Another Cairngorms Loop
Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 11:26 pm
I've wanted to have a go at this for a long time and this year was going to be it. The last long weekend and a decent enough forecast seemed to be about right to have a crack. A few photos here too https://flic.kr/ps/kNbPz
I know I'll not be massively quick over the ground and days longer than 14 hours were likely to completely defeat me so I went out with 2 overnights in mind and a plan to cover around 240km on the first two days. I thought this would give me enough of an 'easy' finish day, as a sort of mental insurance policy to make sure I could get back in less than 56 hours and still enjoy being out in the hills. I was staggered by the scale of the landscape through out the whole trip. The Caledonia pine forests and single track of both Rothiemurchus and Abernethy were fantastic, as was the fast descent to fall into bed near Braemar on day two.
The sand got into the drive train requiring a couple of good rinses with a water bottle but this was as near to a mechanical as I has all weekend (not even a puncture!). I never got the tool kit out all weekend - just a some lube once or twice.
It's a brilliant and massively varied route and asked a lot of me, at times just a little too much (3rd km of boulder field pushing!). The weather was a little too warm on day one (I like it cooler) and it ended with a massive thunder storm charging up Glen Derry to meet me coming down from the Fords of A'an. Hood up and soaked in warm rain I was amazed by the hundreds of frogs and toads that appeared in every puddle. I've never seen so much wildlife in such a short space of time in the UK... adders, slow worms, buzzards, lapwings, curlew, hundreds of landlocked oystercatchers (what do they eat?) and so many grouse (red and black). I think I heard capercaillie but didn't see them. Deer and mountain hare and even a vole at one campsite.
I had a good lunch stop at Glen More on day one and then made my way over to the Linn of Dee to camp in abandoned village before the Feshie crossing.
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on Flickr
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on Flickr
The last of the rain storm meant the Dee crossing looked like it would be tricky but 24 hours later it was far lower and felt safe.
A long morning on the following day led to a great pea soup and sandwich lunch at the Rothiemurchus centre about 100m off route. Recommended stopping point.
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on Flickr
Then the long ride up through Abernethy to a plate of haggis, neaps and tatties and loads of coke in Tomintoul. I thought I would get up to Loch Builig to bivi there but knew I really wanted to get back over into the Dee valley that evening so carried on over to descend into towards Braemar to a mossy bivi in the grounds of Invercauld.
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on Flickr
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on Flickr
An early start meant nothing was open for a second brekkie in Braemar so I pushed on back up the Dee and over to the Glen Tilt. The cloud came down and the long lumpy widened track from the farm at Fealar Lodge was my least favourite part of the route.
Loved the decent down to the last farm and the final valleys with pairs of curlews around me was fantastic.
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on Flickr
The final long descent was a nice end to the route too. Just a giant haddock, chips, black pudding and mushy peas to finish in the café by the bike shop before long drive home.
Massive thanks to all here for the sharing of experiences and routes that got me off the sofa last weekend.
I know I'll not be massively quick over the ground and days longer than 14 hours were likely to completely defeat me so I went out with 2 overnights in mind and a plan to cover around 240km on the first two days. I thought this would give me enough of an 'easy' finish day, as a sort of mental insurance policy to make sure I could get back in less than 56 hours and still enjoy being out in the hills. I was staggered by the scale of the landscape through out the whole trip. The Caledonia pine forests and single track of both Rothiemurchus and Abernethy were fantastic, as was the fast descent to fall into bed near Braemar on day two.
The sand got into the drive train requiring a couple of good rinses with a water bottle but this was as near to a mechanical as I has all weekend (not even a puncture!). I never got the tool kit out all weekend - just a some lube once or twice.
It's a brilliant and massively varied route and asked a lot of me, at times just a little too much (3rd km of boulder field pushing!). The weather was a little too warm on day one (I like it cooler) and it ended with a massive thunder storm charging up Glen Derry to meet me coming down from the Fords of A'an. Hood up and soaked in warm rain I was amazed by the hundreds of frogs and toads that appeared in every puddle. I've never seen so much wildlife in such a short space of time in the UK... adders, slow worms, buzzards, lapwings, curlew, hundreds of landlocked oystercatchers (what do they eat?) and so many grouse (red and black). I think I heard capercaillie but didn't see them. Deer and mountain hare and even a vole at one campsite.
I had a good lunch stop at Glen More on day one and then made my way over to the Linn of Dee to camp in abandoned village before the Feshie crossing.
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on FlickrCairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on FlickrThe last of the rain storm meant the Dee crossing looked like it would be tricky but 24 hours later it was far lower and felt safe.
A long morning on the following day led to a great pea soup and sandwich lunch at the Rothiemurchus centre about 100m off route. Recommended stopping point.
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on FlickrThen the long ride up through Abernethy to a plate of haggis, neaps and tatties and loads of coke in Tomintoul. I thought I would get up to Loch Builig to bivi there but knew I really wanted to get back over into the Dee valley that evening so carried on over to descend into towards Braemar to a mossy bivi in the grounds of Invercauld.
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on FlickrCairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on FlickrAn early start meant nothing was open for a second brekkie in Braemar so I pushed on back up the Dee and over to the Glen Tilt. The cloud came down and the long lumpy widened track from the farm at Fealar Lodge was my least favourite part of the route.
Loved the decent down to the last farm and the final valleys with pairs of curlews around me was fantastic.
Cairngorms Loop 2017 by 99percentchimp, on FlickrThe final long descent was a nice end to the route too. Just a giant haddock, chips, black pudding and mushy peas to finish in the café by the bike shop before long drive home.
Massive thanks to all here for the sharing of experiences and routes that got me off the sofa last weekend.
