As reported elsewhere, I've volunteered to help replace the deck on a bridge over the River Eidart in the Cairngorms. I was asked to check out the condition of the timbers and to get some measurements to took that as an excuse to head down for a bivvy.
Weather was looking settled, but breezy so I opted for bivvy bag and tarp, the midge being less of an issue and that offering more flexible pitching options in an area somewhat lacking in dry, flat ground. On the way up Feshie, I opted to take the dry, high, but exposed line, bypassing the double ford otherwise required. I passed 6 or 7 other tents on the way up to the Eidart. I guess that counts as fairly busy. As I neared the Eidart, I had that choice of the old, stony walkers path of the newer, mussy quad track. Normally, I'd choose the former but this time the quad track had dried up and it was like a soft, brown motorway. I met 8 other cyclists coming towards me (two pairs and a quad), evidently doing through trips. When I got to the area of Colins Howff, I spotted what I thought was a jumble of rocks on a wee hill but it turned out to be the ruin of an old sheiling. It was sheltered, dry and not overgrown so I bagged that as my bed for the night. As I did so, I heard some chatting and two more cyclists appeared - this time heading for the Geldie. I shouted a friendly hello and it turned out that one of them recognised me!! After a wee chat I urged them to press on. It was already well after 8pm and they were making for their car at Linn of Dee.
Time to pitch. I thought I'd use the tarp as a "roof" for my shelter, took it out, unfolded it and.... it was the wrong tarp. I'd mistakenly packed the micro-tarp. Now I had a problem. I only had the Tigoat Kestrel as a bivvy bag and it's barely showerproof. That meant that my legs would be exposed to any rain that might fall - and it was looking increasingly likely to rain. I had a brief moment of panic but then realised that I had the Schnozzle bag for my mat, so I slipped the foot of the bivvy bag into that to make a double layer. (Have I just invented the half bivvy bag?)
Normal service resumed. Meal, drink, snack, sleep. I had a decent night and it actually didn't rain.
I got up early in the morning to survey the bridge and check out part of the old Right of Way. I'd spotted a lovely pool last time I was here and fancied a swim but just couldn't find any way down to it short of jumping in from an overhanging rock, which would have left me with no way out
Return to Aviemore was via the new forest track linking Feshie and Tromie. It's a big climb up from Feshie to the start of the track and it (currently?) ends a couple of km short of the good track in Tromie so I had five, relatively easy, river crossings to cope with on the way. If it's ever fully linked up, it's going to be a great option. I even met up with metalheart on the way back for an al fresco lunch at Loch Insh (that was pre-arranged though).
View from the bivvy spot.
Making myself at home
Eidart bridge
Yeah - it was a bit hot.
Ford over the Feshie. First time I've used this one. It was only ankle deep but I can easily imagine it being impassable.
July BAM done, so 7/7. 56th consecutive month (though some sub standard news at home means that might be the end of my run)
IMG_20210715_223620 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20210715_223747 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20210716_043141 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20210716_050347 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20210716_051403 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
2021-07-16_07-11-11 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
2021-07-16_07-04-34 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
. Still, something arrived in the post yesterday which may help.
