More Rain In Glen Feshie

Beasts in the glen

Not long after the stormy trip through Glen Feshie and over the Lairig Ghru with Tony Hobbs, as described in this post, I was back in Glen Feshie with Wolfgang Petter and his friend Stefan. The original plan, as with Tony, had been a walk in the NW Highlands but the weather forecast had us changing that to an overnight trip in Glen Feshie. Not that the forecast for the Cairngorms was good but Glen Feshie should be sheltered from the storms forecast for the hills.

River Feshie in the rain

We certainly had shelter from the wind. There was barely a breeze as we walked up the glen. But not from the rain, which fell much of the time. High above the tops were hidden in thick grey cloud. The wetness had one benefit though. The autumn colours glowed.

Stefan viewing the River Feshie and the Allt Garbhlach

The river surged and roared. Stream crossings required care to keep feet dry. The vegetation was wet though and at times pushing through it unavoidable.

Impressive horns!

Shaggy and wet, Highland cattle, introduced into the glen to break up the ground so that more varied vegetation can grow, stared at us from damp meadows. Some were on the track at a stream crossing, unbothered at our passing by.

Wolfgang outside his tent

We made camp on some reasonably flat ground not far from the river, or at least one of the many channels it formed. The rain continued and we were soon undercover, making hot drinks and food.

Dawn view

Rain fell most of the night, or at least it was doing so the few times I woke, and the tent was soaked in the morning. There was much condensation inside the flysheet too. Given that the air and the ground were saturated this wasn't surprising. I was warm and dry in the inner tent anyway.

Wolfgang admiring a patch of blue sky

Dawn came with drifting mists and swirling high clouds. There were patches of blue at times though and the rain had stopped. With no need to leave early as we were just walking back down the glen we wandered about admiring the clouds, the mist, the river, the forest, the wildness. Peaceful, magical, perfect.

Early morning clouds & mist

The walk back along the glen was uneventful. It didn't rain. The cattle had moved on. The streams were already lower than the previous day. There were masses of fungi in the damp forest.

River Feshie channel near camp

Wolfgang made a video of the trip which should appear later in the years on his McPetter's Schottland YouTube Channel. He has already posted a video of the trip to Craig bothy he and Stefan had made the week before our trip.

There were fungi everywhere