Day 1 - Friday 15 June 2018
Living in Orkney I don’t have easy access to the higher hills, so having to head ‘sooth’ to pick my son up from Glasgow presented me with an opportunity that I could not ignore. After catching the early morning ferry and driving down to Aviemore, where I had a bone to pick with Blacks over some faulty boots, I headed for Glen Feshie. After parking near Achlean I headed for the hills; time 1335. My plan was to climb Mullach Clach a Bhlair, and then cross over to the valley of the River Eidart before spending the night at the head of Glen Feshie.
After a couple of pleasant miles along good paths, I struck off over moorland to the foot of dramatic Coire Garbhlach, before climbing steep heathery slopes to Meall nan Sleac (800m). Fine views unfolding, and lots of wild flowers to add interest to the climb.
The road to Achlean Farm
Coire Garbhlach
Views unfolding as I climbed...
There were fine views down into Coire Garbhlach to my left as I passed the summit and joined a Land Rover track that headed up on to Moine Mhor. A couple of showers had me reaching for my waterproofs but the weather had improved by the time I was on the plateau.
Meall nan Sleac summit cairn and the climb ahead
The summit of Mullach Clach a Bhlair (1019m) is an anticlimax, to say the least, but there were fine views of Cairn Toul in particular. I think that I spied the pyramid shape of Meall a Bhuchaille above Glen More throuh a gap in the higher hills.
From the summit I headed east; easy going along the track, until I was able to turn north and descend the southern rim of Coire Mharconaich; a place of utter solitude. Rough going though, with peat bog and heather - and frogs.
Choire Mharconaich
I was hoping for a path along the banks of the River Eidart, but I was to be disappointed; the only intermittent paths were made by cloven hoof rather than Vibrammed boot. No option but to struggle on though, through knee deep heather and over bog, and it was a long 5 miles down to the River Feshie. I have to say that this took the shine off the day’s walk, and I did not appreciate the finer points of the valley, which is lovely in an austere way. Some fine cascades, especially lower down.
River Eidart
I camped near the ‘Pony Hut’, a crude shelter at Grid Ref 906885, arriving at 2000; six and a half hours and around 14 miles walking from the car.
Day 2 to follow…