Three reports for St Andrew's Day! No1 An A93 circuit

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

This was the last of several pleasant if sometimes not over-exciting walks in the Ballater-Braemar area, that we did on our September 2015 holiday. Reports 2 and 3 cover Lochnagar and Ben Macdui. Other walks - Glas Maol-Creag Leacach, Carn a'Gheoidh and An Socach - were unrecorded by my camera!

Looking at the map, Carn Tuirc and Cairn of Claise appeared to be an obvious and easy circuit - and so it was.

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We set off from the car park on the A93, with a view ahead of Carn an Tuirc.

IMG_3167 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The route crosses a picturesque bridge on the old Military Road.

IMG_3171 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A view down the Clunie Water.

IMG_3179 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Allt a'Gharbh-Choire and Carn an Tuirc.

IMG_3181 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Glas Maol from the slopes of Carn an Tuirc.

IMG_3192 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Nearing the summit - a wider view of Glas Maol.

IMG_3199 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The view west from the summit of Carn an Tuirc. The most prominent hill is Glas Tulaichean, just overtopped by Beinn a'Ghlo. Carn an Righ is to its right. Below them is Carn Aosda.

IMG_3219 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Beyond the stony summit. we walked across the flattened top of Carn an Tuirc until we had the sudden view down into Coire Loch Kander.

IMG_3226 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

It was then another long, level walk to the summit cairn of Cairn of Claise.

IMG_3253 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The sun came out again as we headed down the line of the old Monega drove road - this is looking into the hollow of Gharbh-Coire.

IMG_3283 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A distant view of Beinn Bhrotain from the drove road. The three little spots of snow on it were a familiar sight, we had seen them from other hills around the A93 over the course of the week.

IMG_3288 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Back to the car - a last look back at Carn an Tuirc, now lit by the afternoon sun.

IMG_3299 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr