TGO Challenge 2025

Day 12, Glen Gairn to Ballater.

I woke early with sunshine on the tent and no wind so actually got away early for once.

Morning sunshine

I met a couple of Challengers camping at Corndavon Lodge and they told me there were six there last night so I was quite glad that I had camped where I did.

Mountain hare on the track

I caught up with two of the other Challengers after getting slightly lost near Tomnavey which I didn't understand having walked that way at least twice before but they had done the same thing so something must have changed!

Looking back to Corndavon Lodge 

It was a pleasant walk in company to Ballater then and we arrived at a café at lunch time, perfect.

Gairn Sheil bridge

On to the campsite then, after booking a table for dinner tonight.

Ballater in the evening

I had planned to get the blog updated after the last number of signal less days but spent too much time chatting to Challengers so only just managed it.

14.5 miles walked, 400 meters ascent.

TGO Challenge 2025

Day 11 Cairngorm to Glen Gairn

A bright sunny morning again but the cold north wind was still blowing. 

Heading down Coire Raibeirt 

The descent or Coire Raibeirt is gentle at first then drops very steeply to Loch A'an where the view of all the crags opens up.

Loch A'an coming into view

The water in Loch A'an is crystal clear as there is no peat on the hills around it although that didn't stop the midges according to someone who had camped by the loch last night.

Shelter stone Crag at the head of Loch A'an

It is a long walk down the river, first on a rough path that becomes boggy before reaching Faindoran bothy, which is in excellent condition, and then a track.

Loch A'an 

When I reached the junction to Glen Builg some heavy dark cloud rolled in and as soon as the sun was covered the temperature dropped.

Glen A'an 

The walk up Glen Builg continued wearing jacket hat and gloves. I had just been thinking that I hadn't seen much wildlife when an eagle appeared overhead until it decided I wasn't interesting and flew away, never beating a wing.

River A'an near Faindoran bothy 

Up Glen Builg

The place that I thought would be ok as a camp was exposed to the north wind so I continued for another mile or so down Glen Gairn and found a quiet spot by the stone remains of an old building.

Down Glen Gairn 

Nice campsite 

19 miles walked 500 meters ascent.

TGO Challenge 2025

Day 10 Cairn Toul to Cairngorm.

Another day of continuous sunshine with a northerly breeze to keep the temperature down. It was a perfect night in the tent as well, despite being 1000 meters high, no frost and no condensation.

Beinn Bhrotain

Rather than climb back to the ridge I decided to contour round to the path that drops to Corrour bothy and I'm very glad that I did because I came across a small herd of Reindeer on the high pasture.

A small herd of Reindeer 

A steep descent to the bothy where there were a few people camping outside, accros the river and started walking up the Lairig Ghru.

Down to Corrour Bothy

I made a bad mistake then. My original plan had been to climb Ben Macdui by the Tailors Burn path which is extremely steep and quite difficult so I thought I could improve on that by making a rising traverse up the side of Carn a' Mhaim.

Bridge over the Dee below the Devils Point 

It started well enough but it got steeper and the heather deeper until, with my legs thoroughly scoured (too hot for trousers), I thought it would be easier to ascend to the ridge by the rocks above.

Down to the Lairig Ghru 

The whole thing could have been disastrous but I got to the bealach in the end, having taken twice as long and expended a least twice as much energy as I would have on the path, however it was 'interesting'.

Another view down

The climb through the boulders was simple, by contrast.

Looking across the boulders to Braerieach 

There were a few people on the top but it is only the second highest peak so doesn't attract anything like the numbers Nevis does.

The top of Ben Macdui 

It's a straightforward walk down and round to Cairngorm but the path is quite rocky in places especially the climb to the top.

View from Macdui 

The plan was to carry on over the top of Cairngorm descending to Glen Aan but I rather liked the look of Coire Raibeirt as I passed so decided to backtrack from the top and find a camp spot in the Coire.

Cairngorm summit

Another camp at 1000 meters, hope it's as comfortable as last night.

Camp in Coire Raibeirt 

10 miles walked 1100 meters ascent.

TGO Challenge 2025

Day 9 Glen Feshie to Cairn Toul.

There was a hard frost last night, someone said it was as low as -1. Everyone was cheerful through as they packed up and moved on, mostly towards Braemar.

Track down Glen Feshie 

I went the other way, down the glen to Auchlean before taking the foxhunters path up to the Mòine Mhòr.

Looking down from the Foxhunters Path

The Mòine Mhòr is a big plateau that is over 3000 ft high but still looks relatively low with the 4000 footers rising from it, a beautiful semi wilderness.

The Mòine Mhòr with the big tops in the distance 

In the original plan I was going to be camping here but it was far too early so I kept climbing up towards Braerieach.

The view from Braerieach 

There was a strong northerly wind on the top and having no windproof I had to wear my waterproof jacket. The views of course were superb.

The source of the River Dee 

I thought I would camp at the Wells of Dee, which is the source of the river Dee, high on the hill but with no shelter the wind was too strong.

Top of Cairn Toul

I carried on hoping to find a flattish sheltered spot and ended up continuing over The Angels Peak. Coming down the otherside I saw a small tent perched in a slightly unsuitable spot and it turned out to be Graham Dunsire, another Challenge vetter.

In the high Corrie (lousy picture)

There was just enough space for another tent but it was rather exposed if the wind changed slightly and not very flat. So I carried on.

The Angels Peak

It was getting late but I still had time to get to Corrour bothy if necessary. Up then to Cairn Toul the last of the big hills this side of the Lairag Ghru. 

El Tejido admiring the view

Coming down from the top it looked as though there would be good camping if I dropped down to the Allt Claise an t-Sabhail so that is what I did. Coming down a couple of hundred meters solved the wind problem and I found a nice flat spot as well.

16 miles walked, 1600 meters ascent.

TGO Challenge 2025

Day 8. Dalwhinnie to Glen Feshie.

Another perfect day. The café didn't open until 9.00 so I spent some time eating porridge and wondering whether to wait for it to open, in the end procrastination won and I wandered down the road for a second breakfast.

Dalwhinnie distillery 

I told myself that I could justify it as I wouldn't be having another café stop until Ballater. In the end I got going up the road and then along by the aqueduct to Cuiach Power station.

Pipeline to the power station 

I took a different route from here to the one normally used to Gaik and turned up the roadway by the pipeline and then climbed the hill by a nice track with a line of grouse butts.

The hills above Dalwhinnie 

The path continues over the hill but becomes indistinct and then nonexistent before it reaches the zigzag descent. This bit had been a nicely made stalkers path but obviously hasn't been used for many years.

Gaik

It does meet one of the very few bridges crossing the river in the glen and I had a long walk to reach the 'normal', bridgeless crossing.

Loch an t-Seilich

The Gaik estate is now owned by the same person who owns Glen Feshie and he has built a new road/track to connect them, it doesn't appear on the map so I took the opportunity to walk it and record its position.

Looking back to Gaik from the new road

There was nowhere reasonable to stay by the Allt Bhran, where I intended to stop so I carried on over to Glen Feshie to camp near the bothy which was busy with Challengers and also a school group who were camping as well.

Walking in to the bothy

Camp by the bothy

23 miles walked, 1100 meters ascent.

TGO Challenge 2025.

Day 7. Uisge Labhair to Dalwhinnie.

Different sort of weather this morning, mist and low cloud. I did consider waiting for it to lift but there was no encouragement to stay in a cold damp tent so I packed up and left.

Damp and misty morning 

I was hoping it would lift by the time I reached the Bealach as the views back to Loch Ossian are stunning but I was out of luck.

Good stalkers path over the bealach

There is a really good stalkers path that runs over the pass and down to Loch Pattack and the cloud started to lift as I descended and I had some nice views back to the hills.

A bit damp at the top

The area around Culra bothy is obviously a popular camping spot as there were several groups of tents there as I passed.

The path down

The sun had really got going by the time I reached the start of the climb to The Fara and I struggled up the first steep section stopping frequently to admire the views.

Looking back from the start of The Fara ascent

The Fara is a long ridge, with a few minor bumps, that parallels Loch Ericht and means tat I didn't have to walk the long and boring road by the loch.

Dalwhinnie at the end of the loch

The 'standard' way down from the ridge is by a knee destroying, very steep grass slope to the end of the loch but I decided to carry on down the end of the ridge to where it joins a track that meets the road near the distillery.

Looking south west along The Fara ridge

The distillery was still open, just, so I went in for a beer to quench my thirst. I expected the cafe in Dalwhinnie to be closed but they were staying open late for Challengers so I stopped to eat there before going up to the hostel where I had a bed for the night.

Refreshments 

The hostel and it's garden was full of Challengers all very glad of the excellent showers after another hot afternoon.

18 miles walked. 900 meters ascent.