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After a cracking
morning on Geal-charn Mor, I wasn't finished for the day, so decided to nip up Ord Ban on the other side of the valley. Rather than try anything too complicated, I decided to follow the route described at the end of the
WH Loch an Eilein walk description.
So I pulled in to the main loch car park, paid my £1.50 and was heading past the white barn and up over the stile just after 2. The ascent was straightforward, following a faint path as it zigzagged up through very pleasant woodland.
- Loch an Eilein peeking through the trees
Eventually, it reaches the open heathery upper slopes, and after negotiating a slippy looking rock slab, the path leads more gently to Ord Ban's summit trig and accompanying giant boulder.
- Geal-charn Mor from the top of Ord Ban
As with so many smaller hills, it's a wonderful viewpoint, looking NW back to my morning hill, NE down the Spey past Aviemore, the Cairngorms still pretty hazy and the setting sun to the W.
- Looking N down the Spey to Aviemore
- Loch an Eilein and Rothiemurchus from atop the summit boulder
After a few photos, I retraced my steps back to the car, but not before a diversion down to the loch shores to catch the last of the daylight. A really enjoyable combination of hills for a mild snow-free December day.