Geal Charn and Deep Snow

Geal Charn {m} 926m

The forecast was to be windy but it was not as windy as we thought it might be. We set off on our bikes up the track which went up Glen Markie. As we progressed there was more and more snow and icy puddles to ride through. Once we could ride no more we left our bikes and made our way over heather and through soft snow up stream to the bridge, after the bridge we went back down stream and followed the piper’ burn up the hill to a gate in a fence. A lot of rough heather rocks deep snow later we came to Lochan a Choire. It was really beautiful but much harder going than we anticipated as there was so much more snow than we expected and it was so soft. Once we headed up from the Lochan the going go a bit easier. We saw loads of ptarmigan and a mountain hare. The summit plateau was fairly flat. By now the sun had gone and the visibility was poor. the bearing led us down to the ridge of Bruach nam Biodag which we followed to the fence and eventually saw our footprints and followed them back to the stream. Decision either a very cold paddle or a kilometre to the bridge and back. We went for the paddle – seriously cold!! got to the bikes and headed back. Just about got the the car in the fading dusk. A good day but a tiring day.

Riding up Glen MarkiePiper’s Burn and Beinn SgiathPiper’s Burn and Beinn SgiathLooking across Glen Markie towards Benn a ChrasgainLochan a ChoireGeal Charn SummitMarkie Burn