Sgor Gaoith & Mullach Clach a Bhlair. 22nd October 2012

Vicks ascending Geal-Charn with Glen Feshie in the background. Cairngorm. 22/10/2012 (Photo: A J Thorley)

On my return from Bynack More I met up with Vicks at the camp site, who had arrived with fresh food for the evenings supper. After showering I got on with making supper whilst Vicks prepared the butties for the following day. Over supper and drinks we made our plans for the following days adventure.

Looking southeast from Geal-charn towards Sgor Gaoith, Cairngorms. 22/10/2012 (Photo: A J Thorley)

We were up early, I put the kettle on and then made sausage butties for breakfast. Once we finished breakfast we started the task of packing up. Again it was a frosty morning and handling the tent was cold on the hands. By the time we had packed up and waited for the camp site (NH976097) reception to open the sun had burst through the mist to reveal clear skies and sunshine. We paid our fees, jumped into the car and set off for Glen Feshie full of excitement and anticipation.

Me at the summit of Sgor Gaoith with Braeriach in the background. Cairngorms. 22/10/2012 (Photo: A J Thorley)

It was a short drive into Glen Feshie and we parked (NH853012) on the left before the Glen Feshie Youth Hostel (NH849009). On the OS map the car park is not marked. Be careful when parking here, there is a lot of forestry work going on in the area at the moment. We quickly packed our packs and set off along a well made foot path west into the forest. After 2 kilometres the track soon fades to a foot path just before it crosses the Allt nam Bo (NH869009). Just after crossing the stream we left the path and then ascended to Geal-charn (NH884014). Its a steady up hill pull over heather and it was quite relief to get to the summit of Geal-charn and take a breather.

Looking north across the vast plateau from Mullach Clach a Bhlair, Cairngorms. 22/10/2012 (Photo: A J Thorley)

As the weather forecasts had predicted the weather was glorious and we stayed for some time on the summit of Geal-charn before moving on. From the summit of Geal-charn we crossed over an unnamed top (NH888008) to Meall Buidhe (NH892001) then over another unnamed top (NN897998) to Sgoran  Dubh Mor (NH905002) before finally walking along the ridge to Sgor Gaoith (NN903989). Again we stayed for some time on the summit enjoying the views all around us. Even with warming sunshine it was cold, although the wind was nothing more than a gentle breeze it chilled us to the core.

Looking west from the summit of Mullach Clack a Bhlair. Cairngorms. 22/10/2012 (Photo: A J Thorley)

From Sgor Gaoith we continued along the ridge to Carn Ban Mor (NN894972), descended a little and then picked up a foot path (NN893968) which we followed in a south easterly direction to a 4x4 track (NN904956). Once on the 4x4 track we then continued in a south westerly direction to the summit of Mullach Clach a Bhlair (NN883927). It's a fair distance from Sgor Gaoith to Mullach Clach a Bhlair, but the distance seemed to pass in no time at all. The views were spectacular and the walking was easy going. Again we stayed on the summit of Mullach Clach a Bhlair for some time enjoying the views. It was not until the sun started to set and the cold got the better of us that we started to descend.

Looking west towards Carn Dearg Mor. Cairngorms. 22/10/2012 (Photo: A J Thorley)

Returning to the 4x4 track we started off in a northerly direction going over the ground we had just covered to a fork (NN883936) in the 4x4 track. At this point we turned left and descended relentlessly down the 4x4 track in a westerly direction until it was possible to ford the River Feshie (NN847938) just in front of Carnachuin Meml. The OS map shows a bridge (NN846937), this bridge is no longer usable due to it collapsing. The estate has rerouted the 4x4 track to the previous grid reference. Once over the River Feshie we walked along the single track track road in a northerly direction returning back to the car in darkness.     

A kestrel hunting in Glen Feshie. Cairngorms. 22/10/2012 (Photo: A J Thorley)