Blood and a new bum on Beinn Iutharn Mhor

[kevsbald]

After my Tour de Callater, I fancied taking a mountain bike and exploring some of the glens around Braemar. The guy at Braemar Mountain Sport told me it would take an hour to cycle to Altanour Lodge in Glen Ey. I began the cycle out of Braemar and was feeling the burn before long. Eventually Inverey came into view after a blast down past the Mar Lodge gatehouse and I began the cycle route along and into the Glen. I'm not joking when I say the saddle of this bike was tearing me a new arsehole for breakfast and I began to regret the fact I hadn't taken Compeed for my derriere. After an hour and 20 mins, I arrived at the Lodge - that guy must have been fit. I had cycled 9 miles and felt more than warmed up. However, the Munro-monster must be quelled! The lodge was interesting and the window offered a nice view to a wee tree. Can you see it?

Arty shot 2

Framing the tree

The views to the hills were less impressive. It says a lot when your best pic of the day is a mushroom. I decided to head up the NE-flank of Beinn Iutharn Mhor and floundered across bog for the best part of an hour.

Looking up to Beinn Iutharn Mhor

Looking back to the bogs

Eventually I came to the steep incline and I proceeded up for about 30 minutes. I was heading into the cloud and eventually levelled out. It was a good 20 minute walk up and over very stony ground until I found the summit cairn.

The summit - could be anywhere frankly

I could feel the wind chill at this point and stuck on my balaclava, while enjoying a feed. According to the book, you head NE for 1km and then head down stony slopes. I took a compass reading to be sure and walked what I thought was a kilometre. Yes, these were stones which could be 'possibly hazardous in Winter' but they didn't look particularly inviting in Autumn either. However, I began the descent but realised quite quickly that the ground was loose, unstable and after cursing several times, I lost my footing and slashed my hand open on some rock. Foo. Fortunately, I had my 1st aid kit with me and did a repair job. Looking back, I had come off too late and could see the connecting ridge further back.

Looking back to the big sharp-ridged hill

It was 1400 by this point and I was beginning to wonder if I could be bothered taking in Carn Bhac in cloud. I couldn't. I knew I still had 9 miles of cycling to do and wanted to get to Braemar before 1700 as I was due to meet with friends. The route would be here for another time so I headed down and off the hill back to the lodge. I was rewarded with a 'stunning' mushroom. No idea what genera or species but it took a pretty picture.

What a fungi to be with

I hadn't realised how much of an ascending road the route up Glen Ey was but it only took me 55 minutes from the lodge back to Braemar so it gives you an idea of descent - mucho fun spent straddling the bike as I couldn't endure sitting down on that saddle aka bum-breaker. I was back by 1540 and walked out of the Sports shop like John Wayne. Howdy pilgrim?

[LeithySuburbs]

hilarious to hear about your "problems" but probably not so funny at the time for you. I carry a small tube of Germolene in my 1st Aid kit for exactly that - although the missus thought I'd had some sort of "accident" when she saw the state of my pants .

[mountain coward]

I was thinking 1 hour was a bit optimistic. I walked up the hill with my bike into the glen and probably took an hour just to do the glen track to Altanour - I'd driven from Braemar with the bike to the start of the glen... but then I'm not saying I'm any good as a cyclist! I love Altanour and the head of the glen though - I find it really atmospheric. There's a cairn right by the ruin which my Dad thinks is a 'gathering cairn'...

[kevsbald]

Hi guys,

must respond to this. I queried the 1 hour from Braemar to Altanour Lodge time the guy in Braemar Mountain Sports gave me and he said he once did it in 35 minutes, as he had a good tail wind. I was flabbergasted. I since found out that he bikes the 15 miles from Ballater to Braemar every morning and back at night - his tracks have even been found on the A93 when it's been snowing and it doesn't seen to affect him, he just cycles in that weather. Now that's impressive.

[Paul Webster]

If you check with Caberfeidh he might have a spare/replacement bum ?