Day 8
Friday 16th May - Glenmore to Derry Lodge
Suddenly Southwards.....
I had a really nice full Scottish breakfast at the little cafe at Glenmore. This cafe has a squirrellarium where you can watch the local red squirrels, plus all kinds of small birds feeding whilst you scoff your breakkies. A fine place, good value, friendly staff (see? it can be done!)
This was in the company of Bob from Bristol who had started the TGO by walking in from Cape Wrath(!) Needless to say that by this time he was really coasting and had a fine tan.
After breakfast, we set off along the track past the reindeer centre and Glenmore Lodge (where you go for your winter skills courses) and the green lochan, turning east then south past the site of Bynack stables (a fine wild camping spot) and over the shoulder of Bynack More. Its a bit of a slog, up over 750 metres, but the views improve with distance. Eventually we came to the Fords of Avon. There's a little shelter by the Fords because they can get a bit dangerous and there's always a chance that you might have to wait a day (or more!) for the waters to recede enough to make a crossing.
Today, the water levels weren't too bad and Bob hopped into the middle on rocks and then borrowed my walking poles to make a tactical hop onto a slippery boulder. I opted for a shin-deep paddle in sandals. It was a bit cold! Lee turned up a couple of minutes later and, basically, sploshed across.
We were now close to the site where Bob had been rescued by helicopter some years earlier after breaking an ankle up in the mountains in winter conditions.
We continued happily to the bealch at Lairig an Laoigh where an immense prospect south opened up. This is a fab walk. It gets eleven out of ten.
After yet more plodding we finally arrived at the scots pine woodland at Derry Lodge - an area which will potentially hold hundreds of wild campers, but is unfortunately developing a bit of a reputation for wild poo.....
But its a beautiful spot and was already occupied by various wild campers, including some TGO challengers. More arrived during the evening. This is the jumping-off spot for the fleshpots of Braemar - half a dozen easy miles East.
I decided to just shop and, maybe have a drink in Braemar and then push on to Callater for reasons which may well become more obvious in the next bit....
16 miles (128 so far) and 2300 feet of ascent.
