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Great day forecast and spring confirmed by the crocuses flowering in Westhill and the prickly whins flowering on the road to Alford ! Unfortunately GordonC was hors de combat, so it was just Harvey and me.
Sadly, no snow at the Lecht so everything shut down as we drove bye.
Turned left just after Tomnavulin up the single track road to park up in a generous area, complete with info board provided by The Crown estates.
Headed off up the forestry track which shortly emerged from the trees into spring sunshine. Caught a flash of a white deer rump bobbing into the forest as we approached. Here we caught our first site of Carn Daimh.
- Car park for the Carn Daimh walk
- First sight of the top of Carn Daimh
- The foratry track up the side of the wood
The ewes were mostly down around the farms in preparation for lambing.
When we arrived at the gate where the track cuts across the hill face, I could see quite a few ewes spread out on either side of the track, so I took Harvey up the other side of the fence bordering the forestry to avoid them. Once clear of the sheep, we traversed across using some sheep tracks to meet the main path further up.
- Looking back across the open hillside towards the forestry track
When we reached the crest of the ridge, I decided to take the shortest route across to the Speyside way track. Bad move - it was boggy and tussocky, so it became a bit of a thrutch.
- Looking east along the Speyside way track
Once on the S-Way, it was an easy walk to the top over a dusting of snow.
- The Speyside way track just below the top of Carn Daimh
The views from the top of Carn Daimh were superb. The indicator plaque saved me taking my map out to identify all the hills I could see - Ben Rinnes, Corriehabbie, Bynack More, Beinn Mheadhoin, Derry Cairngorm, right round to Beinn a Bhuird and Beinn Avon - the high ones clothed in a good covering of snow.
Even The Buck o the Cabrach keeked out in the distance.
- Carn Daimh cairn and indicator plaque
- Ben Rinnes
- The high cairngorms in the east
- The Crown Estates indicator plaque
Decided to return the same way - on the path this time - and as the ewes had filtered down to the lower fields, we were able to take the direct route across the field to the forestry track, although near the gate where the feeders were, the ground was all churned up.
We then nipped round to the nice car park by the River Livet just past Allanreid for our piece.
Harvey made short work of his chew bar and a few titbits for pudding.
The Bochel - sounds like a local disease - " ach I've got a dose of the bochel today " !
We headed off along the track to Glack, passing the cottage occupant's BMW corralled in it's parking space just before the ford. ( Guess they either walked to the house or had a 4x4 to get across the ford.
Harvey wasn't too sure about the footbridge, but once on it, he scampered across.
The ewes were in a field beyond where we cut up to the path which circumnavigates The Bochel.
I was tempted to go the direct route and head for the nearest green patch, but I'm glad I continues to the fence & style and went up the crest of the ridge. I came down the other way and it was really deep heather or tussocky grass.
A faint path threaded its way between the green bits, but I lost it near the top, only to stumble on to it again near the cairn.
I sat down and looked around at the home of whisky making, stretching away into the distance. Someone was burning heather over towards Cooks Cairn. I reflected on my walk & bike up there some years ago, when the surface of the path to Sluie was like porridge due to the winter frosts !
- Burning heather on the side of Cooks Cairn
- Distillery alley
- Tap o the Bochel
A couple of pics then followed the path down, which disappeared again lower down, so I just headed straight down the green bit to the circular path.
Managed to get Harvey to self clean by throwing a stick to the other side of the ford. Nicely cleaned, he proptly jumped into a muddy ditch and came out fair muckit. Took him to the river again for another cleaning session before getting him into the car.
The drive home was uneventful with most of the workie traffic coming the other way.
