Date: Sunday 8th January 2017
Company: Just myself
After spending the New Year in Spain and then returning to work, today was my first opportunity to ascend a Scottish hill in 2017. As I currently have manflu, I wanted to ascend something fairly straight-forward and close to home. Having ascended Carn Mor only once previously, and given it is less than one hour's drive from home, I decided to head to Chapeltown for a second ascent.
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
I parked next to the Chivas Brothers Braeval Distillery. The water must be good in these parts as not only is there a distillery located here, Highland Spring is also located just a couple of hundred metres further along the road.
Braeval Distillery:
From the distillery, I walked a short distance back along the road and then followed the track through the East Auchavaich farm. The Glenlivet Estate, which is a Crown Estate, seems to be walker friendly with information signs telling of Smuggler's Trails. Every person I saw today gave a friendly wave. If only more estates were like this!
Glenlivet Smuggler's Trails:
Neighbouring Corriehabbie Hill is very prominent during this walk. I repeated Corriehabbie Hill last winter.
Looking towards Corriehabbie Hill:
Heading along the track towards Carn Mor:
It was useful to see a deer stalking sign to remind me that stalking still takes place up to mid February.
Deer Stalking information for Glenlivet Estate:
During the ascent I took numerous photos looking back but was unable to take any photos looking forward as I was very much walking into the sun.
Looking down to Corrunich during initial ascent:
Looking back towards Corriehabbie Hill:
On seeing the Cairngorms, I was surprised at the lack of snow. The snow is however due to return later in the week.
Snowy Cairngorms:
Looking back:
Looking back towards Corriehabbie Hill and Cook's Cairn:
Circa 100m below the summit, I came to a short section of peat hags. They were easy to negotiate in ascent and I completely bypassed them in descent.
Hags:
The best view of the day was the view towards Ben Avon. I did the northern tops of Ben Avon about six weeks previous.
View towards Ben Avon:
Looking back to the hags:
Ben Rinnes, Corriehabbie Hill and Cook's Cairn:
I didn't spend long at the summit as I had stupidly forgot to pack a fleece and it was a bit chilly up top. I therefore took a few pics and returned back via the same route.
At the summit of Carn Mor:
At the summit of Carn Mor:
One of several frozen pools:
Descent in the shadow of Carn Mor:
Great to get back out onto the Scottish hills
.