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Myself and my friend Jennifer’s schedules aligned for three free days together so it was time for our first camp of the year! I had just spent the past couple of days with family in Arran so it was going to be a treat of a week. I’ve only been wild camping a couple of times so wasn’t sure on where to go so just googled ‘best wild camping spots in Scotland’. Glen Affric was my first choice however I wasn’t tempted by the long Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan route. I then noticed Glen Feshie – a rewilding area which has in the past been taken over by deer. I’m reading a book at the moment called Wilding by Isabella Tree, which is about a rewilding project on a farm in East Sussex, so I was interested to go to a rewilding area. There was also a couple of Cairngorms Munros to choose from starting from this area, some with great descriptions so we were set!
The weather was set to be better on the Friday so we picked the best sounding Munro, Sgor Gaoith to do. Apparently it wasn’t going to take too long so we had a slow start, and didn’t arrive at the starting point until 3pm!! The weather was looking great on the road up and it didn’t stop when we got there, t shirt weather ahoy.
The route starts off through some amazing pinewoods. I’d been wanting to do a Munro with a lot of forest after reading Bill Bryson’s ‘Into the Woods’ about his time on the Appalachain Trail – not a book I personally recommend mainly because of the author’s attitude but it did make me want to hike in some woods! Because of this, and with the clear blue skies and sun beating down through the trees I felt as if I was somewhere in the US and not Scotland, it was bizarre.
Once out of the woods it soon felt like familiar Scotland again with the rolling hills.
We stopped for a water break and the water was so clear:
So happy to be outThere was then a long traverse before hitting the open slopes that would take us higher. The path was really good here:
The first spots of little baby trees I would become obsessed with over the weekend!
The proper climbing then started. I was struggling getting up this bit, I think it was because it was around 5pm at this point and my body wasn’t used to climbing at this time! And there’s always good days and bad days.
Heading up, I always wonder who takes the time to make these little cairnsWe reached the huge plateau and had to use a compass for the first time ever to take us ‘south east’. Off we went on a path heading up hill, but it didn’t seem to be leading anywhere and we looked behind us and saw the significant peak of Sgor Gaoith in the complete opposite direction. Oops.
It was a bit windy and cold to try and figure out how we managed that and learn from our mistakes so we quickly pressed on the right direction, and the top didn’t seem too far at all. Keeping to the right, the crags soon began to come into view as well as Loch Einish and they were amazing. Lots and lots of pictures to be taken here!
A great summit, that doesn't take too much to get to.
We were aware there was an alternative route to get down but we were a bit concerned about getting back for finding a good camping spot so headed back the same way. This was fine as the views on the way down in the other direction are great, especially as the sun was beginning to come down giving it a totally different light.
Another reason I like retracing steps is noticing things you didn’t the first time, like the lovely bright heather:
The light and surroundings were just getting better and better, such a treat to bring us towards the end of the walk:
Jennifer really nailing it with this shot!Loved the sun coming down through the treesI was then happy to be back in the woods again, and we planned to take the right hand on the fork near the start of the walk to find a camping spot then go and grab the stuff from the car. Unfortunately it was fern, fern and more fern. And trees. So absolutely nothing, giving a start reminder that green space doesn’t always mean a suitable place to pitch! So we headed back to the car and I had Feshiebridge a few miles away in mind from the way there.
We found the Frank Bruce sculpture trail and camped in the woods here, I recommend a visit to these ‘returning to nature’ tree sculptures!
A great day in the sun, especially the variety between woods, plateau and crags!
