Carn Ruigh Chorrach, Another Trigpoint

I’ve been meaning to tick this little hill for a while now. There’s nothing special about it, it just sits by the road along which we travel quite regularly, a little further south than the Knock of Braemoray. I’d suggested it to Laura last time we got together for a walk, but after we’d been chatting for a while in my lounge, we realised we weren’t going to make it out for a walk and had a coffee with our sandwiches instead.

However, today we’d arranged to meet at the layby, so it was more likely we would actually head up the hill. For a change, I was early and arrived before Laura. I’d neatly parked the car so Laura could see me, in case she missed the layby, but of course she didn’t. After a little bit of faff, we set off across the road and along a short section of Old Military Road before heading up the track to visit a few ruins on the way to the trig. The path was good and only gently uphill at this point, with good views of the Cairngorms to the south of us and the Dava Moor all around us.

Easter Crannich

Towards Knock of Braemoray

Laura, looking pensive

We bypassed the first set of ruins at Easter Crannich, but visited the next ruins at Rychorrach, before we had to strike out uphill over rough ground. There had been muir burning at some point, but not that recently as the burnt heather stubble was not ashy, just sharp and pokey on the ankles. We steadily made our way up, following the fence line and pausing occasionally to ‘enjoy the view’… It didn’t take too long before the trig came into view and we were soon enjoying the views over Lochindorb and finding accidental geocaches. The obligatory photographs were taken and we headed back off downhill, taking a very slightly line.

Unnamed ruins

 

Rychorrach, with a dangerous walker…

Lochindorb

Towards Cairngorms

Towards Ben Rinnes

Muir burning

Easter Crannich

On the return walk, we called into the ruins that we’d bypassed the first time at Easter Cannich, there was obviously quite a population in the area some time ago, they must have had a hard life in such a harsh, unforgiving environment.

It was quite a grey day, but the only few spots of rain were after we were back sitting in the van eating sandwiches and drinking tea. It wasn’t too cold either, although there was a bit of a breeze and I wouldn’t have wanted to hang around for any great length of time. The total distance was roughly 4.07 miles and 637 ft total ascent, so not a big walk, but really good fun and long enough for the world to be set to rights. Again.

Thanks for the company Laura.

Ls Belles, Yet More Trigpointing

On the chosen day, I nipped over to Laura’s and abandoned the car, then hopped into Laura’s van and we drove to chosen hill, The Scalp. We positioned the van very carefully so as to not block a field entrance or cause an obstruction on the road and I managed not to fall in to the ditch.

Off we set uphill (why, why is it always uphill?) and followed excellent tracks all the way, with only some minor dampness underfoot and a few squawking gulls to avoid. It didn’t long to gain the ridge line, after passing a very sad and sorry looking shooting hut, then in no time we were at the trig. With a little careful positioning, we were able to gain shelter from the strong wind and eat a picnic lunch, enjoying the rather splendid views.

Fabulous sky

Uphill, but not the top

Good tracks

Sad shooting hut (we didn’t try to go inside…)

Laura at the trig, the Moray Coastline behind

Looking west to Ben Rinnes

Coastline again, I think…

A distant pimple, can’t remember what we decided it was

East

Me, Ben Rinnes and the trig

…and Ben Rinnes

Auchindoun Castle, fantastic view from our vantage point

My huge Bourbon biscuit

Orchid!

We eventually made out the inscription on this monument, it was to Dr Grant

After returning to the van, we decided a cup of tea/coffee was in order, so popped into the distillery cafe at Craigellachie. It was rather pleasant. On the way back to Laura’s, her shepherding neighbour asked us to help with some sheep, we had to block their escape up the road so he could herd them into a field. A break away group ran up the hill, looked at us, baa-ed, then turned tail and ran away again. They returned with the mail flock, but turned at the gateway just in time and were successfully persuaded into the field. It was quite fun!

And so was the walk. Cheers Laura!

Laura, investigating what the tourists had been photographing (…lots of whisky barrels. Exciting stuff…)

Fabulous old delivery van

…they’re coming…

….getting closer…

Phew!!

Oh! And there was yet another accidental Geocache. These are becoming habitual.

Ls Belles Trigpointing again

 

Ls Belles have been out and about, quite a lot as it happens, and I have got a little behind (you won’t hear that said very often!!)

So, the first little trigpointing trip was shortly before the Challenge and is a local one for me, Hill 99 in Culbin Forest. It was quite a fun little walk, especially after we’d found the trig (I’ve been there a number of times…), climbed the fire tower and carefully made our way down the sandy steep slope towards The Gut. At this point, Laura realised she had lost her mobile. We had to retrace our steps, back up the sandy steep slop, to the foot of the fire tower and then along the windy path through the trees to find it lying by the side of the path. Several people had walked passed it and ignored it completely, I suppose this was lucky.

Hill 99 trig

View from the top of the fire tower

Relief

The next was Roy’s Hill, west of Knockando. We met at the little layby just by the end of the track and sat in Laura’s van for a little while, watching the surprising amount of cars pass by, surprising as it’s a road to nowhere. After a chat, we both jumped out and I went to change into my boots, but it was starting to rain, so we both jumped back into Laura’s van to let the rain pass.

We did eventually persuade ourselves to walk, so off we went uphill up a well engineered track to find the trig at the top then walk back down again. Good views from the top mind and an accidental Geocache. This was a better walk because we went to the Knockando Woollen Mill cafe for lunch afterwards, a spicy carrot soup with a scone and a hot chocolate. Yum yum.

This well engineered track leads to a wind farm

Laura and the trig, with Ben Rinnes behind

Me and the trig, with the accidental Geocache and the wind farm behind

Unravelling the Geocache record

Ben Rinnes

A different wind farm

The next trigpointing adventure was intended to include two trigs, the first being Carn Maol. Laura abandoned her van at my house, then we abandoned my car at the entrance to a disused quarry before making our way up the track. It was another straightforward walk with just a little bit of yomping across the heather to the trig, with just a little help from the range flag post for reference.

There were some rather lovely orchids on the way and plenty of other wild flowers. There was also a rather splendid shooting hut, which on our return we discovered was unlocked, so we took advantage to sit inside to eat our lunch. Lovely.

Orchids and other flowers

Fabulous orchid

Laura striding up hill

Laura at the trig

Me at the trig

Smashing new shooting hut

Obviously a recent refit

Waiting for Laura

Lousewort

Butterwort

The second trig of the day would have been Carn na Caillich. We parked easily at the entrance to the track and made our way along forestry tracks until we simply could not go any further. The track simply disappeared under heather and gorse and we could not be bothered to fight our way through, even though it was probably less than 500 metres away. Maybe we’ll go back in the winter if it’s snowy and we can snow shoe…or may be not!

I see a patch of blue sky shaped like the UK…