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INVEREY TO SPITTAL OF GLENSHEE DAY MEET -
SUNDAY 11th APRIL 2010
On Sunday April 11th 2010 the Cairngorm Club Day Meet (from Inverey to Spittal of Glenshee) was a little bit special. Not
only because the day was one of the most beautiful I can
remember (sunshine and heat with a light breeze on the tops) but
also as it was a shared meet.
The Stocket Hillwalking Club and ourselves shared a large coach
and what follows is an account of a fabulous day in the hills.
At a little after 7am our coach left the quiet streets of
Midstocket picking-up folk on the road out to Braemar. In total
42 hill-goers attended this meet and to quote from someone on
the day “a full bus is a good bus. I’ll not argue with that.
Ken and Lydia set off from Braemar while the rest made for
Inverey with most getting off here, however three of our number
stayed on alighting at their chosen spot on the A93.
The Cairngorm Club's President’s Party numbered 6 today and we set off for Altanour with birdsong all around us.
Inverey
It was a delightful day and we made swift progress up Glen Ey
Looking back to Inverey
The plan today was to make for Carn an Righ (The hill of the
King) – a rather remote Munro – after first ascending Beinn
Iutharn Mhor. This route would take us past Pipers Wood and
Altanour Lodge. Having not been in Glen Ey for at least 3 years
I was delighted to see a very healthy looking Pipers Wood –
there are “ a lot” of Birch trees in this enclosure and I think
it’s fair to say it is now a wood.
It may be a rather small wood
but the eco system looks right !
Pipers Wood ( A Cairngorm Club Project)
Creag an Fhuathais and the Ey Burn
David Brown in Glen Ey
Alex Barbour in Glen Ey
Beinn Iutharn Mhor
Gordon Stalker at Altanour Lodge
We stopped at the old ruin for a cup of tea and a piece – there
are many dead and fallen trees about here - but interestingly
quite a number of (rather old) Larches. Time to Altanour from
bus 1hour 35mins. We left as a mixed group of Stockets and
Cairngorm Club arrived. We were off for Beinn Iutharn Mhor…
Beinn Iutharn Mhor from Altanour
River Crossing (one of many today)
Altanour and Glen Ey from Beinn Iutharn Mhor
It was tough work ascending the steep nose of Beinn Iutharn
Mhor. Only a couple of weeks before and this aspect would have
been a steep wall of hard neve and ice, and even more of a
challenge. “ You would have to set off in the dark”…one member
of the party commented, he was most probably right. Today
however it was just a short sharp shock and we were soon high.
Cairngorms
Alex and Gordon
Beinn Iutharn Mhor
Gordon at the tap
President’s Party on Beinn Iutharn Mhor
We reached the cairn on “The big Sharp-Ridged Hill”, 4hrs and 10mins after setting off and after another short tea break decided
to make for Carn an Righ (The Hill of the King)
Carn an Righ from Beinn Iutharn Mhor
We dropped South and then SouthWest and picked up the path that
runs up from Fealar Lodge. The snow encountered today was wet
and sugary mostly but not too deep or unpleasant to walk
through, however today’s route was a fair hike and the snow
sections were proving a challenge for at least one member. Below Carn and Righ (where there is now a rather wide and obvious
Munroists’ path) we regrouped and after 'huming and heying'
decided to miss on this somewhat prized hill today, we did not
wish to keep the bus waiting. Four members of The Stocket
Hillwalking Club joined us here… they’d been out to Carn Bhac
and had made excellent time.
From here we walked together on the path for Loch nan Eun (The
Loch of the Birds) some small sections of which were still under
snow and when below Glas Tulachian we split. Seven went for Glas
Tulachian and three for Loch nan Eun and Glen Taitneach.
On the path below Mam nan Carn
Glas Tulachian from the North East
First view of Loch nan Eun
Despite seeing a few gulls in Glen Ey none appeared to be
nesting yet on the two small islands. Not surprising really as
the photos tell their own story.
An Socach across a frozen Loch nan Eun
Interestingly ( or worryingly) we witnessed foot prints “across”
the frozen loch. Did the owners know they were over water at the
time ! ! !
The exit to Glen Taitneach down by the Allt Easgaidh required
some detours as there was much steep and rapidly thawing snow
and snowslopes in places
Upper Glen Taitneach
Willie on the sna’
Upper Glen Taitneach
The long and winding road (couldn’t get that song out of my head
on this bit)
Glean Taitneach
Allt Ghlinn Taitneach
We reached the Hotel at 18.05hrs… so an 8hr and 40min day
Chaffinch by Hotel (what you looking at Jimmy ?)
Happy hillwalkers at the Spittal of Glenshee Hotel
This was a very enjoyable Day Meet and I hope both Clubs enter
into a similar agreement in the future.
What a great day out.
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