free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
With all intentions of doing both, but kinda knowing I'd only get one I set off up the track on the bike past the interesting buildings. Fed the white horse in the small paddock some grass and flowers that looked as though they might be tasty to a horse, it ate them, so guess they were.
Crossed the first bridge over the Ey Burn, very picturesque
Quite a strong smell of ammonia / fertiliser at this point. An estate worker was coming down the track with a big trailer behind his range rover.
I pushed up this short stretch of steep track just after the bridge.
In this lower part there are some really nice specimen birch trees, should have stopped to take a photo of one that particularly stood out
Anyway perhaps you will get the gist of it from this photo which is around where the path to the Colonel's Bed is
Apart from a few undulations the landrover track is steadily onwards and upwards
I was looking forward to turning the corner and getting a view up what I had looked down along from the top of An Socach. On the way there is evidence of current industrial activity; there were some sheds to the right of the path as well.
Orange digger left
Onto the next bridge and very nearly the entrance to the lush green sprawl
Lush green start with a view of An Socach and Beinn Lutharn Mhor
Spotted something which turned out to be a human coming back down from doing both. An man in his sixties I'd say. He was complaining about the length of the walk in and out and the blisters on his feet. I said something about the bike taking all the sting out of these Munros. He headed off muttering about mountain bikes, I suspect wanting to get this last painful stage finished.
Further in and it is very flat as the Ey meanders down. When I looked at this from the top of An Socach I was expecting it to be a bog, but the landrover track is very well maintained and apart from a couple of shallow fords bone dry.
I'm pretty sure that I had the camera on auto, but is was late on and the skies were darkening
Crossed another bridge and got to the ruins. They will be just a pile of bricks soon, what a waste
More evidence of industry just after the lodge.
Anyone remember the banana splits
The track more or less turns into a walk from here on unless you have a banana split buggy. I found a place to hide the bike before setting off a bit unsure of where I should be going and taking a look at what I thought I would have to come back down if I made it all the way round
Having been brought up in a fishing village I always used to think of oyster catchers as being sea birds. Recently I found out that fresh water oysters and mussels used to be a large part of the Scottish diet at one point,
do correct me if I'm wrong.
What red eyes they have
The banana buggy track dips and rises as it crosses the Alltan Odhar burn, more of that later.
There's a reason for the banana buggy track; getting shooters up to the grouse butts. There's a very posh grouse butt right at the end
The track up is a bit squidgy and after the last of the Grouse butts crosses a couple of peat hagg areas, perfectly negotiable although I am pleased I put on the leather boots for this escapade.
Most industry
There was another identical digger in the Allt nan Clach Geala
After the last of the peat hags the path is well defined and easy going.
I can see why you would want to do both of these mountains together. Once you have gained this much height the bealachs over to to ascent of Beinn Lutharn Mhor will take the sting out of it
Soon reached the top which is a big pile of rocks
and the summit cairn and a view of the Caringorms
There was a great view of the big armchair that is An Socach as well.
Knew I should have taken that photo there and then, that will teach me to get it while it's hot instead of having something to eat first and thinking to get it afterwards
Would have been nice to have had the clear bright skies that you would expect at the beginning of July
Had something to eat as the skies darkened and the clag rolled in. No way was I going up Beinn Iutharn Mhor now. Apart from being a bit late the forecast had been for poor weather tomorrow and it looks like it has arrived early. The ascent and descent would be steep and I am adhering to my rule of getting back more or less in the same shape I started.
Back the way I'd come.
Met a really well camouflaged frog around the middle of the grouse butts area
got to the dip for the Alltan Odhar burn and the really pleasant water feature with deep pool
If you also go down to the edge of the pool I'd probably advise going back to the track again. There is a path on the other side, but it was very slippery with about an eight metre drop into the burn. More of a deer track.
It was however raining by the time I got to this point, so if it's dry you may be fine.
The oyster catchers did their song and distraction dance where they were hanging out just before the ruined lodge, peep, peep, peep ( I doubt I will win prizes for bird call interpretations )
Found the bike and started off back, got to the bridge shortly after the ruins and surprised some deer, I was pretty close
By the time I'd got the camera out they were out of decent picture range, so I guess you should have been there
The track must have risen more than I'd thought on the way in, as I am now astonished at the speed I'm making on the way back.
One last photo, any clues
I was thinking it was somewhere to process deer carcases, didn't see much evidence of blood and guts, although I didn't go for a close look
It definitely seems as though it has some sort of ramp that you drive up onto. Would be interesting to know what it's purpose is if anyone knows
A loading bay
There was the strong smell of ammonia / fertiliser shortly after
Soon back at the car and the midges are out in force in this very damp rainy evening.
They say you become immune to them, and to some extent I agree. I no longer have the bright red dots all over my exposed skin for very long anymore, though it's still very nippy when they're sinking their fangs in
Guess I will do Beinn Iutharn Mhor from Spittal of Glenshee via Loch Nan Eun, hopefully on a bright warm summer day
