A Breath of Fresh Air

Fungle to Firmouth

This was a fourteen mile walk although it felt like 22. Starting at 10am we were walking until 5.30pm with only a couple of half-hour breaks. The terrain was variable, not 'difficult' as such, but you had to watch every step and "look after your ankles" (as I was told many moons ago and have remembered religiously since).

En route the weather changed often and there were such clear spells that at one point (it's in the photos but not adjusted for the correct distance) you could see the sea, 30 miles away, and Lochnagar - 60 miles inland.

The timber shelters tucked into the hillside (a close-up is included) are 'Grouse Butts'.

The scenery tells the story of the walk . . .

Unforgettable sky

Copyright Bernie Ross 2007

3 Walks in 1

We started at Dinnet and walked along the old railway line footpath.

When it's flat and straight it feels a long way.

But it was a lovely day: bright and cool, just right for a long brisk walk.

The textures and colours were never tedious, a constant source of wonder.

Looking back, looking forward . . . it would be easy to go wrong!

And as the path veered beside the River Dee we came to Cambus o' May, the famous white bridge.

And from here we left the path and linked with another, heading for the Burn o' Vat.

Higher up the hill the weather seemed warmer, brighter, windier. The hills (Lochnagar) in the distance are blanked out by the sun's glare.
The colours were repeatedly stunning.

A hilly walk through a different type of wood leads us to the Burn o' Vat . . .

Dramatic

Eerie. Cool

Creepy

It's time to move on and walk towards Loch Kinord, the third link in our '3 in 1' walk.

Another woody path . . . .

. . . takes us to the tranquility

history . . . and beauty

all around the loch.

A Morning's Walk

Leaving the car park at Dinnet and taking 20 minutes to negotiate the diverted footpath, due to earthworks by the river, we took the 'red circular walk' around Loch Kinord.









With plenty of shade we weren't too worried that the path wasn't very clear; and with it all being geared up for a tourist walk we had no fears of getting lost.

Alas the Loch seemed to be nowhere in sight but it was a lovely walk and we couldn't be very far away from it, could we?

We just kept walking and as usual I followed the Giver of Directions who miraculously finds the right way (mostly).

The sun was getting a bit hot but the water was nowhere to be seen.

It's okay, it's got to be around here somewhere, it was on the 'red route' and we followed the red arrows whenever we saw them.

Ah-ha! We came across another small car park and a gate that led to a dip in the land and clearly - there's the Loch, the blue in the centre of this picture. We were on the right track after all. [Try double clicking to make it full-size.]

Down by the water the banks were lush with ferns and heathers coming into flower.

The cool water looked good enough to drink ...

And sure enough - as promised - the 'red route' took 2 hours 30 mins to walk (including a wee stop to eat biscuits). A beautiful setting: I could've stayed all day and taken far more photos, bored you even more . . .

We started walking . . .

From Auchallater . . .

and after an hour and 40 minutes we came to a bothy

Enlarge this to see the sheep and the bright red chimney

After a picnic we ambled around enjoying the views

And then took the narrow path southwards up onto the Munro