TGOC '22 Day 5 Glen Mazeran to the Red Bothy

Day 5 takes in some parts of the Challenge that are a bit of legend to those, like me, that read up on previous Challenge accounts. There are places that come up over and over. One such place is the Red Bothy. It was never clearly defined where it is and it is (was) fairly difficult to find on a map. A somewhat mysterious place that also combines a path called the 'Burma Road' another legendary section of walking that joins the likes of the 'Lairig Ghru' and 'Jock's Road.' Now these may not seem like mythical beasts to long time Challengers but having done another of these, the Corrieyairack pass, with Vicky in 2014, these places get a reputation for a reason. I knew I needed to find and stay at the Red Bothy. The Burma Road we will save for tomorrow.

Having had a great night in Glen Mazeran with Jim. We both were ready to go about the same time and so off we went together.

The view this morning, looking back from where we came yesterday was fantastic

Yesterday afternoon I had noticed Charles, Duncan and then Ester pass by above us, on the path. This morning we found them, just after starting, all lingering, having just broken camp themselves. 

Duncan and Charles would linger longer, undoubtedly to make good coffee and Ester joined us for our walk toward Glen Mazeran Lodge. 

Glen Mazeran Lodge requests that walkers bypass walking directly next to the main Lodge and loop around out of sight. I don't blame them, who wants to see 'hikertrash' walking next to your house!  They do provide a very nice bridge and the views of both the work cottages and the scenery around the estate are beautiful. 

Crossing over the River Findhorn, Ester decided it was time for second breakfast and would stop for a bit, so Jim and I continued on.

It was a very easy walk on the track down the river for a few miles. Below is a lovely church just across the river.

After a few miles we arrived at the turn off to climb our hill for the day. If I have not mentioned before, we are in the Monadhliath Mountains, essentially big rounded hills of peat and heather. 

Today's goal is Carn Dubh 'ic an Deo'ir at 750 meters (2460'). The views get better the higher you go (looking back)

These are not really hard climbs just long and steady. You can see our goal in the middle of the picture below. 

This is hard to see without some object for scale but another example of the depth of the peat being well over 6 feet high. A theme has also emerged for this walk. Whenever I am going to 750 meters or above, the weather will become very windy and rainy. In truth, poor weather has moved in each day around late morning and hangs around till the middle of the afternoon and then clears again. It just happens that the majority of the big climbs happen during this time, not unlike afternoon thunderstorms in the Rocky Mountains in the Springtime back home. 

There is a new shooting hut at around 550 meters (1800 feet) that would have been great to sit in for lunch, but it was locked. Jim and I went around back and sat out of some of the wind for a while and had lunch and rested for the final push up to the summit. Below Jim getting up to the plateau just before the summit proper. The wind had really started to blow much harder! 

 The plateau well above the other surrounding hills 

Up the final rise to the trig point (highest point) 

These next four photos are just me panning the camera around the summit. I am the tallest thing up here, so nothing to get in the way of the view for 360 degrees. 

The summit trig point and the entire summit area was surrounded by an electric fence. Clearly, the trig point tried to escape at some point, probably lonely, and needed to be fenced in! 

Jim getting out of the wind, which was strong enough to make it hard to stand up straight and it was also much colder now. 

Our position on the map. You can see the summit track ends and again we will have to navigate open peat and heather. 

Starting back down, the summit and plateau were covered in this lighter colored mossy heather. It also has red berries, which according to Jim is what sustains the deer and other animals up here.

You can see the track in the distance, photo below, that we need to connect with. I had created a route off the top that gradually dropped us to the track following the ridge line, but Jim said "let's just go straight for it!" Who am I to argue with experience.

This lighter heather was short and firm and presented no problems in walking straight down the hill toward the track. We did encounter a fence (fortunately not electric) that was easily cleared and a few boggy bits but we soon gained the track

It was all down hill now. Several new tracks had been added to the landscape that were not on the map at all (probably more access for the Estate to get to their grouse butts = bird blinds made from stone and camouflaged with peat and grass). We also came across a new bothy, this one was open so we went in for a bit of a rest and to get out of the wind! 

Jim on the track down toward the Red Bothy

The Red Bothy sitting on the River Dulnain

Legends hardly ever live up to expectations! 😄

What can't be denied is that it sits in one gorgeous spot. 

Looking North 

Looking South from the bothy 

The bothy being not big enough to sleep in and too much in the wind for the tents, We found great pitches just down the hill by the bridge with a fantastic waterfall coming right off the hill 

The view right out my tent  

Later many Challengers showed up. Everyone pitched near the bridge needing to get out of the wind tonight

Then a lovely evening spent in the bothy for dinner and conversation 

Today's Stats: a shorter day after yesterday's longer one.