Keiloch Circular – Beinn a’ Bhuird/Ben Avon & Shorter Alternatives

Date/Time

Date(s) - 23/06/2019
8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Walk Details

Pub Stop?: Yes
O/S Map Sheet No.: 36 & 43
Grid Ref. Start: 188914
Grid Ref. Finish 188914
Walk (Miles): 10 to 20
Walk Hours: 10
Bus Time to Walk:2 hrs
Bus Time from Walk: 1.5 hrs
Departure time from walk: 8:00 pm

Walk Notes

AHWC.     Keiloch circ. (inc. Beinn a’ Bhuird/Ben Avon) & Shorter Alternatives

23rd June 2019.           O.S.Maps 36 & 43 (Grantown & Braemar).

N.B. 8.00am start from Aberdeen.

Our walks today commence in the Invercauld Estate of Upper Deeside. We will be dropped off at the Keiloch carpark and our bus will remain here all day. This area throws up many great walks and although the suggestions below are fabulous walks, you may think otherwise and would propose another route to your liking. This walk is a circular one, so members who require a different walk – please indicate your intentions with your committee member in charge of the bus.

1a) Ben Avon. From the carpark, head NW past Invercauld House, Alltdourie Farm and continue into Gleann an t-Slugain. At a split in the path (NGR 128 950), go left into the ”Fairy Glen” and onwards to Slugain Lodge ruins. Continue on the path until Clach a’ Cleirich, after crossing the Glas Allt Mor burn. You route continues N’wards to “the sneck” at 970m. From here head E’wards to the plateau and NE’wards to the summit at 1171m. Either retrace your steps back to the bus or descend SE’wards into Glen Gairn by way of the Allt an Eas Mhoir burn. Cross the River Gairn (NGR 172 998) and eventually gain the Bealach Dearg. Head S’wards for about 4miles towards Invercauld House and SE‘wards back to the bus.  Walking distance approx. 20miles.

1b) Beinn a’Bhuird. Follow the Ben Avon route as far as “the sneck”. From here, head W’wards to the plateau and onwards to the summit at 1197m. From here, head S’wards for almost 2miles to reach the huge tor of A’Chioch (1179m). The south top (1177m) is about 1km south of this. Head down SE’wards into an unnamed coire to join a path on the west side of Carn Fiaclach and downhill to cross the Quoich Water (NGR 111 958). Continue SE and then E’wards into Gleann an t-Slugain, then onwards to our bus at Keiloch.                      Walking distance approx 20miles.

 2) Ballochbuie Forest. Walk back S’wards to the A93 North Deeside Road and cross the River Dee by the Invercauld Bridge. Turn left, once over the bridge, and head towards the forest. Turn sharp right at NGR 187 906 and follow this forest track NW’wards. It veers southerly after about 500m. Continue on this track to the Royalty’s “Hokki Hut” (NGR 190 888). Cross the bridge over the lochan’s outlet stream and head NE’wards to arrive at the Falls of Garbh Allt. Retrace your steps and descend the path. Take a right turn at a junction (NGR 197 897). Cross a bridge over a stream and go straight ahead at a fork (NGR 200 902). Continue NE’wards ignoring two paths on your right side. At another fork in the track (NGR 211 911), turn sharp left and head SW’wards back along this wide track to our start point at Invercauld Bridge. Cross the bridge and head back to our bus parked at Keiloch. Distance approx. 8 miles.

 3) Sites of Jimmy Bremner’s & Willie Robb’s Commemorative Benches (Plus Craig Leek Circuit if Desired).   Not many members will remember AHWC member Jimmy Bremner who died a number of years ago but left your Club money in his will. It was decided to use this money to install a bench in his memory.   More recently Willie Robb left a substantial Legacy to the club which has been used to subsidise the bus fares over the last few years & continues to do so. Exit the car park & turn right & head up the track Northwards in the direction of Felagie. At a split in the track at NGR 190917, turn off left & head up North Westwards.     The first commemorative bench you come to is Willie Robb’s at NGR 188 920 approx. Take a seat here & enjoy the views. Continue along this path & eventually you will reach Jimmy Bremner’s bench at NGR  182 926. Carry on along the path until it drops down to the fog house. This is a small wooden shelter  with a heather roof. Fog is the local term for moss or turf which was used to line such shelters. At the fog house a decision has to be made whether to head Southwards in the direction of Invercauld House & then South Eastwards (follow purple trail posts) on a good track back to the bus or whether to head Northwards on a slightly longer walk around Craig Leek. If a longer walk is desired  head Northwards on a path in the general direction of Craig Leek  & at NGR 179 942 take the branch off to right & head Eastwards  past Craig Leek (636 m). Continue along path & at NGR 190 940 take the path that branches off right & head in a South Easterly direction downhill towards the good landrover track & join it at NGR 197 925. Turn right at the landrover track & head South Westwards towards Felagie & onwards past it to Keiloch where the bus is parked. Bench Walk Only – Distance 3-4 miles approx. Bench Walk plus Circuit of Craig Leek – Distance 6-7 miles approx.        

 Bus departs at 8.00pm.

In the event of an emergency arising, the person in charge of the outing should be contacted, if possible, before the police are contacted.

Relevant telephone number for Grampian police is 999.

 Committee member in charge today is Lynne Cursiter (mob. tel. 07402602554).

 

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