Day 11
Stream site 1.5 kilometers East of the Minigaig summit to site ENE Geal Charn
Daily Distance 29.3k, Time Naismith 9.15, Daily Ascent 1513m, Daily Average Altitude 790m
The map shows our actual route in Blue, and the intended route where it was different in red. The blue numbers on our route are highlighted in the text. The red squares are Munros.
We awoke to mist. The clear skies of yesterday were gone, today we would be walking on bearings. I hoped it did not slow us down too much. We set off up our valley South to regain the watershed,then East. Somewhere here 1 we dropped down out of the cloud and caught a glimpse northward to the Feshie valley. Then the clouds closed in again. We changed direction to East North East.
All this time since the camp we had been walking high at about 800metres, no path, all rounded peaty landforms, I don't remember much about it. Suddenly we came upon a path! 2 We were in Munro territory again. Ahead was Carn an Rhidhleir at 934metres and a seemingly 4 lane path up and down to An Sgarsoch 1006 metres. One North Easterly face on this route was high enough to have a snow field to traverse,3 the first snow for 3 days.
As quickly as it arrived the path turned off and we were walking the watershed with only a little more path than before. It was afternoon now and the clouds had lifted. After six kilometres of more high walking we could look down on Loch Tilt. We could see a reasonable way down but in the lowest bit the river lost its way 4 in an area of pools and deep water and very wet peat bog that took us a long time and some backtracking to navigate. Finally we got to the main North/ South Tilt path followed it beside the river for half a kilometre and turned East by ourselves again.
We tried to follow the river East but the valley became too enclosed and we struck up hill onto a sort of tilted plateau which with much peat hags slowly led us higher and higher to Geal Charn. By now we were really tired and wanted to camp but it was high and windy. We descended away from the wind North into the head of a valley and by losing 150 metres found a sheltered pitch with water but at a bit of a slope. It would have to do.
