Scottish Winter Bivvy 10/12/22

[thenorthwind]

Well I can't seem to get a bike booking on the aberdeen trains and a road ride now seems a bit lame given what the weather is looking like
So now thinking to ignore dodgy back and start from Glen shee ski centre, which will be a fat bike job.... May still take the easy option on Saturday so I can get supplies at Braemar or Ballater co-op but a high level route on Sunday is looking mighty tempting.

Sounds like a good plan if the weather's decent. Did you get my email last week?

[thenorthwind]

Cheers Andy - so Jocks road is fine - just use the track on the south side of the river and cross the FB at the end of the forestry.

Missed this, but that's what I concluded from what I could find out too.

The Capel Mount GR's are a bit confusing - I guess it's just a case of following your nose....

I didn't check the grid refs precisely, but I think the obstruction is on the bit through the forestry (obviously) in red and then assume the boundary wall grid refs refer to the bit in green:

[fatbikephil]

Well I can't seem to get a bike booking on the aberdeen trains and a road ride now seems a bit lame given what the weather is looking like
So now thinking to ignore dodgy back and start from Glen shee ski centre, which will be a fat bike job.... May still take the easy option on Saturday so I can get supplies at Braemar or Ballater co-op but a high level route on Sunday is looking mighty tempting.

Sounds like a good plan if the weather's decent. Did you get my email last week?

No I didn't Dave - not sure why not....

[thenorthwind]

Weird, will PM you

[Moder-dye]

Hope it goes well guys, I'd have loved to come along as I'm not far from the Angus Glens, but not really up for much just now. Maybe get myself in a better place for any meet ups next year.

There's been a dusting of snow visible on the tops from Angus the last few days, and more due tonight at lower levels, so either route over to Loch Muich might be fun and a bit icy in the shade.

[fatbikephil]

https://www.ski-glenshee.co.uk/Webcam

More on the way and enough breeze to blow it about a bit....
Weather for sat / sun still looking good

[oakesme]

I have a plan to do the Deeside way on Saturday as that will be enough of an adventure for me.

Plan A is Train Friday 9th 12:14 Huntly arr ABN 13:09

Do as much of Deeside way as snow will allow on Friday, camp (it is supposed to be a bivvy :), but if a B&B happens to be available...then mosey along to Glas Allt Sheil Saturday. Return by road or Loch Builg/Glen Avon/Tomintoul

Depending on weather/motivation on Friday morning.

M

[fatbikephil]

Sounds good Max. Think I might follow Daves route up the ridge between Glen Prosen and Clova as the hills between Glas Maol and Broad Cairn looking a bit snowy. Might have a wander up there on Sunday though.

[oakesme]

On the way

[thenorthwind]

Bailing

Still got a hacking cough and a head cold, and an early start, 5 hour drive, then potentially pushing a loaded bike through knee deep snow to get to the bothy doesn't sound like a recipe for recovery. Probably a bit lame.

Sorry. I probably wouldn't have been much company anyway, unless you like being coughed on.

Me and Morne might try and get up in the New Year in lieu, so will see if anyone's around then. Hope we can get similar conditions.

Have a good one.

[JimmyG]

Sorry to hear that Dave but from the sound of it you’ve made the right decision. I travelled up to Ballater today and although the roads are clear, there’s plenty of snow about. I can only imagine it’ll be quite hard going higher up in the glens.

I’d intended riding from Ballater up to the bothy to stash some firewood nearby but in the end decided to walk in from the Spittal of Glen Muick car park. There’s a good bit of snow on the tracks, certainly enough to make me lament (again! ) the fact my fat bike got nicked about a month ago.

Moving swiftly on… I arrived after dark to find nobody in residence. Needless to say, more of the same would be nice tomorrow night! Oh, and I can also report that there’s plenty of dry wood piled up outside (under cover) so Phil (and any others heading to the SWB) you’ll be pleased to hear there’s no need to bring in any wood.

[fatbikephil]

Sorry to hear that Dave, we'll see about a do in the new year. Gonna go for a start at Kirriemuir I think as I suspect the A93 will be shut tomorrow. Hope to see you at Dark O'clock Jimmy!

[JimmyG]

[thenorthwind]

Good to hear there's plenty of firewood there, that'll lighten your loads quite a bit. Sorry to hear about your fat bike Jimmy

I thought I might be overreacting a bit, but given how I felt by last night I'm happy it was the right call.

[fatbikephil]

Epic fail. Got to the start of Glen Clova OK but riding up the road the snow came on.... After a brief respite further up it started hammering it down. It was breezy to and plumes of spindrift on the hills above the glen didn't fill me with much motivation for a 650m pass....



The snow showed no sign of easing and I was also quite damp. It's 5 1/2 miles to Glen Muik but I was seriously concerned about snow depths, as well as the weather. 2 hours of this would not be fun. I also had managed to forget to bring any form of specs or goggles so the snow would be getting blasted into my eyes... As the saying goes let's get the hell out of here. At least I had a tailwind back down the glen.


Found this - a monument to Scott and Wilson who apparently spent a lot of time in this area before their ill-fated south pole expedition.

Further muppetry ensued - I got home to discover I was minus one front wheel so had to drive all the way back to my parking spot where fortunately it was still there. 2 hours wasted but it was still snowing up there so I felt justified in my wuss out.

Jimmy, Max - apologies for deserting you, we'll try again another time!

[Moder-dye]

Ah that's a shame, I was wondering how you'd get on as it was flurrying with heavy sleet and hail at times down here in Kinnell.

There's a cool tower up in the hill from the Scott memorial, but today wouldn't be the day to ride up there

Where are you based?

[fatbikephil]

That tower was to be on my route home as there looks to be a nice route along the ridge from the Ministers road to that point.
I'm in Fife and never actually driven up there before (I've now done it twice!) it only took an hour and 15 at a leisurely pace so quite a good spot to venture into the hills from.

[Moder-dye]

I'm about 30mins drive east from Kirrimuir, but new to the area so only been up Clova, Isla and Glen esk a few times on the gravel bike, not been over the tops yet.

[redefined_cycles]

it started hammering it down. It was breezy to and plumes of spindrift on the hills above the glen didn't fill me with much motivation for a 650m pass

So you are human afterall

[fatbikephil]

it started hammering it down. It was breezy to and plumes of spindrift on the hills above the glen didn't fill me with much motivation for a 650m pass

So you are human afterall

Age begets wisdom Shaff
Time was I'd have just bashed on, had an epic and then bragged about it. These days I'm a might more careful and I had a bad feeling about carrying on so went with my instincts. It would have been desperate up there!

[thenorthwind]

Ah well, at least you got a bit of riding in Phil. Good call not commit to the pass I think. The chance of that happening given the forecast, and knowing I wouldn't be in any state to attempt anything marginal did play a bit of a part in my decision to bail. Ironically it's been a perfect bluebird day in north east England, with almost no wind

You must have been kicking yourself when you found your wheel missing... Sort of thing I'd do. Great that it was still there though, would have been another level of annoying if you'd driven all the way back and it'd gone!

[fatbikephil]

Aye you definitely dodged a bullet there Dave, it would have made our ride up to Duinish on SWB 2018 seem fairly easy...

You must have been kicking yourself when you found your wheel missing... Sort of thing I'd do. Great that it was still there though, would have been another level of annoying if you'd driven all the way back and it'd gone!

I seem to be suffering from an excess of stupidity and forgetfulness at the mo but this took the biscuit... I was banking on no-one visiting a small car park in the dark and sleet and finding it but I was mighty glad when I saw it lying there.... £400's worth!

[redefined_cycles]

Irrational fear of downhill roads in the snow therefore post deleted...

[oakesme]

I got within 5km of Carpark by Loch Muick on Sat PM. A couple of 4 x 4s came down swimming through the snow, about dusk. One of them said it took 3 hours to get from the bothy to carpark on foot, they had bikes but said snow was thigh deep. So I camped in 50cm of snow and came down this morning. Glorious scenery . Last night there was a constant flump flump of snow coming off the trees. I went to sleep in a tent and woke in a snowhole. Road ploughed out last night about 6 pm, and again this morning. Lots of stuck cars on the loch Muick road and elsewhere. South Deeside road was single track on Saturday. Got my bike on the Ballater-Aberdeen bus and home safe. Glad everyones OK.

[fatbikephil]

Well done Max, glad I didn't go over the bump to that lot! We' must catch up soon - I'll drop you a message
No word from Jimmy yet, hope he is OK.