And the rain is back, just in time for me packing away my tent. Thankfully due to the separate nature of the inner and the outer I was able to keep my bedroom dry and it was just the tarps that went away wet. This shouldn’t be wet for long though as the weather is due to take a better turn. I should be able to dry out all of this kit at my next camp.
I debated on where to take adventure to next I had done four nights in Loch and Tross, which was a part of my original plan and felt heading to the cairngorms for the fairer whether that was due at the end of the week was a good plan.
I also was in desperate need of a shower, as I hadn’t braved the colds of the loch and simply relied on dry wash to keep me clean. A deodoriser it is not.
Next stop Cairngorms
So today saw me take a three hour drive from Loch Achray to loch Morlich travelling north up the A9 making a stop at Perth for a good McDonald’s feed.
It was a pretty quiet road but that is no surprise, it was midday on Tuesday not exactly rush hour. It was pretty wet though still there was plenty of overtaking going on where the road became duel carriageway.
I hadn’t booked a spot at the Glenmore but I left in hope there would be one. I was not wrong so I booked in for three nights here.
Once I had chosen a spot, the exact same that I had stayed in last year with a view of the mountains through the trees.
I waited for the cleaners to be finished at the facilities block another strong familiarity with my arrival to camp last year.
It felt so good to get a wash, get some clean (er) clothes on and dispatch the smell of campfire smoke. Although I think I will linger on for a few days yet in my tent.
This is the first time this year that I’ve next to my car which makes a difference. At Achray it was a little bit steep walk to the car so I was making sure that I did as fewer trips as possible. It also meant that I brought a lot of stuff down to the tent though. With the car simply meters away I’m able to enjoy a relatively empty tent apart from my sleep setup and day pack.
Still the noise of closing car doors does appear to echo around the peaceful camp so do try and keep it to a minimum.
A quick pint in the Pine Marten
Once the showers had opened and I was clean I knew exactly where I was heading, the Pine Martin. I love this little pub, the walls are donned with skiing kit and memorabilia of those who have explored the mountain range in the generations past and the selection of local and familiar drinks is amazing. A swift pint of free wind followed by a gold stag and I was ready to head off for a trek around the loch.
Loch Morlich circular
It was a beautiful evening so there were a few others about still not many though. I explored the smaller paths and found some great places where camping would be an option. Still there is a slight need to find a spot for overnight parking if I want to wild camp around here.
Apart from a couple of spot where the water has boggied the paths it was a pretty pleasant walk and I managed to find a pretty secluded area, bar the ducks, where I could enjoy a hot chocolate and the views. Going off trail made this 4 mile hike into a 6 miler but that is still below my daily aim for this trip.
This is what the route should be.
Returning to the tent to sit and read ‘fire and blood’ an engrossing book of the history behind a song of ice and fire. Alas it did not take me long to fall asleep…