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I wanted to get the lower eastern section tidied up. I do like things orderly
When I started doing the Munros my strategy tended to be geared to tackling the ones with names that I liked. Hence high up on the list was Schiehallion, it sounded very ethereal and mystical; then the postie (an avid mountain walker) told me it was the hill of the fairies
Beinn a'Ghlo sounded enlightening
and to be fair I'd seen what I thought was the first summit often on the way up the A9. Bidean nam Bian sounded very grand and stately
etc.
To be honest most of the Gaelic names sound appealing.
Now I am hoping to move up North to live in the Highlands and though I'd better get the ones closer to where I am now ticked off.
So with only Beinn Iutharn Mhor left I duly set off from the small parking area on the North side of the bridge at Spittal of Glenshee.
My research suggested that I would be able to cycle in to around the ford over the Allt Elrig.
There's been quite a bit of debate about biker hikers lately with even a suggestion that we will get our own colour of flag
complicated
Anyway the forecast was for things to clear up although there had been several very heavy showers on the drive up and there would be a few more on the bike hike.
A gloomy Gleann Taitneach
The landrover track was quite reasonable but evidently had been washed out and repaired in a few places
Got to the fords at Allt Elrig and the Gleann Taitneach at this point it is to me quite unique with what looks like a grassy weir
From here the falls at the head of the choire are visible
Cascade would probably be a more apt description as the waters tumble down for about two and a half kilometers. After the rain during the previous twenty four hours it is gushing
The landrover track continues some way past the ford, but there is little point in taking the bike across what is a full burn with a tricky rock hop to the other side, so padlocked it and got the walking poles out for the march up to Loch nan Eun. Parts of the path were pretty saturated, although I think a lot of surface water as the ground underneath is quite firm.
There is a tricky steep rock section at the junction of the Allt Glas a Choire Bhig
I started working out some timings in my head. I really didn't want to have to negotiate this in the total darkness with a head torch, better get a move on
Got to the head of the falls, only a few metres away from Loch nan Eun, the final short section is also steep. Can't believe I didn't take a photo of the top of the falls, guess time was pressing on.
On a nice day this would be a very pleasant and scenic bike hike up to the top of the falls and Loch nan Eun.
I wasn't expecting any path at the top across to Mam nan Carn, so was surprised there were a couple, although the one I chose on the way out was pretty sodden
Spied a better one and noted it for the return, although either way there would be a bit of bog trotting.
I had thought I would have to go further round the Loch to find a gentler slope up to the ridge, but picked, traversed my way more or less straight up and in the clag overshot slightly and ended up contouring round the choire to the bealach. Easily done in the very claggy conditions. I was glad of this slight break to get my bearings
Got to the bealach, found the path and pushed on hastily.
Through the clag as I neared the summit I made out a couple of squarish objects, big boulders perhaps; sheep
this high up, sparse vegetation here
I carried on, thoughts of the time outweighing a debate about sheep feeding habits. Reached the cairn in the gloom, oh well at least I have joined the blue dots for this area unless of course the purists allocate us biker hikers a new colour
If it had been a nice bright evening I'd have had something to eat before descending and certainly that's what the heart was telling me to do, just wait five minutes, have something to eat then go back down. It did look promising for a short while, with the sun shining through he clag with an incredible orange glow
and I got some orange sheep on the western side right at the summit
I haven't enhanced the photos, it was orange up there I tell you
The sun appeared to go behind clouds and disappear and I gave up hope of the clag lifting and my getting a spectacular.
Needless to say ten minutes later once I had reached the bealach the clag had lifted completely and it would have been awesome up there. Perhaps the sheep were of the artistic sensitive variety up there for the aesthetics
From the bealach Carn an Righ to the left
I did have safety concerns though and really wanted to be past all the steeper dangerous sections of the path down beside the waterfall before the light was completely gone.
Took the direct route over the ridge taking in the cairn at the top of Mam nan Carn. This is the view of Beinn a'Ghlo - Carn nan Gabhar past Carn an Righ from there
Totally clag free by now
I quickly made my way down, a bit more directly to the more discernible path I'd seen on the way up. In the twilight distance and size are much harder to gauge. I took it easy coming down the slope and didn't have any issues.
Got to the top of the falls and started my way down very carefully over the couple of steep sections and was glad to be past them.
The next challenge was to find the saddle for the bike; there wasn't much cover to hide the bike, so as an extra security measure I'd removed the saddle and hidden it on the other side of a heathery mound, and cross the Allt Elrig again but this time in the darkness with a head torch.
Made it across safely and quite relieved
Rolled back down to the parking area and car safely and thankfully
