Author Topic: More Info re Lairig Ghru  (Read 3931 times)

myxpyr

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #15 on: 15:35:11, 01/05/19 »
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myxpyr

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #16 on: 15:39:13, 01/05/19 »
Getting back to Aviemore from Braemar is a huge pain. But if the idea of a linear rather than circular walk attracts you have you considered peeling off at Whitebridge and heading down Glen Tilt to Blair Atholl? Seems a very pleasant alternative to me, and its then easy to get a train directly back to Aviemore from Blair Atholl.
That looks tempting but I see the distance from White Bridge to Blair Atholl is circa 20 miles with no apparent bothies en route. That said images suggest there are good camping possibilities

richardh1905

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #17 on: 18:07:50, 01/05/19 »
Just been looking at the 1:50,000 map - so many possibilities!
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Owen

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #18 on: 16:13:21, 02/05/19 »
Here you go, looking up the Larig Ghru, Cairn Toul and Braeiach on the sky line. Corrour Bothy on the left.





As you can see no ice axe needed, their is snow forecasted for this weekend but it won't last long now as the ground is too warm.


When you say you want to start in Braemar, do you mean in the village or at the Linn of Dee car park? They're about 10km apart and there's no off road path between them, so a long road walk or short taxi ride to start. From the car park it's about 5km of estate road to Derry lodge and Bob Scott's Bothy. Corrour Bothy is about 8km from Derry lodge, the path is very well graded and dry apart from a short boggy section just after Derry lodge. From Corrour to the top of the pass just beyond the Pools of Dee is about another 6km. There's a short section of weaving around some large boulders just after the pass but not enough to require using your hands. After that you'll see a junction in the path, right for the Chalamain gap which leads to the ski centre car park.


 The main path continues down besides the Allt Druidh through the upper Rothiemurchus forrest, this is a lovely section of the walk. At the bottom you come to a T - junction, turn right for Loch Morlich and Glenmore village - the T - Junction is about 7km from the summit of the Lairig Ghru pass. Loch Morlich is about 4km from the junction the village is 3km further.


 If your going to Aviemore don't go to the village, turn left at the Loch. You can use the "Old Logging Way" this is a footpath/cycle path that parallel's the road. About 8km to Aviemore. There's no easy way back to Braemar, if there's a few of you it might be easier to split the cost of a taxi.


If you want to walk the Lairig An Laoigh back to Derry lodge. There's a YHA in Glenmore, Glenmore lodge also let out their rooms for the night. Or there's Ryvoan Bothy about 4km along the path from Glenmore village. Follow the signs to Glenmore lodge, go past the lodge past An Lochan Uaine (the green lochan) the bothy is about another km. You'll past the start of the Lairig An Laoigh path before the bothy, there's a big sign.


From the Ryvoan Bothy to the Fords of Avon is about 10km, there's a footbridge over the river Nethy but not over the river Avon (Arn). There's a "Refuge" at the fords, more a small shed than a bothy, usually full of German students, but there's loads of camping. Unless the river is high you should get across dry footed. It's around 10km from the fords back to Derry lodge.


If you want to walk back via Glen Feshie. At the T - junction at the bottom of the Lairig Ghru path turn left, go over the Cairngorm club footbridge and follow the footpath to Loch an Eilean. Take the path along the south side of the loch. There's a small bothy in the woods at NH 884056, just a wooden hut. The forest tracks will take you to Feshiebridge village 5km from the bothy. From Feshiebridge to Achlean farm is 8km of road walking, you're unlikely to meet many cars on that road so not much chance of a lift. Ruigh Aiteachain Bothy is 6km from Achlean the path is good apart from crossing the Allt Choire Chaoil stream which requires a scramble down one bank cross over the steeping stones and up the other side. Apart from that you could drive a landrover all the way. The bothy is brand new and very posh, even an outside loo.



Three km past the bothy the track goes through two ford where it crosses and then re-crosses the River Feshie there is a by-pass path on the left, it starts about 400m before the first ford. It's partly obscured by a fallen tree and not obvious from this side. From the bothy to White Bridge - on the Dee is 20km. The Linn of Dee car park is a further 5km.   
 

vizzavona

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #19 on: 21:44:25, 02/05/19 »
Hello Owen,
I am sure that folks using the description of how to get around in the glens of the Cairngorms will be useful for walkers.
In my own local Glen that of the Feshie I hope you don't mind if I make a couple of suggestions.  At the river crossing that you mention when heading out to the Bothy at Ruigh Aiteachain where you talk of a crossing of the Allt Choire Chaoil...scrambling down a steep-bank etc. The stream here is the Allt Garbhlach burn and I find that the old path and crossing marked on the OS maps is the easier place to cross and the path continues to where it meets the new path that you used.
The Allt Choire Chaoil starts somewhere up near to Mullach Clach a'Bhlair and is much closer to the bothy and the stream here is one that I can splash through on my bike.
The bothy is a very old building, a bothy as long as I have know it, that was in recent times stripped back to the walls, roof replaced, and totally renovated by the gentleman who owns the estate for the use of walkers.  Even in winter it now offers warm accommodation for walkers...heat from the two large Jotul stoves.
Also there is no need to cross and re-cross the Feshie river....simply work your way across the material brought down from the slopes above and don't forget the footbridge across river Eidart especially so if the river is running high.

Owen

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #20 on: 22:05:40, 02/05/19 »
At the river crossing that you mention when heading out to the Bothy at Ruigh Aiteachain where you talk of a crossing of the Allt Choire Chaoil...scrambling down a steep-bank etc. The stream here is the Allt Garbhlach burn and I find that the old path and crossing marked on the OS maps is the easier place to cross and the path continues to where it meets the new path that you used.


Yes, your right Allt Garbhlach. There has been a lot of fence building and track Laying going on around Achlean. Someone has been spending serious money.



The bothy is a very old building,


It's been completely re-fitted, they're done a fantastic job.



Also there is no need to cross and re-cross the Feshie river....simply work your way across the material brought down from the slopes above


That's what I meant by the by-pass path.


  don't forget the footbridge across river Eidart especially so if the river is running high.


Yes.

vizzavona

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #21 on: 07:53:24, 03/05/19 »
Hello,
Work has been on-going for a couple of years now, after being sold, on the tidying up of the Area around the Auchlean croft....now a rather smart looking business complex.
A couple of weeks ago when returning down the glen on my bike I had my first meeting with the fences and the start of a track being gouged out. A diversion for walkers and cyclists heading up the glen? Anyway I used the gate to continue past the buildings and to reach the tarred surface to continue down the glen. Probably the next time I cycle this way I will on a diversion which under the new laws in Scotland perfectly legitimate so long as an alternative if arranged.
Bypass? Yes but the old path/track lies under the debris/scree stuff so I guess the deep river there is the bypass for the estate land rovers to reach the upper reaches of the estates terrain. I could be wrong maybe the river crossing for the vehicles has always been the way to make progress here....during my span of passing this way since 1974 I had the idea of the track being sliced through and the alternative tricky two crossings of the Feshie were the new way for vehicles....I must look a bit more closely next time I am up that way.
« Last Edit: 08:02:45, 03/05/19 by vizzavona »

richardh1905

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #22 on: 08:15:20, 03/05/19 »
Hello,
Work has been on-going for a couple of years now, after being sold, on the tidying up of the Area around the Auchlean croft....now a rather smart looking business complex.
A couple of weeks ago when returning down the glen on my bike I had my first meeting with the fences and the start of a track being gouged out. A diversion for walkers and cyclists heading up the glen? Anyway I used the gate to continue past the buildings and to reach the tarred surface to continue down the glen. Probably the next time I cycle this way I will on a diversion which under the new laws in Scotland perfectly legitimate so long as an alternative if arranged.
Bypass? Yes but the old path/track lies under the debris/scree stuff so I guess the deep river there is the bypass for the estate land rovers to reach the upper reaches of the estates terrain. I could be wrong maybe the river crossing for the vehicles has always been the way to make progress here....during my span of passing this way since 1974 I had the idea of the track being sliced through and the alternative tricky two crossings of the Feshie were the new way for vehicles....I must look a bit more closely next time I am up that way.



Where is this diversion that you speak of, vizzavona?
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Owen

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #23 on: 09:30:07, 03/05/19 »

Where is this diversion that you speak of, vizzavona?


Around Achlean farm just past the car park at the end of the tarmac road.

Owen

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Re: More Info re Lairig Ghru
« Reply #24 on: 09:39:36, 03/05/19 »
Hello,

Bypass? Yes but the old path/track lies under the debris/scree stuff so I guess the deep river there is the bypass for the estate land rovers to reach the upper reaches of the estates terrain. I could be wrong maybe the river crossing for the vehicles has always been the way to make progress here....during my span of passing this way since 1974 I had the idea of the track being sliced through and the alternative tricky two crossings of the Feshie were the new way for vehicles....I must look a bit more closely next time I am up that way.


The landrover track goes through the fords, what I'm calling the by-pass path is just the narrow footpath that contours the scree slope to avoid the fords. I have waded the fords their not that deep maybe up to my knees, no problem for a real landrover but deep enough to kill most Chelsea tractors.

 

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