Page 1 of 1

Cheescake and Mhor from Attadale

PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:29 pm
by snowdonia7

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



After a long drive up from north Wales we parked the van near the start point at the entrance to Attadale Gardens. As thia was to be the longest day in terms of distance covered during the week we had decided to do this first to avoid having to take it on with fatigue in the legs (especially after months of inactivity over lock down in my case).

The cycle out is relatively straight-forward albeit there is quite a bit of climb, and as I'm not a cyclist I got off and pushed a couple of times, although Neil cycled it all. Once we had got to the top of the climb, I checked the map and saw that the big downhill would be followed by a hairpin type bend over a river.

The downhill was exhilarating, so much so that I wasn't really thinking about the fact that I would have to get back up it on the return journey. As we slowed down after the slope I could see a track ahead and a little bit lower heading back on itself and assumed this would be the way to the bothy, however Neil just powered around a right-hand bend and up a short uphill. In my head I was saying 'How do you know it's not down that way?', but despite having been walking together for over 20 years I didn't say anything and just followed. The short uphill soon led to a longer downhill that ended at a pumping station, then turn-a-round and push back up the hill to where we turned off - just a 30 minute detour of wasted effort!

We continued cycling past the bothy to the footbridge where we turned off onto the rougher track towards Loch Calavie, Neil showing it is possible to ride this all the way. After leaving our bikes we began the climb following Allt Coire Calavie – if there is a path we didn’t see it and just ploughed on over boggy tussock grass.

At about 600m we started to head NE towards the summit of Lurg Mhor, with the weather worsening and no views.

Lurg Mhor 2.jpg


We stopped at the summit for a quick photo and then pressed on west towards the bealach and then continued the same line for the climb to Bidein a'Choire Sheasgaich.

Bidein a Choire Sheasgaich 2.jpg


Once again we didn’t hang around and descended roughly south to pick up our original line of ascent from the loch.

Back on the bikes I was grateful to be able to cycle all the way to the bothy and beyond to the start of the long uphill. It was a case of on the bike – off the bike until the high point after which there was a very fast downhill, during which the fast release for my front tyre came loose, which I didn’t notice until I slowed down – good job it hadn’t fell off during the few bunny hops to avoid drainage ditches :crazy:

Once we were back on the flat and heading for the van I could feel the fatigue, but the sun came out, which lifted the spirits. It even allowed us to spread out all of our kit to dry, which we cooked up our dinner. So tired, but content we set off towards Craig for day two.