14-16/07/23 Weekend Meet: Mill Cottage, Feshiebridge.

Another return to Mill Cottage at Feshiebridge, NH 84710 04782, a property run and owned by an independent trust set up by Mountaineering Scotland. We had a full hut of 14 x members, all enjoying what turned out to be a less dreich weekend than was forecast!

Bikes at the ready for some.

Having cycled from Mill Cottage to Loch an Eilein, NH 89697 07638, on Friday 14th, PB decided to leave his bike on Saturday and instead did an anti-clockwise tour of Cairngorm on foot from the Base Station Car Park, NH 98889 06074, up Cairn Lochan, NH 98583 02553, via its northern ridge, onto Stob Coire an t-Sneachda, NH 99627 03011, then Cairn Gorm itself, NJ 00556 04020, descending the NW ridge from the Ptarmigan Station, NJ 00458 04866. Pic shows view from the start of the Cairn Lochan ascent looking north towards Aviemore and Loch Morlich.

Looking north down into Coire an Lochan.

Looking SW into Coire an Sneachda.

PB at the Cairngorm weather station.

Also that Saturday, SP & TF ascended Sgor Gaoith, NN 90280 98955, via the Allt Ruadh route to the NW, NH 85905 01098. Pic shows the view looking down to the northern end of Loch Eanaich, NN 91585 99630, from the summit. A good path the whole way.

Images of TF & SP at the top.

They descended via the NW ridge ending in Geal-charn, NH 88418 01454. Pic shows descent back to Scots Pine forest lining Allt Ruadh. Time taken around five and half hours, 15km distance and about 900m of ascent. A good foot path on the ascent made all the difference.

A busy day on Saturday, this time a party of six headed to a point just west of Dorback Lodge, NJ 07746 16852, with the intent of climbing Geal Charn, NJ 09042 12721, pictured on the horizon, with lonely, abandoned Upper Dell, NJ 08233 16384, where we had to ford the stream, left of centre by the trees in the picture.

Caledonian pine trees in a gully.

Cloudberry.

The party head up the gradual incline from the track at NJ 08968 14420, onto Geal Charn’s NW shoulder.

A View of the Cromdale hills to the north from the NW shoulder.

…are you listening to me – BR experiences some wax shifting in his left ear.

CM & BR discuss the options on the map atop a rucksack that looks as if it has had enough.

Finally at the top, we see BR taking no chances with Harry, despite CS’s warnings, whilst IH, EA & CM try to look dignified.

…a contender for the FVMC Photo Competition!

On the route down Geal Charn’s NE shoulder the group stop for a break…giving time for EA, CS & Harry the Dog to wonder when MMcE & BR will start speaking again - well that’s how it looks!

Having arrived at the track, NJ 10892 13789, they had an easy 4km walk back to Dorback Lodge.

And last up that Saturday AS & GG travelled NE to the Blackwater Forest in order to climb the Fiona Cook’s Cairn, NJ 30226 27867, but first they stopped off en route to see the nice bothy at Suie, NJ 27605 24822, which is SW of the mountain.

The view from the top of Cook’s Cairn with Ben Rinnes, NJ 25506 35454, to the NW.

Sunday 16/07/23 was a bit dreich, so many folk opted for low level walks. BR, IH & CM left the hut on foot and headed for Loch an Eilein, NH 89708 07611, via Loch Gamhna, NH 88992 06672, the picture taken from its SW corner.

…IH practices the recital of a poem he intends to use at the annual dinner meet – BR tries to remain positive.

Loch an Eilein through the trees.

Nearly back at the hut, a view of the river Feshie, looking south from Feshiebridge, NH 85153 04315.

Earlier that day, the ladies CS, EA, MMcL & MMcE headed south, down the track on the west side of the river Feshie.

Overall a very good weekend with less rain than expected.