Bi annually, the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team organise a sponsored walk within the area they cover. I previously wrote on the sponsored walks at Lairig an Laoigh (July 2004) and the Gaick Pass (September 2002). The walk last year was postponed due to some technical difficulties. This year it was Glen Feshie, a 17 mile walk with only a little ascent starting at Linn of Dee and ending in Glen Feshie.

It is a historically important route through the Cairngorms used by soldiers, drovers and travellers over centuries. Plans to build a proper road did not materialise so it remains a wild and remote area.

As always, everything was organised by the Team and we were bussed from Kingussie round to Linn of Dee near Braemar, the journey taking some hours. We were last to start the walk due to us being later on the bus. We had delayed to have a cooked breakfast at our B&B! As we like to take the walks easy and enjoy being outdoors, we were, as always, the last group to complete the walk. The weather forecast had been poor but it was dry all day until the final section and fortunately, the Landrover picked us up with the sweep team to be bussed back to Kingussie.

Ian was dressed in his kilt for the event. The walk started along the River Dee to Whitebridge and then along by the River Geldie passing through an area known for it’s feeling of Arctic like bareness and wilderness. To the south of this is a Munro called An Sgarsoch and I have written previously about climbing this from the Tarf Hotel Bothy. Interestingly, it's summit plateau was used as a cattle fair in the days of the drovers.

At the highest point of the walk we were treated to Strawberries and cream, hot soup and a wee nip of whisky, all carried in by the Team. On previous walks we have had chillie and tortillas, roast beef and potatoes, smoked salmon but the most memorable was pommes frites and red wine from a van at the as there was a Gallic theme that year.

When we reached the waterfall, we had climbed gradually to about 560 metres and the scenery in Glen Feshie became more dramatic and canyon like. The glen has been settled for over 2,500 years. It gradually opened out and we walked through forests of birch, pine, juniper, Scots pine, alder, rowan and oak. Glen Feshie means the sheltered place from the stormy blasts.

A very enjoyable walk and we were lucky with the weather. Many thanks to CMRT for looking after us. Their website is www.cmrt.org.uk/

Coming attraction; An Gearanach

Contact me at helenrose52@hotmail.com

Thanks to Frances Rickus for the photos