Day 9: Saturday 18 May – Newtonmore to Ruigh-aitechain
23km with 318m ascent
It took a while to really get going today, which I think is a legacy of my original plan to pop up to Aviemore to do parkrun, then come back and do the day’s (short) walk in the afternoon. Having scrapped the idea of the parkrun detour, I knew I had loads of time to play with.
I popped along to the diner for breakfast, before returning to the hostel to retrieve my pack and get going. I stopped almost immediately to post yet another parcel – this one was at least going home though. Then i went into the Co-op for supplies.
5km along the cycle path to Kingussie and attempted to stop in a cafe. Ordered a milkshake, went to look at the flavours on offer and was then promptly ignored, in what was admittedly a very busy cafe. I simply walked out, and now committed to the idea of a milkshake got one in the Co-op. I sat in the park and drank it.
Eventually I got going properly, along the road to Ruthven Barracks.
A stopped for a few minutes to look at the ruins and then continued on my way to Tromie Bridge, taking a sit down break just off the road at the start of the forestry.
I followed a succession of forestry tracks until the mountains the other side of Glen Feshie came into view.
I found myself with a stream to cross, and not wanting to get wet feet so close to the end of the day’s walk, changed into Crocs, and kept them on until I was sure I’d done wading through water.
Crossing the Feshie itself was notable for the fact that below the bridge on one side was a party of nudists bathing.
Making my way up the glen, at one point, there was a nasty eroded bit which was a bit hairy. I’d not walked this part of the glen before and it surprised me.
I eventually arrived at the bothy, put the tent up straightaway as I expected rain, then went to get water.
Only then did I venture inside the bothy, where I found Elli talking with Lindsay. A cup of tea was offered and drank. As more people arrived, and some drifted off, I slunk back to my tent for the night.
Day 10: Sunday 19 May – Ruigh-aitechain to River Dee
25 km with 381m ascent
Originally, my plan for today was to climb Mullach Clach a’ Bhlair and then drop down to the Geldie Burn, but I’d already ditched this idea on the walk-in to Glen Feshie. I’d also all but made the decision not to attempt the big detour up Glen Quoich and via Loch Builg to Ballater that was in my plan, and simply to straight-line it to Ballater instead. I was still recovering from not being very well, and very much in the mode of not pushing things.
My plan for the day had been to stop at Ruigh nan Clach where I camped on my last Challenge, but dropping the Munro meant I might be able to go a bit further. But not a lot unless I wanted to push all the way to Braemar, which would put me a full day ahead. if I was taking the shorter route, I’d have to pace myself.
Walking up Glen Feshie you do get a real sense of continual change – it’s a vibrant glen in a way that so many are not. This was going to be a treat. There were two landslips to negotiate, but neither turned out to be anything like as bad as the one I did yesterday on the way to the bothy.
I stopped for coffee by the ruined shack and soon after came to the bridge over the Eidart.
After that the path became harder work with lots of dips and streams to get across. It was just energy sapping and thank goodness I put some music on. By now the scenery had settled down a bit. Several bikers coming the other way looked absolutely done in, and I didn’t know how to tell them it would get harder.
Just before 2pm I reached the new (red) bothy and chatted to the chap there. after half an hour, a guy came over from the Glen Tilt direction, we said hi briefly then I headed off. i wasn’t going to go far, but was keen to start looking for a camp spot and chilling out in the tent a bit.
I looked at several patches by the Dee and on a large expanse of grass before White Bridge, but ultimately went for a spot off the track by the edge of an old forest.
Day 11: Monday 20 May – River Dee to Braemar
15 km with 90m ascent
With just 42km to Ballater by the route I now intended to take, I had a bit of a dilemma. I could conceivably do it all in one day and get there a day early, and use it as a rest day as I was booked in for Tuesday night already when I’d be meeting up with Darren and Jason. Or I could do the walk more comfortably over the two days, but then how to split it ?
I could go past Braemar and stop halfway to Ballater, but camping spots are few and far between. or I could go to Braemar and camp at the campsite, leaving me a bigger day to Ballater the next day.
Ultimately, the camping decided it – I’d go to Braemar today and do the long slog tomorrow. My left foot starting to hurt just confirmed this as the right thing to do. I think this was due to me mainly using a single trekking pole top walk with for the Challenge so far – all on the right side. I swapped it over to relieve the stress on the left a bit.
The walk itself was simple enough – I’ve done a version of this 4 times before, and consequently I decided to walk the road south of the Dee this time. There was no point staying north and going past Mar Lodge as I was too late: their hospitality finished yesterday.
I had a little sit on a wall about halfway for a rest, but other than that it was all a quiet road walk.
In Braemar, I made for the Bothy coffee shop first, got myself coffee and cake and bumped into Elli again, along with Maxence who’d retired and was now cherry-picking his way through bits of his walk to the coast. I picke dup some supplies and headed for the campsite to chill out and rest the foot.
My friend Rich turned up too – I’d been advised by a mutual friend he was heading this way. We sat and chatted for a long while, and arranged to set off together the next day after meeting for breakfast.
Day 12: Tuesday 21 May – Braemar to Ballater
29 km with 202m ascent
Up and ready for the agreed 08:45 departure time, chosen to hit the Bothy around opening time. Breakfast done, and a second lingering coffee, it was 10:30 before we shouldered packs and headed off. Following the road to Invercauld Bridge.
At Connachat Cottage, my usual stopping place for a rest, we stuck to the tradition. This was also the point where Rich and I would part ways – him heading in the Gelder Shiel direction, and me via Balmoral and the lanes to Ballater.
I trod the fairly familiar route to Balmoral, promising myself a further rest once I’d hit the road there. As I arrived at the footbridge over top Crathie I bumped into Gerry (from day 7/8) and Roland. I really needed a rest, otherwise I’d have joined them – we were going the exact same way.
The road walk was as hard and boring as I remembered, with the last 5km being especially hard – at this point you know you’re close, and can even see where Ballater is, but the winding of the roads doesn’t get you any nearer.
I got to Ballater caravan park to find Darren and Jason already there. We milled about a bit, before I grabbed a shower and then headed to dinner. We had trouble getting in several places, but eventually struck lucky.
Darren wasn’t on the Challenge this year, he was just touring meeting up with friends, but Jason and I already had a plan to walk together the next day, and potentially almost all the way to the coast. It would nice to have some company for the rest of the walk…
