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Made an attempt on this earlier in the year using the conventional WH route, but I was too late on the trail and it was getting dark and starting to snow so bailed out.
Now I have a mountain bike I am picking off some of the Munros which I can cycle into; so not a purist, just in it for the fun, fitness and views
Sorry about the spots in the photos, it rained off and on the whole way, some quite heavy blustery showers, camera lens now cleaned.
As per usual set off late, about five pm from the parking space just past the gate, crossed the bridge over the river just before it can properly be called Clunie Waters
and made my way up into the Glen past the holiday cottage
The track undulates up into the Glen on the left hand side of the Baddoch Burn to start with and is generally easy going and the climb gradual and not noticeable. Passed a woman running back down with a very heavy pack, must have been in training for something.
Crossed to the other side at the bridge and continued on
up the easy going undulating track
to the ford at the Allt Coire Fhearneasg which is where you would exit up if you were doing the WH route
I carried on up the track which gets steeper, but not excessively. I did get off and push a couple of times, but generally its a very manageable cycle in and the views start to become more interesting
About the point where you see An Socach for the first time the track more or less peters out with a turning space for the grouse shooters. There does seem to be an old track that carries on up into the Glen which I would say is probably more walkable rather than recyclable.
There is a definite walking path up to the gun emplacements for the grouse shooters
There are plenty of grouse around with young chicks, the parents feigning injuries and scurrying around to distract attention. Was very close to a few chicks, within a few feet
but was too slow with the camera.
Anyway on up Allt Boruiche which still has some last remnants of snow
Saw a few deer on the way up
To be honest I wasn't sure just how steep this was going to be or how difficult. As it turns out as you can see there is a well trodden path and it didn't take long to get up top.
This is a view back down from near the top with Loch Vrotachan and I assume the crescent of snow Glas Moll top left
Once up top the views towards the Cairn Gorms are immediate
The walk out to the summit along the plateau over broken up rocks imbedded in moss
The views around are panoramic as there isn't much in the way and once you get out to the summit the views are fabulous, this one is of Loch Nan Eun
and this down Glen Ey
So that's that
Oh
what's this, another cairn I see in the distance
It doesn't have a name on the OS map on the sat nav, and is 6m less high, is it also An Socach
Better do baith of them to make sure I can tick the box
Doesn't take long to get to the other summit which is part of the WH route
A view of An Sacoch from the other shelter cairn and then back to Allt Boruiche and down
with a view towards Carn a'Gheoidh from the top
On the way down to the track it turned into one of those very calm and tranquil evenings, very pleasant and very quiet.
Picked up the bike and as you would expect a nice free wheel down with loads of deer on the way. Not sure what comes after hunners and hunners, but there were loads and loads of them. Perhaps the mild winter in Glenshee or the estates are encouraging them, whatever the reason there were four herds of twenty to thirty.
Spot the one with half it's antlers
Got to the car and yet more deer just across the road and loads more on the way up to the ski centre.
All in all a very enjoyable evening out