Carn na Criche and Carn Na Drochaidehike

Today’s expedition is back to Carn Na Drochaide, however this time with the Cairngorm Club, and taking a circuit route rather than ‘there and back’. Assembling outside the minibus, it’s sleeting but the forecast is alright.

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From near Altdourie, we make our way North West along Glen Slugain

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It’s a bonny glen. More snow on the hill tops than expected.

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Autumn colours with a speckling of snow in the ‘fairy glen’

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Orange splash amongst a flurry

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First snowball of the season, prime crunchy and compressible stuff

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This way or that way

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The ruin of Slugain lodge in sight.

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Wee pool nearby

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Taking shelter behind some big rocks the remaining gang (half having turned back) plan our ascent of Carn Na Criche

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First outing for my new Berghaus High Trails jacket, a good test

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Steadily climbing up Carn na Criche, chunky boulders amongst the shallow snow

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Swindswept drift on the cairn at Carn na Criche

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Turning East we get a break in the weather

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Blue skies and sun rays illuminating the windswept snow along the ground, quite beautiful

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Clear and chilly

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More snow inbound

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We reach one of the cairns on Carn Na Drochaide and stop for lunch

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Don’t stop for long though, windchill is biting today

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Looking North to Meall Gasail Mor

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Looking South

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Wider view North

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Descending towards Creag a Chleirich a first glimpse of Braemar

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Looking towards the forests on Little Elrick

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Can see the cliffs of Creag an Dail Mhor distant to the North

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Linn of Quoich over there somewhere

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Snow capped hills above Braemar

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Reaching the tree line

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Looking down onto Invercauld House and Braemar castle

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Zomming in. Nice autumn patchwork in the trees

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Back into woodland

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Burnt old trunk standing out amongst the snow

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A brief rainbow showing us the way to go

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It’s pleasant and peaceful down lower

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Through the forest

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Patches of sun break through the cover in places

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Back near the start, we need to wait for our colleagues who went back earlier and headed into Braemar. Happy to wait when the scenery is like this

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Ablaze with autumn colour

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A quick rest break into the nearby trees reveals a sturdy old wall

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Weather closing in again

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A rainbow signals our chariot has arrived

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Back in the snug for tea n cakes, well earned today

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