By the time I set off pedaling it was 12, not exactly the best time to start a major traverse into Britain's wildest mountain range, but given that it wouldn't get dark until after 11 I was fairly relaxed. Bugger. Just realised I'd forgotten my camera so no pics. Also forgotten lights so no overnight nonsense.... As usual I headed off up Glen Tilt. I'd last been up here in April when it was quite chilly so it was nice to be heading up in the dry and warmth of a June afternoon. That said there was a fair bit of cloud around and the odd sprinkle of rain. but the trails were pretty dry so progress was good and soon enough I'd done the usual progression from smooth track to rough track to single track, finally topping out at Bynack lodge.
As I pedaled alongside the Dee, I noted that the cloud was lurking over the Cairngorm Plateau but it looked brighter to the east. So an earlier plan to head up through the Lairig Ghru was abandoned and instead from Linn of Dee I traced my April route up Glen Quoich and along the single track through the woods to the wide glen below Ben Avon. Also as per April I headed up over into Glen Gairn. This trail is one of my favourites hereabouts and with less weight, less water and more heat it was fab. The rivers and burns were nigh on dry - chalk and cheese to my April traverse in a deluge with burns off Ben Avon full of snow melt.
The last time I'd done the Loch Builg trail was 2011 and it had been very very wet. This evening it was bone dry and easy going. Likewise the river crossings into Glen Builg were so low as to be ignored and soon enough I was cruising down Glen Avon. Another plan had been to turn up Glen Avon and make for the fords, possibly staying in Fainduran bothy. But the cloud was persisting over the high ground so I kept on down the glen. I rolled into Tomintoul at just after 6 and thankfully the shop was still open. Food was acquired and eaten sat out in the warm evening, my onward route options floating through my mind. In the end I figured I'd just do the usual Glen Brown / Dorback / Egg path route and then try to get down into Glen Tromie for a camp.
The track over to Glen Brown had been done up since my last visit and I managed to find the right trail through the valley bottom so soon enough I was climbing out over to Dorback Lodge and out onto the road. I briefly contemplated a cop out on the road but given the dry trails and having plenty of daylight I climbed over the egg path (So called because it passes below Eag Morr, a small rocky gnoll) reveling over how dry it was compared to when I'd done it in 2011.
Somehow going up ryvoan pass I got on the wrong route and rode up by a house before managing to drop back down onto the right trail. The top section seems to have been cleared out as if its going to be upgraded. I bypassed Ryvoan bothy as I figured it would be busy on a midsummers night and instead bombed down the empty trail to Glenmore and the logging road to Aviemore.
Aviemore supplied more food courtesy of the Happy Haggis Chippy - smoked sausage and chips washed down by a large cup of coffee. It was now 9.45 and starting to get dark, thanks to heavy overcast. So my lack of lights meant I needed to do the 10 miles down to the Glen Tromie turn off sharpish. Despite the distance I'd done I hared off down the Insh road into the gloaming. The last few miles were a bit iffy with no lights but there was bugger all traffic so no worries.
Finally I reached the turn off and could relax now I was off the public road. Next up was finding a camp spot before it got full dark. I'd hoped to reach an area I knew just past Gaik Lodge but given the rapidly disappearing light instead stopped at a wide grassy area by the river, just past Lynaberack Lodge. The tent was out and up in double quick time thanks to the midges which made an instant appearance when I stopped. Once it was up, I dived in, splatted the midges that had followed me and then crashed out, some 11 hours after I'd started. On checking the GPS I saw I'd done 157k i.e 3k short of a 100 miler. Oh well nowt I can do about it now! Sleep was instant thanks to my long day.
My bladder woke me at 4am but I couldn't face getting out of the tent into the midges then back in again so made breakfast, packed up sharpish and headed up the misty glen. The sun quickly burned the mist away and it was great being out so early on such a nice day. The traverse of the Gaik was as good as usual and I noticed some fossilised bud and nate tyre tracks from my ride through the previous week. Then it was the fast cruise down the track, along the cycleway, back to the car for just after 8.
I was pleased. This was the longest ride I'd done since my failed Highland Trail attempt and I'd ridden a fair old distance over some hard terrain without too much effort and at a nice easy pace that was perfect for this kind of distance. Next up the full Cairngorms Loop!
I was pleased. This was the longest ride I'd done since my failed Highland Trail attempt and I'd ridden a fair old distance over some hard terrain without too much effort and at a nice easy pace that was perfect for this kind of distance. Next up the full Cairngorms Loop!
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