Meet to The Raeburn Hut, Laggan, 2nd–4th November, 2018
Present: Neil & Clare Williams, Douglas Vipond, Tony Kinghorn, Peter & Helen Ilieve, Ruth Tibbs & Robert Campbell, and Graeme Morrison.
Despite a couple of late cancellations this was a well-attended meet, dispelling worries that the Central Highlands in November might prove an unpopular weekend venue.
In the course of his journey from Edinburgh, Douglas took advantage of Friday’s fine weather to make an ascent of The Fara (so nearly a Munro, at 911m), while the others travelled north in various combinations on Friday afternoon.
Saturday’s forecast indicated high winds and frequent showers, so none of the party was inclined to venture high. Nevertheless some interesting low-level expeditions were undertaken.
Neil and Clare had a walk in the vicinity of Kingussie and were greatly entertained by the antics of the polar bear cub at Kincraig, the first to have been born in the UK in 25 years.
Meanwhile Peter and Helen went for a walk in the Black Wood to see the Pictish fort, Dùn da-Lamh. They began near the Spey Dam and walked through the woods which were in glorious autumn colours, along good forestry tracks for the main part. A brief diversion was made to see the waterfall on the River Pattack which was quite spectacular and only marred by the arrival of a mini-bus load of Japanese tourists taking selfies. They returned to the wood and up the track until they joined a path that went up to and along the ridge. This was a good path and would have had excellent views down both sides had the weather been better. In parts the path was very churned by mountain bike tracks that made it slippery for walkers. The walk continued to the site of the Pictish fort, which dates from the early Pictish period. The outer wall is up to twenty feet thick, and there are also remains of an inner wall. The stones did not originate in the area, and have a total weight of over 5,000 tons. It was possible to walk along the walls nearly all the way round the fort with good views as the weather cleared here. Peter and Helen returned to the car by an excellent forest track.
Leaving a car at Kinlochlaggan, Ruth, Robert, Tony and Graeme drove to the west end of Loch Laggan and proceeded on foot to Loch na h-Earba, which they followed all the way to the woods of Ardverikie and the sandy east shore of Loch Laggan. With the wind at their backs they found the stormy weather not unpleasant and were able to enjoy fine views of the cliffs of Binnein Shuas and the old mixed woods at Creag a’ Chuir. By teatime the drying room was full of wet clothes, and the common room bustling with culinary activity.
Sunday was a dry day, with only a moderate breeze on the tops. After the hut had been evacuated, Ruth, Robert, Tony and Graeme followed the Allt an t-Sluic above Dalwhinnie, which brought them eventually to the Dirc Mhòr, a spectacular rocky defile that none of them had previously visited. From here the summit of The Fara was reached, and lunch taken in the shelter of the large cairn.
