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The Gaick Pass Sponsored Walk The Highlands of Scotland Saturday 27th June 2009 |
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The Rotary Club of Spey
Valley, Aviemore
In the heart of the
Cairngorms |
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Join us in a sponsored walk through the Gaick Pass, 'The Cleft'. A hike of about 22 miles; climbing 600 feet and encountering some of Scotland's most rugged and spectacular scenery. All sponsorships collected in aid of Local Charities & Motor Neurone Disease (MND)(click for details) .Click on the small pictures to enlarge |  |
The adventure commences near Dalnacardoch Lodge, just off the main A9 road, south of Drumochter Pass. There is a turn off to the lodge and the west which is signposted "Trinafour". All participants will be bussed here from the car park behind the Duke of Gordon Hotel, in Kingussie, where they should leave their cars. Walkers will be returned to the "Duke" at the end of the walk where some refreshment will be available.
Walking will start on the Opposite (East) side of the A9 from the Trinafour road and great care will be required when crossing the dual carriageway there as vehicles here travel at great speed. There is, however, a good width of 'reservation! between the carriageways to help the transition.
There is a short climb up from the main road with the start checkpoint on the way up to a radio mast and then a long walk in, with views in all directions. The track passes a ruined cottage and then another cottage before crossing the river by a bridge to the north side. it continues until crossing back over a concrete ford to reach Sronphadruig Lodge (pretty well a ruin). Shortly after this there is a newish concrete bridge over the river and the main track goes over this and off to the north. However, there is a small track going straight on up the plug of the loch (a glacial moraine) beyond the bridge and then to the left meeting the old track, avoiding a further ford, in about half a mile. The route here will be well controlled & signposted. Above the old ford the track turns towards the N. side of Loch an Duin and runs along this for the next mile about 50 feet above the water. This is the most 'enclosed' part of the walk with a steep mountain on either side of the loch. Once past the loch the track is less clear for a short distance as it crosses the stream bed to the south side and up the bank to the end of the estate track on the Gaick side. The track passes Loch Bhrodainn and after some time Gaick lodge comes into view. Keeping to the right past a wood further shallow stream crossings reach the mountains forming the east face of the pass and a track coming from the north. The track to the right (south) goes up another leg of the cleft and joins Comyn's Pass heading for Bruar. Turning towards the north, the track goes past the site (memorial stone) of the avalanche which killed the Black Officer many years ago and on past Gaick lodge towards Loch an t-Seilich. Along the side of the loch, the track is quite high up giving good views, then towards the end, as the loch narrows, the loch goes out of sight as the route approaches a large plantation. It is not long before the dam complex at the end of the loch is reached and with it a tarmac road. Tarmac roads are not to everyones liking on a walk, but it is possible to keep off the road a lot of the time should one so wish. The route now opens up for a while as it winds its way down Glen Tromie, closing in again for the last stretch down past the two further shooting lodges, Lynaberack & Glentromie Lodge, before reaching Tromie Bridge and transport to Kingussie.If you want to know more, or indeed, would like to take part in this fantastic event, click on one of the links below.
Or contact the organisers by email.(click on coloured Title below) Gaick Walk Information & Organisation
...(This is in Acrobat "*.pdf" format)
Bill McConachie, Kinmundy, Grampian Road, Aviemore, Inverness-shire, PH22 1RH, Scotland.
Telephone: 01479 810 465
