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The good lady was joining me today so it had to be something without challenge and Carn Ealasaid was perfect.
We parked on the grassy verge just further on from Corgaff Castle coming from the Lecht side.
Start here
A short walk back, crossing the River Don, towards the old Allague Hotel, now a private school outward bound centre, and took the track immediately behind it.
Cairn Vaich ahead
Follow the track to the abandoned farmhouse at Loinherry, the other building looks like a functional estate outhouse. The lower hill is soon in sight.
Just after this an estate path to the right takes you all the way to the summit. It takes a very gentle gradient in a slow zig zag heading for Cairn Vaich.
Track all the way
Views of the Lecht in front of you for a long section. You know you are getting close when you arrive at the grouse butts. For the more energetic just go straight up the hill over the heather.
Some great views already of Ben Avon and the west Cairngorms.
Flat walking to the top
When we reached the top the good lady’s suspicions were confirmed, this is not the top, as she could see from the ongoing track. However, most of the ascent has been completed and now it is a high level flat walk across the tops enjoying the views. It is a very windy day, cool when the sun gets behind a cloud, warm when not.
Looking north to Ben Rinnes
A small cairn marks the summit, 1hour 40m for us. For a simple hill the 360 degree views were superb. Not far away to the south I could see yesterdays outing, Gael Charn, and beyond it Ben Avon. Lochnager and Mount Keen to the west.
Turning around Mondays conquest Ben Rinnes to the north and further round Morven. With all the other stuff to take in this a great spot for lunch and the good lady was delighted with my pick.
The grouse butts
You can make this a circuit but for us it was back down the same way. On the descent I found a bullet case, which might explain why we only saw one hare, these estates don’t just manage hare population they decimate them. There was also the odd traditional shotgun cartridges for the grouse, which surprisingly we did not see or hear any, the inglorious 12th is still a few weeks away.
Overall a very successful walk, not a lot of effort, excellent views and yet another Corbett climbed without meeting another person.
White Corgaff castle with Brown Cow Hill behind it
On the descent I did point out to my wife, the nearby Corbett of Brown Cow Hill as another option for today but that was a step far too far. Coffee and cake in Tomintoul more the plan.
Wildlife: Mountain hare, Redshank, Meadow pipit, Raven, Wood Pigeon.
