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| Snow on the last morning |
Sometimes it only takes a fierce blast of wind to change plans. A few minutes being blown around in the high level car park was enough to persuade us that starting lower down and staying there was a good idea. So it was back in the cars and down to the shelter of the forest.
The forecast being for the high winds and low clouds to
continue we thought we’d probably stay low down and abandon ideas of reaching
the snow and using the skis, snowshoes, ice axes and crampons we’d brought.
This was Tony Hobbs’ annual winter visit to the Cairngorms in the hope of using
his snow gear and learning some skills. And as has become usual it wasn’t going
to happen. This is the problem with having to plan in advance. The week before
or a few days later and we’d have had better conditions. I can be flexible. I
live here. Tony can’t. He travels up from the deep south (Bristol) and has to
make arrangements well in advance.
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| The windy first camp |
That first day we walked out of the forest to camp near the river Nethy. The wind buffeted the tents and I was glad we were no higher. We decided that unless the wind lessened we’d stay low and follow the Nethy into Abernethy Forest the next day and look for a more sheltered site.
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| River Nethy |
The wind was still strong in the morning. The hills were still in cloud. We headed off towards the forest through a mix of heather and grass tussocks. There was no path and the going was tough. At times we were knee deep in the vegetation. Progress was slow, just a kilometre an hour. Soon the river ran into a gorge, forcing us to climb, a little away from the water.
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| Tough walking |
Here the trees are spreading out from the dense heart of Abernethy Forest, owners RSPB having long ago removed the sheep that grazed here and reduced deer numbers. As the trees thickened so did the ground vegetation and walking became even harder. The regenerating forest was marvellous and inspiring though.
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| The Nethy in the forest |
Once we were in the old forest we rejoined the river. There were dry channels where it had flowed and many trees in the water where it had undercut the banks. The Nethy is very mobile.
We were aiming for the end of a vehicle track. On reaching
it progress became a little easier. Long abandoned, it was overgrown but less
tussocky than surrounding terrain. The river was again below us running through
another gorge.
Eventually the track started to descend to a side stream.
Here many trees had blown down and we had to clamber over these to reach boggy
open ground near the burn where we hoped to camp. A little searching and we
found a spot that was reasonably dry, reasonable flat and very sheltered.
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| Dawn on the first morning at the second camp |
The site proved more comfortable than the first one and we decided to stay here for two nights. Light snow fell overnight and dawn came with a dusting on the ground and ice in the water bottles.
I decided to go back up the track and have a look at the
gorge the Nethy ran through. The track was set back from the edge and we hadn’t
really seen it the other day. Tony headed off the other way to see what the walk
out would be like the next day.
I stuffed various items into the roomy kangaroo pocket of my
Paramo smock and set off. As I hadn’t worn or needed my gaiters the day before
I left them in the tent. That was a mistake which I only found out when I’d
gone far enough that I wasn’t going to return for them. The ascent up the track
was fairly dry but once I reached the flat upper section I was pushing through vegetation
wet with thawing snow. My legs were soon sodden from the knees down. My boots
and socks quickly became the same. I had dry socks back in camp and I reckoned
my feet wouldn’t get cold as long as I kept moving.
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| The lochan in the forest |
Leaving the track I wandered through the woods to a lovely little partly frozen lochan. Here I paused a while, relishing the peace and beauty of this hidden gem, one of those surprises that can be found away from well-known places and popular paths.
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| A view down to the Nethy |
When I reached the edge of the ravine I found it quite hard to see into as the forest on the slopes was thick and luxuriant. Only in a few spots could I see the river far below. It looks impressive. Maybe I’ll come back and walk into it from downstream one day.
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| Tony well-wrapped up |
Back in camp we sat outside for hot drinks and snacks. It was cold, just a few degrees above freezing, but calm. Watching the clouds racing across the sky high above made us glad we’d changed our plans. Down here it was peaceful and relaxing.
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| Night |
During the evening the skies cleared and I was back out of the tent looking at the glorious stars. The constellation Orion was dominant, low in the sky between shadowed pines. Magnificent!
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| Snowing at dawn |
The clearance didn’t last. I woke once in the night to look out and see snow drifting down. At dawn the snow was heavier. By the time we were taking the tents down it had stopped and there were hints of sunshine.
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| Blowdowns! |
Tony had told me that the first half kilometre or so along the old track had even more blowdowns that the section we’d descended. He was right and progress was very slow as we clambered over the fallen trees or circumvented them in the forest along their edges. Zigzagging from side to side we probably covered at least three times the straight-line distance.
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| Approaching Ryvoan Bothy |
The hard walking ended when we reached the main track through the forest. Now we had an easy stroll back out of the trees past Ryvoan Bothy, and then back into the trees through Ryvoan Pass. It had been a good trip.
I made a little video of the trip:
