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Grahams: Carn Glas-choire.
Date: 29/12/2018.
Distance: 14 km.
Ascent: 480m.
Time taken: 3 hours, 5 minutes.
Weather: Sunny, very windy, mild (cold wind).
Time to clear a little of the Christmas lard away with a short excursion to the hills. The weather wasn't looking great for going up high so I decided on something a little closer to home. Having been up Carn Glas-choire from Auchterteang previously, I opted for a different approach. Going from the Findhorn near Tomatin looked a bit long and boggy, so I came up with another route starting on the old A9 halfway between Slochd and Carrbridge. In order to save a mile or so of driving, I daftly decided to start at a track leading to a railway bridge and then on to Foregin. After an initial easy walk, the track disappeared into windblown trees and a burn crossing, and the bridge over the railway no longer existed beyond the parapets!
The ‘track’ from the old A9 I'll not say what I did at the railway, but I decided I would be finding a different way back instead. Easy walking took me through open grazing and short heather across the Allt na Criche to the shoulder of Carn a' Chuaille.
Near Foregin
Looking back to Strathspey Crossing the Allt a' Bhainne was a little harder going - due to the deeper heather rather than the size of the burn. Then an up and down traverse over mainly easy ground (shortish heather and moss) to Carn Loisgte.
Allt a' Bhainne A couple of minor peat hags were also crossed on the way, and it was clear that there would be a few more on the final traverse to the summit. I even fell in one!
Carn Glas-choire from Creag a' Bhainne
Moss on the plateau
Loch Braigh Bhruthaich and Carn Glas-choire
Loch Braigh Bhruthaich On the final approach to the summit, the wind increased a bit more, to the point of being quite tedious. It wasn't particularly difficult to walk in, but it was quite keen to remove my hat.
Approaching the summit
East towards Lochindorb
South from the summit I didn't hang around on the summit, retracing my steps briefly along the fenceline before peeling off and dropping down to the Allt Ruigh Magaig. After a heathery descent initially, I joined an estate track which led me easily back to East Foregin.
Cairngorms
Cairngorm plateau from the descent
Lairig Ghru prominent Not wanting to fight through forest and railway again, I decided to follow the track back towards Baddengorm, then walk back up the road to my car.