Having missed a rare flurry of snow in late September, I wasn’t going to let another opportunity slip past to get ‘inaboot the sna’ come October. Friday evening saw a hastily arranged trip on the move via headtorch to Gelder Shiel, arriving late to a wall of heat, yappy dog and 2 boozy mannies snoring in their bunks. We arranged our kit quietly and decided against an aurora check outside lest yappy burst into another intruder-detecting frenzy.
Out into the chilly dawn, light began to creep down the big mountain tops and there was indeed some good snow caps. Bellowing deer echoed, one close by on Meall Coire na Saobhaidh (Sivvy) unhappy at our intrusion to his territory. I roared back and put my poles to my ears pointing out diagonally as antlers “oaarrrRRRGGHH!!” which had no effect other than to startle a hare. Perhaps not a great idea – I’d not win if it decided that, yes, I was a challenger.
From squishy faint trail to crunchy frosty rocks on the top of Sivvy – decision point on an ascent route up Lochnagar: NE ridge or NW boulderfield. There wasn’t enough snow to worry about difficulty or hazard, NW winning from familiarity and proximity, and it turned out to be a good choice with lovely flocks of ptarmigan bobbing and burbling amongst the chunky terrain, popping up and scampering close by. I attempted again some return comms; “gleh gleh gleh gleh”. Some were indifferent, some took flight, ach well.
Feeling the morning chill on the top of ‘sivvy’
Some nice 22º sun halos on the sky above, and then encrusted grass and rock up on to the plateau with a short walk and a clamber up the back of Lochnagar’s top. While the NW side is rarely visited and rugged (probably why plenty wildlife) the top and tourist route was busy with runners and hikers. An Italian chap volunteered some snacks from a jar with liquid: sugar cubes in some form of moonshine; oosht a nippy sweetie with a very strong alcohol kick.
We’d pondered an epic – over to Dubh Loch to have a squint up Central Gully. A quick calc of distance had me unsure, and my friend having the beginnings of a foot problem indicated this to be unwise so we sauntered instead around the corrie, having a peak into Black Spout right and left forks (looks pretty steep)
Once back below the snow we pondered further action deciding to head up Conachcraig and Caisteil na Caillich, and poked about the tors. From the Caistel, I could see the tree gullies peeping into the moorland, and pondered another explore, but with my friends foot now in real bother it was time to take the path of least resistance home. Trying new boots? Don’t do it on a long day out..
We meandered down to the Balmoral track then diverted to the overgrown shortcut path to the bothy, though it does have some nice stream-side views. After a rest outside the bothy enjoying the autumn vibes, it was time to collect the sleep kit and humph onwards fully loaded, the sun had now gone but still nice views with snow capped Ben Avon and Beinn a Bhuird, and below autumn colours of the woodlands of Balmoral.
The ‘shortcut’ path along the burn is pretty scritchy, boggy and overgrown in places; I always wonder if it’d just be quicker continuing along the main track and then coming back round to the bothy albeit longer in distance but a good surface all the way.
Nicely timed as the sunlight began to fade, packs off at the Balmoral car park. Great to get an early snow day out. The next week would thaw the cover away, so back to autumn for the time being.