere village in Scotland. I reckoned arriving at 11 and leaving on the 19:57 would cover it and leave me time for a single pint. The bike run's 10 miles each way and not in the route timing.
It's fast in to Loch Pattack on the beautifully maintained Ericht track, though it seeems weird not taking the turn off for Culra. Ben Alder over the flats always looks amazing. Instead I was heading for Beinn a'Chlachair. The Ardverikie hills are actually the most convenient bunch from here - only Carn Dearg is closer than Beinn a'Chlachair.
- Chlachair behind Dearg
The walk starts by crossing the Allt Cam. There's a ford marked on the map but there's only a bunch of stepping stones which look like they'd be quite hairy with any volume of water coming down. I hadn't expected to see other walkers on this route and didn't. What I did see was a couple of groups of cyclists, evidently Ardverikie / Pattack is a minor classic route.
- Irritatingly sure-footed
I was sort of hoping these lads would fall in but they didn't.
There's a good quality of stalker's path on to the ridge. I outpaced the cyclists, for the honour of the school.
- Cyclists trailing
Looking through the gap to the majesty of Creag Pitridh, I could see their path involved negotiating the remains of a cornice (at the left of the picture). Interesting late-June challenge.
- Majestic
I followed the round, Chlachair, Pitridh and Geal Charn. I'd been going to do Geal Charn then Pitridh so I could exit over the cornice and by the lochan but I wasn't sure of time. I was actually fine and should have stuck with the idea.
Storer talks about Geal Charn's fine north-east corrie.
- North east corrie
OK, maybe I just can't take a good photie but I'm not impressed. It's a very easy descent to the path and on this section I saw ptarmigans, ring ouzels and golden plover.
I really skelped it on the bike ride back and arrived in Dalwhinnie with an hour in hand. Well, how bad could the pub be? Maybe two pints. But the pub doesn't exist - the hotel is being refurbished. There are two cafes - both were shut. Back at the station, the rain was starting and the midges coming out. The waiting room was open but it was small and smelled of paint. I stood under the eaves and watched a snipe which was drumming overhead. That was interesting for 15 minutes.. "We are sorry to inform passengers..." Only ten minutes late and it made it up by Edinburgh. All in all a satisfying day.
The route has a couple of miles less walking than the standard one and if you're driving from Edinburgh involves more than 40 miles less in the car. Instead there's the bike ride which is more fun.