The Red House to Glen Feshie

Summary

The second part of the three-day backpack through the Cairngorms leads from the Red House ((Ruighe Ealasaid) bothy, fording several rivers before following the Geldie and finally on down beautiful Glen Feshie to Ruigh Aiteachain bothy. There is no road access to either to start or end of this stage. Walkers tackling this section need to be completely self-sufficient including carrying a tent and all food as there are no facilities along the way except the open bothies at the start and end.

Grade

Bog Factor

4.5/5

Rating

Terrain

Hill paths (boggy in places) and tracks throughout.

Getting there

Start

Red House (Ruighe Ealasaid).

Public Transport

There is no road access to any point of this route; it is the middle section of a 3 day self-sufficient backpack.

Start Grid Ref

NO002868

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Services

There are no facilities along this stage, nor is there road access to the start or the finish. There is an open bothy at Ruigh-aiteachain in Glen Feshie.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 19.5km / 12 miles
Time: 5.5 - 6 hours
Ascent: 177m (Profile)

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Walk Description

User reports (4)

Stage 1

There is no road access to the start of this stage (or the end); it is assumed that walkers have wildcamped or stayed in the Red House bothy. The walk continues up the track that leads upriver along Glen Geldie. A forestry plantation is passed to the right of the track; there is a footbridge over the tributary just beyond this.

Stage 2

After another 1.5km another tributary - the Allt Dhaidh Mòr - is reached; there is no bridge here and once again a paddle or wade is usually required. A kilometre on the main track slopes down to the Geldie; fork right before reaching this onto a rougher track which soon becomes an old stalkers' path.

Stage 3

The path continues contouring the slopes north of the Geldie. The crossing of the Geldie - Feshie watershed is almost imperceptible; it wouldn't take a great change for the waters of the Feshie to be diverted to join the Geldie down to the Dee. Beyond the watershed the path becomes wetter and less distinct, eventually aiming for a footbridge over the gorge of the River Eidart just above a high waterfall. This is a dramatic spot; cross the bridge then follow the path left on the far side.

Stage 4

The path leads down into the wild upper reaches of Glen Feshie by the remains of a wooden building with a tin roof. The rest of the stage follows the glen downriver, always keeping to this side of the river. There is a rough and boggy track running down the glen but also a stalkers path which gives the better going; the two routes often cross. The two routes join to cross the Allt na Leuma where it issues from a dramatic rocky gorge - with an almost hidden waterfall.

Stage 5

The track climbs gently before the path branches off to the left once more. When the path forks keep to the main, central path; eventually the routes join after the track descends from a detour up the hillside. The glen is becoming ever more beautiful and increasingly wooded with both birch and pine. At An Cagain bear right off the the track (before it fords the river), instead taking a path remaining on the near side that climbs across the very steep stony slope. A section has been washed away by a landslide and a new path worn across - care is needed.

Stage 6

Eventually the path descends and rejoins the track (which has recrossed the river). When the track forks, keep on the right branch. This leads through some stunning pinewoods before becoming a path cutting across a steep slope just above the Feshie. There is a second landslide here, and again a new path has been worn across but care is needed to cross this section.

Stage 7

The floor of the glen eventually flattens out once more. Fork right on a grassy track through the pinewoods. Soon a lone chimney is passed - all that remains of a building that may have once housed a fresco painted by Landseer. The artist's famed 'Monarch of the Glen' was also painted nearby. A short distance further on is the stone-built Ruigh Aiteachain bothy. The bothy is a basic shelter maintained by volunteers from the Mountain Bothy Association; please help by carrying out any rubbish you find here, and always follow the bothy code when visiting. There are good wild camping spots nearby.

Next stage: Glen Feshie to Kingussie

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