Day 10 - TGO Challenge 2015 - Glen Luibeg (NO 020 937) to Thornbank Cottage, Braemar

 

Date: Sunday 17 May

Route: as planned from a little beyond Luibeg Bridge

Distance: 17 km (Cum: 224)

Ascent: 300 metres (Cum: 8600)

Time taken: 5.2 hrs including 1.2 hrs breaks - (Cum: 76.6 hours including 15.2 hours breaks)

Weather: showery at first after overnight rain, improving to a sunny afternoon

Click on the link below (Day 10) for details of our planned route (we took an easier alternative today):

http://www.topwalks.com/tgoc2015.html

An easy day. After a lie in we left our excellent camping spot (pictured - top) at 8.45 and strolled down to find John pitched in a more sheltered spot by some trees. He had found a good place.

We continued to the new temporary bridge that we had been assured was in place (pictured - middle), near where John sploshed across the river in his skirt and Innov8s to join us for the rest of the day's walk.

Mar Lodge provided as much tea, coffee and biscuits as we wanted in return for a small donation. This is where the Lairig Ghru route joins the Glen Feshie and Glen Tilt routes that funnel Challengers into Braemar. I won't try to enumerate everyone we met there or later in Braemar. Jacqui and Tony Ford joined the  three of us for the pleasant walk to Braemar through the Birkwood Forest. A route much better than the road walk most Challengers endure. The other four are pictured by the orientation table before the descent to Braemar at Tomintoul.

JJ and Margaret were Challenger spotting from the window of The Old Bakery, so we joined them for a natter before they headed off to Lochcallater Lodge for a night of revelry.

Our afternoon at Thornbank Cottage, which Simon and Kat have again kindly let us borrow for the night, was all too short. Then it was back to The Old Bakery for a meal with John S, Jacqui and Tony, and Graham Brookes (on another of his customary mega routes), before adjourning for wine and chat in front of a log fire at the cottage.

Excellent.

There's a slideshow for the day (22 images) - here. Click on the first image, then click 'slideshow'.

Next Day - Day 11