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Loch Muick

Loch Muick


Postby Bod » Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:29 pm

Route description: Loch Muick Circuit

Munros included on this walk: Broad Cairn, Cairn Bannoch

Date walked: 10/03/2012

Time taken: 7.16 hours

Distance: 24.1 km

Ascent: 862m

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It was Saturday morning and we left from Banchory after spending an entertaining and fun evening with my Mum :D. In no time at all we arrived in Aboyne picked up a few extra nibbles and a bottle of water (I had forgotten my normal water bottle), and we were next driving up through Ballater then into Glen Muick.

1.JPG
Looking southwest along the loch with Broad Cairn appearing in the distance just below the cloud line.
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Looking back along the loch northeast.
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Now appearing, what I have always referred to as the zig-zag track leading up onto high ground approaching Sandy Hillock.
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I love the sound of running water when I am in the outdoors :)
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Valerie on the zig-zags!
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Glas-allt-Shiel nestles below on the opposite side of the loch. Dark Lochnagar shrouded in cloud hides in the clouds above.
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Glas-allt-Shiel
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Looking across the boggy moor of the Black Burn beyond which lies Glen Clova.
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On the southeast facing rise of Broad Cairn after passing Sandy's Hut (now an animal shelter and pen). I know I have sheltered there in year's gone by, but it was more of a hut/bothy then? Wonder what kind of beasts get the priviledge of a summer stay up here in 2012?
10.JPG
The terrain changes as that magic Munro level is met! :)
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Broad Cairn.....now cold, windy and with nowhere to get shelter! :)
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So off we go marching on towards Cairn Bannoch.
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Oooh ... starting to feel the need for sustinance......
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Tracing our steps back we are graced by the company of the locals.
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On Sandy's seat.
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A view northwest over Corrie Chash...heading for the lighting path.
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Entering the forest around Glas-allt-Shiel.
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The Boat House, always a welcome point at the end of the loch after the slog along the track.....a beautiful spot from which to admire Loch Muick and take in its splendour before heading home.
:D :D :D :D :D
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Bod
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby Bod » Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:44 pm

A great leg stretcher and plenty of fresh air, before returning home to babysit and spend Sunday in the garden. Bring on the Spring! :)
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby ChrisW » Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:58 pm

Great stuff Bod, but once you had got so far how come you didn't keep going and take in the others :?: anyway, thanks for jogging some lovely memories of a favourite place of mine :D
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby PeteR » Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:04 am

Really enjoyed that report Bod :D I've done a bit of this circuit as part of the Lochnagar route. The complete circuit looks like a good day out :D One I'll have to remember for MrsR :D
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby Benjaminnevis » Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:10 am

Bod wrote:A great leg stretcher and plenty of fresh air, before returning home to babysit and spend Sunday in the garden. Bring on the Spring! :)



i met 4 fellas on friday when i was coming down from conachcraig who were heading up lochnagar to camp over night and do the rest of the white mounth route on saturday, did you see them by any chance bod i would be interested in hearing how they got on as it was blawing a gale on friday up er.
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby Bod » Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:14 am

ChrisW wrote:Great stuff Bod, but once you had got so far how come you didn't keep going and take in the others :?: anyway, thanks for jogging some lovely memories of a favourite place of mine :D


Thanks Chris, but the weather was pretty foul once we reached Cairn Bannoch with the winds hitting us head-on, plus I am looking forward to a fairer day climbing up from Invercauld Bridge and returning via Glen Callater. Favourite spots for me too with Cairn Bannoch being the only new Munro for me. Spent a great day on Lochnagar just two summers ago, spending time exploring Meikle Pap, the Corrie and Glas-allt-Shiel. Will be back again..... :D
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby Bod » Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:20 am

Benjaminnevis wrote:
Bod wrote:A great leg stretcher and plenty of fresh air, before returning home to babysit and spend Sunday in the garden. Bring on the Spring! :)



i met 4 fellas on friday when i was coming down from conachcraig who were heading up lochnagar to camp over night and do the rest of the white mounth route on saturday, did you see them by any chance bod i would be interested in hearing how they got on as it was blawing a gale on friday up er.


No Ben, we never saw anyone coming round in the opposite direction with overnight kit. Everyone was doing something similar to us. Hope they were okay? There are other ways down for them or they could have reversed? Cheers
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby Bod » Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:23 am

PeteR wrote:Really enjoyed that report Bod :D I've done a bit of this circuit as part of the Lochnagar route. The complete circuit looks like a good day out :D One I'll have to remember for MrsR :D


Thanks Pete, it's a fine part of the world. I always love how varied and wonderful our wee country is.... :D :D :D
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby Benjaminnevis » Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:58 am

Bod wrote:
Benjaminnevis wrote:
Bod wrote:A great leg stretcher and plenty of fresh air, before returning home to babysit and spend Sunday in the garden. Bring on the Spring! :)



i met 4 fellas on friday when i was coming down from conachcraig who were heading up lochnagar to camp over night and do the rest of the white mounth route on saturday, did you see them by any chance bod i would be interested in hearing how they got on as it was blawing a gale on friday up er.


No Ben, we never saw anyone coming round in the opposite direction with overnight kit. Everyone was doing something similar to us. Hope they were okay? There are other ways down for them or they could have reversed? Cheers


they looked well kitted out but am not sure you could have put a tent up in that wind.

Great walk the white mounth route. the zig zag climb is hard going but great once you get passed that, i wish i had done tolmount from loch muick instead of going up jocks road which was a bog fest :( .
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby Gavin99 » Tue Mar 13, 2012 9:12 am

Bring on the spring indeed , skylarks in full song in the Trossachs this weekend ,and a bumble bee !
That looks a fine walk , I'm looking forward to some exploring up there soon . :D
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby Johnny Corbett » Tue Mar 13, 2012 9:50 am

Nice one again Bod, shame about the winds though. That zig-zag path is a killer on the knees when coming down it, i struggled with it when i did the round last year :( Good to see you both out again looking forward to catching up at Kintail :D
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby SusieThePensioner » Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:49 am

Loved your report and some great photos, good to see you both out enjoying yourselves :thumbup:

We were at Loch Muick at the end of May last year and it was blowing a gale then with horizontal rain....no Spring-like weather :lol:
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby dooterbang » Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:06 pm

Thanks for posting as i casn now see what Lock Muick actually looks like :D

A very scenic area indeed.

Looked a nice walk.
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby basscadet » Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:57 pm

Aye, well done for battling the winds :)

Loch Muick is bonny, I sometimes forget, I have been round there so often it has somehow become boring.. Queenie does keep an estate superior to many does she not? :lol:
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Re: Loch Muick

Postby BlackPanther » Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:36 pm

Hi Bod, what a coincidence, we did these two yesterday :D Similar route, but we descended by Dubh Loch. Definitely a lovely area and views are superb, especially from the upper track over Loch Muick. We were lucky to have clear sky all the time, I'll be posting my TR soon. Cheers!
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