With GordonC engaged in domestics on thurs, Wed was the preferred choice for these hillls. We decided to use our E-MTBS, as the forestry tracks looked in good shape with fairly recent harvesting having taken place. Usually a sign that the tracks have been upgraded.
We took 2 cars as GordonC has a super duper bike rack for our E-MTB's and H came with me in my old jalopy.
We went the quickest route after picking up Harvey viz - Huntly, Dufftown then down Glenrinnes to Brig o Lagavaich for a generous parkup for many cars - courtesy of FS.





We were too slow for H going up - even with E-assist. At a pech stop, we realised that H was nowhere to be seen. After a few shouts and whistles, he appeared running up the track. He'd taken the wrong turn ! You see, it's not only me.......
Reunited, we parked our bikes at the fork in the track and wandered up a forwarder track to the top area of Carn Tighearn, then through young trees and heather to the cairnless spot height.








Next we biked along the track to the brig below Carn a' Bhodach.
My guts were rumbling so it was a visit to the forest to commune with nature..




We padlocked the bikes to a strainer post and ducked under the fence which didn't have the usual anti-animal paraphenalia strung under the fence, so it was easy to get under it and for H to splash up the burn with consummate ease.




The slopes up Bhodaich were a mixture of blaeberries and heather initially, then heather and deer grass and finally moss, lichen and short heather, for the final stretch. Much easier underfoot that I'd expected. However, I didn't feel very good and made heavy weather of it, forcing GordonC stop frequently to let me catch up. At the top, a breeze sprang up to waft away the flies that had tormented us on the way up. It this what a trade deal with Australia brings us ?
There were a total of eight quartzite cairns at the top. Six in a row, slightly offset to the north and the other 2 near the spot ht.











Great views of Ben Rinnes and the "Gorms" in the other direction.. A panorama from Ben A'an , Beinn a' Bhuird, Macdhui, Bynack Mor & even Cairngorm. We reposed and soaked it in.....

The retun back down to the brig was quicker.
It was decided to leave the bikes here and walk up to the firebreak that we'd chosen to get us up through the forest on Carn Muldonich.
The firebreak wiggled back a little but an animal track up it, made the going easy.
At the top of the firebreak, there was a gate strapped to the gatepost with nylon tape acting as hinges, which was conveniently ajar.




The going to the top was fairly easy until we got to the level area, which became very tussocky.
GC found the spot height and we lay down for another lounge - looking across at Corriehabbie
The breeze continued, keeping the flies at bay with the heather and moss surprisingly dry, making our lounging most agreeable.






An easy walk back to the bikes down the same route.



On the way back we stopped quite a few times to give H a rest, but he seemed to be enjoying it too much - jumping around and licking us instead of taking a breather. Getting a lean and mean labrador machine !
The bikes saved us a lot of time and energy on the way home ( that I, certainly didn't have ).
I stopped in Glenrinnes outside the distillery to take a pic where Derek Bottomer did his managerial apprentiship back in the '60s. Whilst visiting Derek an Grace then, we had a mass family ascent up Ben Rinnes



The drive back down the A96 was uneventful as most of the workies were going home in the opposite direction.

Another grand day out - thanks GordonC & Harvey.
Oh, and I only couped off my bike once on the way up when I got stuck in a rut - nae bad, eh ?