Ptarmigan Mountaineering Club

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Sunday August 1st 2010 - Glen Feshie

Map required:
O.S. 35, 36, 43.

Travel Arrangements
The meet on 1st August is to Glen Feshie. The bus will leave the Portrait Gallery in Queen Street at 7.30 a.m. going via Drum Brae, Forth Road Bridge, A9 to Pitlochry (short stop with facilities) and Aviemore; then B970 to Glen Feshie where it will park at 851984 1 km north of Auchlean. ETA 10 45

Bus Convener
Lynn Youngs

Booking and cancellations
1. Text and phone: Matt Gindele 075 49 48 0321
2. Email: bookings@ptarmiganmc.org.uk

Emergency Number
075 49 48 0321. It must be taken on the hill.

Departure times

Auchlean	17.50
Inverdruie	17.55
Dalwhinnie road end bus stop on A9	18.25
Blair Atholl/Bruar if requested	18.45
Pitlochry arr	19.00
leave	19.30
Waverley	21.05

The Walk
Glen Feshie forms the eastern boundary of the Cairngorms. It is an ideal destination with a long,very varied valley for low level exploration, a wealth of interesting flora and fauna at all levels, a unique plateau and an interesting variety of readily accessible Munros and Corbetts. The river Feshie rises on the side of the Corbett Leathad an Taobhain 29 km south of Feshie Bridge. It flows ENE then makes a remarkable bend, 'the turn of the Feshie' to the west at 915873. It is easy to imagine that it once flowed into the valley of the Geldie burn to become a tributary of the Dee. It was diverted west by gravel banks deposited in the last ice age. The route was used by the drovers to reach Braemar from the Spey valley. At 847976 an old drovers' route runs west to Drumguish. General Wade considered Glen Feshie as a possible route for a road between the Spey and the Dee valleys. North of the bend the glen becomes dramatic as it narrows with crags, waterfalls, scree and fine stands of old pine. Landseer, the romantic par excellence was fond of Glen Feshie and a fresco that he painted in a building near the bothy at Ruigh-aiteachain was visible until about 1930. The current, August edition of Trail has an unromantic and possibly more useful feature on Glen Feshie.

Munros
Mullach Clach a' Bhlair 883927 (1019m). Walk along the road to Auchlean Farm. From there a track follows the River Feshie southwards. It may be best to cross the Feshie by the footbridge at GR 851965 and follow the west bank to another bridge just past Carnachuin. Cross the river and carry straight on at a cross roads of tracks 845937. Climb alongside the Allt Coire Chaoll, past Coire Garbhlach. At 883936 take the track to the south which brings you very close to the summit at 883927. Descend by the ascent route or by traversing north on the ridge as far as Carn Ban Mor (1052m) 894973 from where a path leads west down the Allt Fhearnagan back to Achlean.
Fast parties may find it just as easy to include Sgor Gaoith (1118m) 903989. From the summit, descend via Coire a' Chrom-alltain to reach a path at GR883994 which leads back to the road. Sgor Gaoith (1118m) 903989 gives a superb view over Loch Einich towards Braeriach and the Cairngorm summits. Walk along the road to Achlean and follow the track which takes you slightly south of Carn Ban Mor (1053m) 894973. Follow the ridge NNE to Sgor Gaoith 1118m 903989 and on to Sgoran Dubh Mor (1111m) 905003. A return could be made via Geal Charn (920m) 884015 or Meall Tionail (813m) 884001, coming down to a ford on the Allt Coire na Cloiche and following the path to the road.

Corbetts
Carn Dearg Mor 824912 (857m) can be enjoyed in a fine circuit from Glen Feshie.
Follow the route to Carnachuin as for Mullach Clach a' Bhlair, then turn sharply NW and climb until the track levels at which point turn SSW and walk up to the subsidiary peak of Carn Dearg Beag (694m) 867987. Walk up easy slopes to reach the summit of Carn Dearg Mor. Return by first walking SW to join the track which descends to Lochan an t-Stuic and back into Glen Feshie. A longer alternative would be to continue in a SW direction from the summit to the col and return via the same path you left at the start via the Feith Mhor, although this track may be covered by especially deep heather obscuring the path in many areas at its highest point.
Meallach Mor 777909 769m and Carn Dearg Mor 824912 857m can be reached by getting off the bus at a lay bye near Ruthven Barracks taking the path from 764995 SSE into Glen Tromie going south through Glen Tromie to climb Meallach Mor and then west to take in Carn Dearg Mor from which a northerly descent along the ridge brings you into Glen Feshie.

The route north up the A9 provides the usual choice of hills at Blair Atholl, Drumochter and Kingussie. All of these have been described in some detail in earlier newsletters.

Low Level
There are plenty of low level walks from Auchlean, around Lagganlia and in the Inshriach forest. An interesting network of paths and tracks is shown on OS 35. Walking to or from a lay by on the A9 close to Ruthven presents a variety of possibilities. The path from 765996 into Glen Tromie may be linked with the drovers' route mentioned above. The beautiful Badan Mosach water falls are at NN863969 south of the bus. To the north is the Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve at NH851011 between Feshiebridge and Auchlean. Red squirrel, pine marten, crested tit and crossbill may be seen there.

_{DISCLAIMER
The walks outlined above are merely descriptions of walks in the area: they do NOT represent invitations or recommendations by the Club or any of its Officers to go on these routes. It is the individual and sole responsibility of club members to choose a route that is within their capability taking due account of the timings given and the weather conditions prevailing. There is a legal obligation for bus passengers to wear seat belts, where these are fitted, while the bus is in motion. The Club recommends that seat belts should be fastened at all times.}