TGO Challenge 2012 Day 8: Ruigh - aiteachain Bothy to Mar Lodge

A very wet day followed  by tea and wine...

Distance: 31.6km Ascent: 690m

I was up relatively early but still not the first to leave the Ruighh - aiteachain.  Some of those heading straight  to Braemar had packed their tents and left before I even opened my door.  With so much snow in the Cairngorns I was going to walk down Glen Feshie to a camp spot just after White Bridge.  Having walked this route in 2008 in the sun I had remembered this as a very pleasant route along good firm paths with no streams to cross!  It seems after the earlier rain this was no longer the case...

Anyway more of that later, I set off around 7:40 and initially it was dry but overcast.

Glen Feshie

After walking for a couple of hours I spotted Willem and Leendert camped near Ruighe nan Leum - they were still at their tent.  After Leendert kindly suggested the easiest way across the stream I stopped to chat.  They had decided as they were only going to White Bridge to have a leisurely morning.  I said goodbye and continued on.  After this point 2 things seem to happen the path got very muddy and it started to rain.  As the wind was blowing the rain directly into my face it was very unpleasant.

Glen Feshie 

After a while I eventually made it to the bridge over the waterfall.  Here I met Jane who was annoyed that she had been walking in the wrong direction.  I hopefully told her it should be too far until we got to the track.  It was at least another 2 hours away but it with the wind and rain in my face I didn't want to spend time checking the distance.

Bridge over waterfall

A little further on caught up with Russ and Herman.  He asked me if I was going to Mar Lodge.  In the with rain being blow forcefully in my face I responded 'yes' - being able to sit inside at Mar Lodge just sounded too tempting!  Russ and Herman also told me about a ruin where they planned to have lunch.  With this in mind I pressed on.  Shortly before 2, I arrived the cottage which was surrounded 'unsafe building' signs.  I decided not enter.  Russ later told me they just ignored the signs and went in.  

Whilst having a break later on I was caught up by Nina, Ken and Geoff and we continued on together.  Just before Linn of Dee we spotted the sign "Mar Lodge TGO Challengers welcome".  It was a very welcome sight!   At Linn of Dee, Nina, Ken and I stopped to use the composting toilet in the car park.  Geoff had thought the sign said the tea room closed at 4pm and so had pressed on.  Ken and I thought it was 10pm but we weren't sure.  

We pressed on and arrived at Mar Lodge around 4:30. After putting up my tent I met Mick and Gayle. Gayle was slightly surprised I knew who she was and I had to explain it was from reading Martin's blog.  At the National Trust tearoom we were all very well looked after by Jean.  After tea and several scones I was pleased to be able to shower and hang my waterproofs in the dry room. The rest of the day was spent chatting to everyone about the event so far.  For dinner there was a spilt with those who had planned on being at Mar Lodge went to the kitchen to eat some 'real' food whilst the rest of us had our dehydrated meal. I'm sure the 'real' food can't have been that much better than my real turmat chicken curry ;) even if everyone told us how wonderful it was!  In the evening Russ kindly shared his red wine with me.  It was a great evening.  We all left the tearoom at 10pm.  I counted 10 tents in the grounds - 2 tents (Carl and Geoff's) were unoccupied as they joined several others sleeping in the ballroom.  I wasn't sure about the appeal of sleeping under so many deer heads - it suspected it would lead to interesting dreams! I went to my tent and drifted off to sleep.  It was much later possibly tomorrow that I was woken by an owl - at least it wasn't the ghost of deer!

Tents at Mar Lodge