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.
From near Altdourie, we make our way North West along Glen Slugain
It’s a bonny glen. More snow on the hill tops than expected.
Autumn colours with a speckling of snow in the ‘fairy glen’
Orange splash amongst a flurry
First snowball of the season, prime crunchy and compressible stuff
This way or that way
The ruin of Slugain lodge in sight.
Wee pool nearby
Taking shelter behind some big rocks the remaining gang (half having turned back) plan our ascent of Carn Na Criche
First outing for my new Berghaus High Trails jacket, a good test
Steadily climbing up Carn na Criche, chunky boulders amongst the shallow snow
Swindswept drift on the cairn at Carn na Criche
Turning East we get a break in the weather
Blue skies and sun rays illuminating the windswept snow along the ground, quite beautiful
Clear and chilly
More snow inbound
We reach one of the cairns on Carn Na Drochaide and stop for lunch
Don’t stop for long though, windchill is biting today
Looking North to Meall Gasail Mor
Looking South
Wider view North
Descending towards Creag a Chleirich a first glimpse of Braemar
Looking towards the forests on Little Elrick
Can see the cliffs of Creag an Dail Mhor distant to the North
Linn of Quoich over there somewhere
Snow capped hills above Braemar
Reaching the tree line
Looking down onto Invercauld House and Braemar castle
Zomming in. Nice autumn patchwork in the trees
Back into woodland
Burnt old trunk standing out amongst the snow
A brief rainbow showing us the way to go
It’s pleasant and peaceful down lower
Through the forest
Patches of sun break through the cover in places
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
Ablaze with autumn colour
A quick rest break into the nearby trees reveals a sturdy old wall
Weather closing in again
A rainbow signals our chariot has arrived
Back in the snug for tea n cakes, well earned today
