17-18 September 2022
Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve wasn’t somewhere we had planned to visit, but did turn out to have potential for an adventure when we visited on impulse during our journey from Stonehaven to Braemar.
We parked near the informative Burn o’Vat visitor centre and followed the path to the “Vat”. The path seemed to come to an end. However we scrambled over some stepping stones through a small wet gap. Having climbed through the gap, the rocks opened up and an enormous and spectacular granite cauldron was evident with a waterfall tumbling down the back wall. This amazing feature was carved out by glaciers and meltwater during and after the last ice age. It actually measures 18m wide by 13 m deep nowadays. However it is thought that the current floor consists of up to 7m deep of gravel and debris so the whole granite feature is in fact more like an 18-20m diameter spheroid.
Moreover the cauldron is steeped in history. The cave behind the waterfall was used as a hiding place for Patrick Gilroy Macgregor, an outlaw renowned for his exploits in Deeside during the 17th century and a possible relative of Rob Roy. The cauldron was visited and admired by Queen Victoria.
From the awesome cauldron, we retraced our steps a short way then crossed a bridge and climbed to a viewpoint overlooking Loch Kinord. One of the islands on the loch is a crannog – the remains of a hut built on a platform over the water.
We also had sufficient time to cross the road and walk through the woodland to find the fine granite Pictish cross, carved around 1,200 years ago.
From Muir of Dinnet, we continued our journey, stopping in Ballater. We signed the condolence book placed in the church, following the death of the Queen at nearby Balmoral just over a week previously.
We also bought a block of cheese and a few other provisions from George Strachan, delicatessen and general merchants with Royal Appointments. It was unusual to be served in old-fashioned style by an amazingly respectful shop assistant for whom nothing seemed to be too much trouble. Although I am sure it was much more expensive than the Co-Op next door, I was there for the experience. I wonder whether this shop sold the now famous piece of cheese that Theresa May dropped during preparations for a Royal picnic at Balmoral. She recounted the amusing tale in the House of Commons when she paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth following the death of Her Majesty.
The “planned” adventure for map 37 was actually the following day. The weather forecast wasn’t bad enough to preclude the walk but it certainly wasn’t perfect. The early drizzle was expected to clear by the middle of the morning. However at 10am it seemed to be if anything a little heavier. We set up from the B976 to ascend Geallaig on a fairly good path.
It was an easy ascent all the way to the summit, which at 743m is a “Graham”. Being higher than the surrounding hills, it is said to be a superb viewpoint with a grand prospect across much of Deeside. Lochnagar, made famous by Prince (now King) Charles’ story “The Old Man of Lochnagar” is meant to look particularly magnificent. Sadly, we had to be satisfied with our imagination of the view as visibility remained poor.
From the summit we turned west to retrace our steps a short way before continuing along what could have been a fine ridge with good views. We descended to the road to the west of our start point and continued to follow the quiet B-road west before turning along a track on the opposite side.
The track led past ruins of an old settlement and an isolated, abandoned house to the picturesque Glen Gairn. From there we followed a track back to our start point. By then of course the weather had improved and we could see Geallaig ahead of us. Perhaps we should have walked it in the opposite direction and then we may have seen views from the summit….
However I was pleased that I had completed a walk of over ten miles without apparent ill effect to my ankle. This bode well for a graduated increase in walk difficulty as the week went on.
Where's Kathryn? 