The heat is on in Glen (Fr)Ey
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 11:14 pm
For quite a while now I have fancied a bike n hike and after contemplating a number of options, I decided to do the 5 Munros from Glen Ey. Having left home at 0330 I arrived at Inverey parking area at 0730 on a lovely morning and set off on the bike at 0800. It didn't take me long to realise I was overdressed but luckily the ride in wasn't too difficult and after 45 mins I arrived at Altanour ruins. I followed the path to the Alltan Odhar and then followed the burn until a faint path took me up the front and onto Munro 1, Carn Bhac. It was really warm and the ground was really dry, which would cause my feet problems later There was good, if a little hazy, views up to the Cairngorms. I headed SW from the summit, heading for top of Allt nan Clach Geala. The Beinn a' Ghlo range was looking good today It's a fairly easy, straightforward walk across to the foot of BIM, before a steep pull up the scree to the top. While making my way up the front of BIM I happened to look up and was greeted by a rather tatty looking Golden Eagle It's funny how a little bit of good fortune like this puts an extra spring in your step and I was soon at the top of the scree and making my way to the summit. It was here my feet started to feel the day, and blisters were forming under both big toes and on my right heel but when I looked, I had no plasters in my bag!!! Big mistake. With not much option, I set off for the 771m bealach to head up Carn an Righ. Taking scottishkennyg's advice, I stashed my pack and headed on up. More good fortune came my way here as I met the only other walker I was to see all day, and after a brief chat, I managed to drop into the convo that I had blisters and he offered me some he had So, with my big toes plastered up I continued on to the summit On my way back down, I heard the first rumblings of thunder and hoped I wouldn't get caught up in any rain that was going to come down. Anyway, it's a straightforward down and back up to climb Glas Tulaichean, I reached the path at around 970m which takes you to the summit. With the thunder becoming more frequent, I headed away from the summit, aiming for the distant final Munro of the day, An Socach. Despite the blisters, I made decent time down to Loch nan Eun It was quite a trudge across the moorland but eventually I came to the foot of An Socach and took the right hand path to the summit, avoiding the loose looking scree. From here, I headed N but being unable to locate any kind of path, it was the rough way again . Finally got back to the ruins and after collecting the bits n bobs I had hidden to avoid carrying them I set off back to Inverey, getting to the car at 1745. It had been a great day, only spoiled by the state of my feet!!!! Overall, it was 18km of cycling and 24km walking. In the conditions I had, it is the perfect opportunity to bike n hike, as navigation is really easy