walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Baith to make sure

Baith to make sure


Postby ancancha » Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:22 pm

Route description: An Socach from Glen Clunie

Munros included on this walk: An Socach (Braemar)

Date walked: 07/06/2015

Time taken: 5 hours

Distance: 15.75 km

Ascent: 523m

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).


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



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 :lol:

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

An Socach bridge.jpg


and made my way up into the Glen past the holiday cottage

An Socach holiday cottage.jpg


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

An Socach switch bridge.jpg


up the easy going undulating track

An Socach undulating path.jpg


to the ford at the Allt Coire Fhearneasg which is where you would exit up if you were doing the WH route

An Socach ford.jpg


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

An Socach on up.jpg


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

An Socach gun stance.jpg


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

An Socach allt Boruiche.jpg


Saw a few deer on the way up

An Socach two deer.jpg


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

An Socach allt Boruiche view down.jpg


Once up top the views towards the Cairn Gorms are immediate

An Socach top view.jpg


The walk out to the summit along the plateau over broken up rocks imbedded in moss :!:

An Socach towards cairn.jpg


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

An Socach Loch Nan Eun.jpg


and this down Glen Ey

An Socach Glen Ey.jpg


So that's that :D
Oh :shock: what's this, another cairn I see in the distance :!:

An Socach the other.jpg


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 :lol:

Doesn't take long to get to the other summit which is part of the WH route

An Socach other shelter cairn.jpg


A view of An Sacoch from the other shelter cairn and then back to Allt Boruiche and down

An Socach view from the other cairn.jpg


with a view towards Carn a'Gheoidh from the top

An Socach back down allt Boruiche.jpg


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

An Socach deer escape.jpg


An Socach deer still.jpg


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 8)
User avatar
ancancha
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 989
Munros:84   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Joined: Jun 30, 2014
Location: Killadysert

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: jwgarnett and 71 guests
cron