Sunday 24 July 2016

Beinn a' Bhuird & Ben Avon Bike,Hike & Summit Camp

(23-24.7.2016) Beinn a' Bhuird & Ben Avon Bike,Hike & Summit Camp: Day One,24.5km, 6hrs,43mins. 1206m ascent: Day two, 17km, 3hrs,25mins. 

Recently purchased a new tent after 6 years with the reliable Vango Banshee. Fancied something a wee bit lighter so went with the Zephros 1. I was going to test it out overnight at the weekend & the east looked the best weather wise. Robin got in touch & asked if I fancied an overnight summit wild camp in the Cairngorms. (He must've read ma mind.  Robin was itching to get pitching & keen to return to Beinn a'Bhuird & Ben Avon & camp on Ben Avon's plateau. We arranged to pick me up in the bad lands early Saturday morning.Got to the car park at Keiloch on the Invercauld Estate around 10sh. Biked & geared up before we made our away along the road then onto the track up Gleann an t-Slugain. We made good progress on the bikes with only occasionally getting off to push the bike uphill & across small streams. We covered around 8km on the bikes & decided to ditch them at the Fairy Glen and walk the rest of the way. Not before we paid a wee visit to the secret Slugain Howff & a second visit for Robin.





Later on we realised we could’ve took the bikes even further as the path was in good condition for several km. However by leaving the bikes at the Fairy Glen it gave us the option of turning the walk into a circuit taking in other tops, weather permitting of course. Got to the boulder, Clach a' Cleirich and filled up on water from the Glas Allt Mor. Then we took the ridge up NW to point 1123m & then West to the North top & the summit of Beinn a’ Bhuird. Headed over to the top Cnap a' Chleirich, down to the sneck then up to Ben Avon's vast plateau. Our wee pal the snow bunting hung about us for a wee bit. By the time I got some bread out he flew away.





We decided to leave climbing the rocky tor to the summit of Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe till after we set up camp & had tea as we were both quite hungry. Initially looked at pitching up in between the summit tor & another tor but the terrain looked abit rocky. Ended up dropping down to a wee grassy slope to around 1110m. I pitched up my new Zephyros 1 & Robin his Trailstar tarp. It was a wee bit breezy & the plan to climb the summit tor & wander around some tops, climb some tors & take photo's went oot the window as the wind picked up & the clag came in. There was glimpses of blue sky & sunshine as the clag rolled by but it never cleared. At least we could be sociable in Robin's tarp with a couple of bevys. Got a few atmospheric shots of the sun.





Woke up next again morning to drizzly rain & clag. Packed up after breakfast, climbed the summit tor & decided to head back via the Sneck rather than go over more tops. Made it back to the car park in good time, the back of 12. If there was the choice between all day in the clag or clag after we pitched then there is only really one answer. A great wee wild camp nonetheless & my highest wild camp to date.



Sunday 3 July 2016

Ptarmigan July Meet (The Linn of Dee)

(3.7.16) Carn Bhac & Carn Damhaireach (Top of the Battery) 21km, 6hrs,18mins.738m ascent

The monthly bus to the hills destination was to the Lin of Dee. After the previous weeks epic from the Lin of Dee with Robinho I was keen to get off the bus a bit early. The club usually prefer if you pair up with a walker therefore Eric agreed to accompany me & head for Carn Bhac. He had been up this hill years ago but in horrible weather so was keen to get a view. We wouldn't have time to take in Beinn Lutharn Mhor due to the time constraints of the bus. Why rush the hills anyhoo so a nice wee circuit was called for. Dropped off the bus at Inverey & followed the track up the Glen. The forecast was for a strong South Westerly with a biting wind chill so we decided to stay low following the Allt Connie to the 485m point & climb Carn Bhac by it's South East, grassy, heathery ridge. The ridge flattens out before the final wee pull to Carn Bhac. Got to the summit shelter & had lunch. It was a bitterly cold wind then we got hit with a wee rain shower en route to the 920m top. From the 920 top we made our way North down the broad ridge and en route for Carn Damhaireach (Top of the Battery) Progress was slow having to go around up & through the various peat hags.  It was here we was saw a massive heard of deer charging across the hill. Probably the most deer I have seen up the hills. Got back to Inverey with plenty of time so decided to walk along the road to meet the bus at the Linn of Dee. An enjoyable day with the weather better than forecasted. 













Ptarmigan November Meet (Callander)

(6.11.2016) Ben Vane & Ben Ledi, 23km. 7hrs. 1,067m ascent Ptarmigan November Meet high tea was at the Lade Inn, just outside Callande...