FOUR COURSES IN BADENOCH

3rd to 6th October 2013

Antipasti.

A starter to whet the appetite. Can be fairly sizeable.

As we drifted north over Drumochter Pass, on Friday morning, the shapes of mountains started gradually to emerge from the low cloud. "We could go up that one......" someone said. Without further words, the car swung into a layby. The shapely dome now visible, turned out to be A' Mharconaich (975 metres). As we went up, past the Boar of Badenoch, the mist obligingly dispersed. Only shreds of cloud clung on the hill, like smoky remains of a battlefield.

 

As the day cleared, we completed the circuit over Geal Charn (917m) -- my 4th visit to this one - before stocking up on coal and vino for the bothy.

 

 

 

Primi Piatti

A main course, often very filling.

Feeling we'd hit a pool of clear weather (much worse elsewhere) there was no need to venture far from Newtonmore, so Saturday's route started from the nearby car park in Glen Banchor.
A three-mile march upstream took us to Am Bodach (The Old Man) and A'Chailleach (The Old Woman) facing each other across the head of the valley.

Dolly pointed out that The Old Man is merely a cliff face, whereas The Old Woman is higher, and listed as a Munro. Steve, Keith, and I kept silent. Anyway, we sat on The Old Man's head for first lunch, then away around Carn Sgulain (920m) and A'Chailleach (930m) (my 4th time again) being spared any mist or rain, and by close of business, we had all got a decent appetite for a good feed back at t'bothy.

 

Secundi Piatti

Some nice meat, though not necessarily an over-large course.

 
Clearing skies on Sunday had us heading into Glen Feshie, and up the easy track onto the western Cairgorms, and Sgorr Gaoith - a step higher at 1118 m. (another 4th time !). The summit is a narrow point projecting from the plateau, which seems to almost overhang the 2000 foot cliffs down down down to Loch Einich.

All around, the peaks of the Gorms were spread out for our view, from The Ptarmigan restaurant, across Fiacaill Ridge, the Chalamain Gap, Brieriach, Angels Peak and Carn Toul, with distant Lochnagar visible beyond. Tea and buns in the Feshie cake shop were definitely called for.

 

Dolce

Something sweet, and rather smaller.

Finally on Monday the weather was calling time in Aviemore. Moving north-east out of the way, we finished the weekend with the 840-metre Corbett of Ben Rinnes. A large hill standing on its own, with a vast panorama west across the Moray Forth to the Black Isle, and east almost to Aberdeen. A broad track runs to the rocky summit. Short and sweet. ANDREW