Waterproofs were deployed for most of the hour's stroll to Linn of Dee.
By then it was sunny enough for photos of the deep gorge.
There's a memorial stone here to Gwyn Gatenby and Katie Todd, who sadly drowned here 'accidentally' on 16 October 1927.
Having got cold feet about our planned route past Mar Lodge, our revised plan took us past magnificent specimens of inedible Gyromitra esculenta to Victoria Bridge by road. This had two bonuses. Firstly we enjoyed the sight of a red squirrel outside Muir Cottage, then Derek and Pat Hopkins joined us for a while until we left the road.
Inverey SYHA - in its final throes before closure
Time for a brew. We were joined by some chatty Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award kids from St Leonards, then by The Dutchman who had Jeff Rowe in tow. More about him later.
After lightening our loads by offloading lots of excess nuts (to Jeff in particular), we headed off into some beautiful woodland - see picture - this was the Morrone Birkwood National Nature Reserve, apparently the best British example of Downy Birch woodland with Juniper. It's as it would have been just after the last Ice Age.
An excellent lunch spot with the unfamiliar comfort of a bench, shared with an elderly couple who had strayed from their mission to buy a newspaper in Braemar.
The rest of our Braemar day sped past, and time pressures dictate a close to today's report from the walk (subject to earlier scribbles below).More on gear:
Aquagear Water Filter - easy to use, we have used it for drinking water in places where the water source was lower down. Could easily have managed without it as all our water seemed excellent anyway.
Trekmates cheap (£15) gaiters - they don't stay up and as with all Trekmates gaiters the elastic comes untucked easily and catches in the boots. Bin on return home! (Binned at North Water Bridge, actually.)
Blackberry Curve 8320 - suits my one-fingered typing. Don't know how the blog appears - will find out on return! Zoom on camera appears to have broken. (It seems to have worked very well.)
Next day: Day 11
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Tim and Kate had gone by the time we emerged, but we were away by 8.15, leaving the peaceful balcony camp to Derek and Pat.
There we left the main drag to head south up pathless heather, interspersed with peat hags, towards the Munro summit of Carn an Fhidhleir. On the way we passed great clods of river bank that had been eroded away then washed high onto its grassy margins.
There were few birds around - just an occasional frightened grouse.
As on Mt Battock a year earlier we parted in opposite directions, but our paths do converge again in a few days' time.
An Sgarsoch was reached and left with ease, despite a few snowfields, and it was a pleasant walk on a fine afternoon, to the ruins of Geldie Lodge. Beyond here was what we expected to be the crux of today's walk - the crossing of the Geldie Burn.
We thought we would have to don our crocs and wade across, but as you can see from the photo, the Geldie today was benign, and rather tame. 
Having met only Graham all day we now encountered a few cycling Munro baggers, and a handful of Challengers, including a nice lady called Joy - she had upset 'The Dutchman' by camping where he wanted to by the Red House.Talking of Bob... Here's a kit report:
The good weather hasn't really put much to the test, but:
The MSR Superfly stove's 3rd self igniter has broken! Shall I bother with another one? The stove keeps going out, but maybe just needs a good prick. A poke with the needle from the first aid kit seems to have done the trick for now.
The GoLite Quest rucksack is extremely comfy. But how durable is it, and how will it perform in the wet? Everyone I've met who has this sack likes it, whereas the lighter Pinnacle is not to everyone's taste in terms of comfort and storage compartments.
The Nallo tent is fine, but despite having wild camped in it for around 50 nights, including the HRP in the Pyrenees, it has never seen a proper storm. It does suffer from condensation - a nuisance when that makes the foot of the tent, and hence sleeping bag, damp. Two extra small guys at the tail of the tent would reduce that problem by keeping the outer, where the condensation forms, away from the inner tent.
'Gear of the Trip' is the pot cosy, which really does facilitate cooking without gas once your pan has boiled. Brilliant. Thanks Bob (I'll insert a link here when I get home.)
A close second is Sue's i-pod. Yes, second to a pot cosy!
Fopas have included:
Nearly setting fire to the tinder dry grass when burning used loo paper! Perhaps we should have 'bagged it out'.
Taking Rose's advice on strengthening the windshield....gaffer tape actually burns quite well itself, Rose. What a mess!
Finally a message for Notchy, who I know scans these pages:
Congratulations on getting up Ben More Assynt whilst we were fiddling around on Corrieyairack Hill. Hoping we have similar weather in a couple of weeks' time...
Next Day: Day 10
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Les stayed with us for our jaunt past the Barracks (lots of photos were taken) and along the scenic pleasures of the Badenoch Way, with lots of bird watchers in evidence. Hmmm, it's an RSPB reserve. We were entertained by trilling curlews and laughing lapwings and an out of rhyme buzzard, mewing...
The birds were too fast for me, but these Wild Pansies stayed still for a moment
Amongst all this was a chocolate caramel shortbread (CCS) stop, pictured. It went down well today.
From the left: Chris, Sue, Kate, Tim, Derek, Pat, Les and Jean
During the morning we discovered that Mark Alvarez, a fellow blogger, and his US compatriots, the Le Borwits, had sadly dropped out. A great shame, condolences to all of them.
Tim, Kate, Sue and I pressed on to an idyllic lunch spot. With micro-ticks in residence. Luckily my eyesight is poor, so (officially) I am still 'a tick free zone'.
We took a route through forest which half way through was blocked off for forestry work. If they had indicated that earlier we'd have gone a different way. Anyway, we muscled our way through, past an old discarded hat. The rubbish people leave around - terrible!
Health + Safety warnings on the bridge at Carnachuin warned of the possible terrible consequences of crossing it. We ignored the suggested 5 km diversion and strolled uneventfully across.
Two huge nipple free bosoms protruded above a log outside Ruigh-aiteachain Bothy.
Wow.
As we approached they revolved in unison.
'Hello' said the two bald Bobs.
'Have you seen my hat?' said one.
Oops - Tim and I exchanged glances - knowing we should have picked up the old hat in the forest.
'It was only an old one' said Bob, but I've lost my bandana as well, and my head's hot.'
'There's a bucket of water over there' said the other Bob.
'But that's for the toilet!' complained Bob.
Bob Fyfe and Bob Forbes were doing the Challenge for the first time, guided by their more experienced friend, Jeanette Tennant, who had dropped out with blisters - she was one of those tales of woe related to us yesterday by Linda at the pottery. They should make it though, and they had chopped lots of wood to keep them warm tonight.
We noted the last entry in the Bothy Book, from John Jocys, also from Altrincham, who we are taking home next week. He likes this bothy.
After an hour in the good company of The Two Bobs, with CCS all round and a supply left for The Mad and Hungry Austrian, the four of us ambled on up the glen just as another Challenger arrived at the bothy.
The landslide about which many warnings had been issued had a nice path across it, and we progressed easily for another 6 km up the glen, to join Derek and Pat at an excellent and roomy camping spot with a good 'tap' at NN 882 890.
We were well ensconced in our tents by the time the light rain started, and even that relented whilst I went out to fry the crispy noodles (hot fat everywhere!) to go with our chow mein.
Disappointment of the day was that of Tim and Kate. It seems Cameron McNeish has been following them around with a TV camera and a dolly bird from the beeb, even at one point filming their feet. T + K have got used to this celebrity lifestyle and were devastated that Cameron had deserted them today, despite his promises.
There don't appear to be any midges or ticks here. Just a plague of slugs!
Next day: Day 9
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Report
Chancing upon a nice man from Cumbria with a powerful telescope, we brewed up and swapped some CCS for magnificently magnified views of red-breasted mergansers and red-throated divers. There were also goldeneye and greylag geese and many more, but what we really wanted to see was something bigger.
On we went, heading east down the long green lane, past banks of violets to reach the Kiln Room for lunch, featuring Coronation Chicken and Succulent Salmon, followed of course by two huge slices of the much vaunted carrot cake.
Then more stories from Linda - the bunkhouse has a hot tub - its customers feature many middle-aged deviants, from what we could gather.
A huge cairn commemorating the life of Ewan MacPherson of Cluny, a prominent figure in the '45 rising, came next. From here there was a good view back to Creag Meagaidh and 'The Window'.
'Touch Not a Cat But a Glove' is the curious (to me) MacPherson motto. Explanation?
Next we visited Markus, the Austrian who started in three places. He was asleep all on his own at the Glen Truim camp site.
At Glen Truim, courtesy of Markus Petter
Views back along our route, south to Ben Nevis, and east to the edge of the Cairngorms - were wonderful.
Then a steep descent to Melgarve, where many TGOCers have recorded their passage over the last couple of days, and an early evening stroll to this idyllic spot with lots of deer in attendance (hope they haven't brought their ticks!).
Later, Tom and Gordon passed, followed by the camera shy Austrian, Markus.
