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The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.


Postby Johnny Corbett » Wed May 08, 2013 10:10 am

Fionas included on this walk: Geallaig Hill

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Craigendarroch, Creag Ghiubhais, Meall Alvie, The Coyles of Muick

Date walked: 06/05/2013

Time taken: 7.4 hours

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The plan was to climb as many hills as we could around the Ballater area, mainly because the A93 is my least favourite road and it would save me returning up it for a while, which is a shame as i'm a big fan of the Braemar area. So once we'd recovered from the bendy, twisty and bumpy A93 we set off for Geallaig Hill. Jimmy and Mo had just came off a night shift and had hoped to get a sleep on the drive up, no chance on that road, so were like a pair of zombies after the days walking. Well done Jimmy and Mo, your'e back with a bang. We parked at the cairn for Geallaig Hill, taking the track to the summit and returning the same way. 1hr 50mins.

Ballater 332.JPG
Track to Geallaig

Ballater 333.JPG
Towards Lochnagar

Ballater 334.JPG
Morven

We now drove to Ballater and parked just off the main road into a housing estate where a waymarked route leads to Craigendarroch. We took the direct route up and came down the path around the crags. This was the nicest walk of the day. Back at the car Mo came up with a brilliant idea, which was to stay the night in Braemar bunkhouse, Mo's best idea yet, come to think of it Mo's only idea yet. :lol: As we were going to be walking on the Tuesday, this meant we could head to the Cromdale Hills which was only an hours drive and also allowed us to have more time to get all the hills done around Ballater. Well done Mo :thumbup: why did Jimmy or i not think of that :?. 40mins

Ballater 337.JPG
Path up Craigendarroch

Ballater 338.JPG
On way up

Ballater 339.JPG
Ballater

Ballater 340.JPG
The summit

Ballater 342.JPG
On our way down

Back in the car, we were now heading for The Coyles of Muick. The minor road along the east of the forest has warning signs of locked deer gates, but none were locked and we drove to the track halfway between Alltcailleach & Toldhu where there is plenty of space to park. We took this track, taking the third track of to the right. We saw a break but opted not to take it and continued a wee bit further before heading through the trees. The break we saw was the route we came down and would have been a better route up. After gaining height we came to a large cairn before making our way out the trees for the final climb towards the summit. We had lunch at the summit then returned back to the car. 1hr 30mins

Ballater 345.JPG
Left track here

Ballater 348.JPG
The Coyles of Muick

Ballater 351.JPG
The summit

Ballater 352.JPG
Loch Muick

Ballater 353.JPG
Summit

Ballater 354.JPG
Geallaig Hill

Ballater 355.JPG
The break we should have took on the way up

Back to the road trip now and we were on our way to Littlemill to climb Greag Ghiubhais. There is paking in the trees opposite the telephone box. We walked up the track, through a gate then followed the fenceline before making our way over the deep heather towards the ridge. A steep climb and a few wee scrambles and we were soon at a cairn. It was difficult to tell if this was the highest point with all the trees around but checked map and had a look aound but saw no other cairn so took summit photo and returned to car. 1hr 30mins.

Ballater 357.JPG
Creag Ghiubais

Ballater 358.JPG
Craigandarroch

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The summit

Ballater 362.JPG
On our way down

Ballater 363.JPG
Car packed for final one

Now we were heading for Meall Alvie which was to be not just the last hill of the day but also the toughest, which i take full blame for. We parked at the Forestry sign for Inver and took the track along the south of Creag na Spaine, this track bends round to the right, not shown on map, we continued round this bend but should have continued straight ahead along a fainter track. We then left the track and came out in the middle of Meall Alvie and Creag na Spaine. Jimmy was well hacked off but i perked him up by saying it was just up there, though it was still a wee bit away :shock: We started to climb Meall Alvie then followed a wall. At the high point i looked around and saw a cairn hiding between a few trees, we were all delighted. We returned via the wall, then down steep slopes to pick up the fainter track and back to the car. 2hrs.

Ballater 364.JPG
Lochnagar

Ballater 366.JPG
Creag na Spaine

Ballater 367.JPG
Meall Alvie summit

Ballater 368.JPG
Balmoral
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Johnny Corbett
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby The Rodmiester » Wed May 08, 2013 1:51 pm

JC, you so and so!, You beat me by a day, in the middle of my reports, but I went up the wee break ok to get to the Coyles of Muick. Looks like you got a good day also, I cannot keep pace with you never mind catch you up :lol: , but I'm an old guy :D not a whipper napper like you :lol:
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby Johnny Corbett » Wed May 08, 2013 3:41 pm

Cheers Rod. We looked at that break but for some reason decided against it :?
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby The Rodmiester » Wed May 08, 2013 3:46 pm

Johnny Corbett wrote:Cheers Rod. We looked at that break but for some reason decided against it :?


Tell me JC, which is the real summit Alastair S says small cairn, Chris W says large, what do you say?, My GPS says both same height!!!!! :lol:
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby Johnny Corbett » Wed May 08, 2013 4:27 pm

Hi Rod, I'm not 100% as they both appear to be the same height but i reckon it was the small cairn. :D
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby The Rodmiester » Wed May 08, 2013 6:13 pm

Johnny Corbett wrote:Hi Rod, I'm not 100% as they both appear to be the same height but i reckon it was the small cairn. :D


Getting near the Ton on the Sub2000ers, which one is it to be?
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby pigeon » Wed May 08, 2013 6:57 pm

Nice tally for the gang there Johnny.Agree with you about the A93,on Sunday i killed a dove and nearly killed a deer,a pheasant,a sheep and a hare all within half an hour :lol: Great report again :thumbup:
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby hills » Wed May 08, 2013 7:42 pm

Nice trip, in fine surroundings, really like deeside... 8)
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby mountain thyme » Wed May 08, 2013 10:07 pm

canny believe the shorts are out the now..... dont cast a clout..and all that.. :wink:
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby pollyh33 » Thu May 09, 2013 1:09 am

All is well with the world when the Happy Gang have got their legs out :clap: :clap:


Yippee!!!!! :lol:
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby The Rodmiester » Thu May 09, 2013 8:34 am

Just goes to show there are more waays to skin a cat. (Where did that come from) Four of the hills you climbed in this report and I did them all from a different direction and starting point. :)
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby Johnny Corbett » Thu May 09, 2013 3:27 pm

pigeon wrote:Nice tally for the gang there Johnny.Agree with you about the A93,on Sunday i killed a dove and nearly killed a deer,a pheasant,a sheep and a hare all within half an hour :lol: Great report again :thumbup:
You could have had a good feast there if you'd got them all :lol:
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby Johnny Corbett » Thu May 09, 2013 3:30 pm

Nice trip, in fine surroundings, really like deeside... 8)[/quote]Thanks :D
mountain thyme wrote:canny believe the shorts are out the now..... dont cast a clout..and all that.. :wink:
pollyh33 wrote:All is well with the world when the Happy Gang have got their legs out :clap: :clap:


Yippee!!!!! :lol:

Shorts from now till December :shock:
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Re: The Ballater road trip, a Graham & 4 Subs.

Postby Graeme D » Fri May 10, 2013 9:10 pm

Hehehe - someone's keen! :clap:
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