Braid Cairn, Glen Tanar

The Deeside Corbetts still summon us just now with minimal snow and short travel time.This week was the turn of Braid Cairn, a child summit of mount Keen and Corbett.

Goes without saying any run begins with coffee and what better place to stop off but Spider on a Bicycle in Aboyne where I bumped into Zicky who were off to solve mysteries with their bike gang (actually they were off to bike a route on the Fungal). Good wee catch up tho..





The problem with the Mount Keen area is monotonous landy track no matter which way you go in.
Our route started from Glentanar car park then taking the more southerly track following the same course as the Water of Gairney between Clachan Yell and Little Cockcairn then at Black Craig take the south fork on the track and ascend Gathering Cairn first then onto Braid Cairn. Return was the reverse and the quickest way back.

The guts of the first 10kms is on what seems never ending Landy track. Once you clear the Forest of Glentanar and head out onto the open hills the views are great. At the ruined shelter at the fork under Black Craig it's onto single track and some nice techy steep running up to Gathering Cairn.

Black Craig and Clachan Yell from Gathering Cairn

The forecast as ever was bullshit and what started out as a nice blue skied, dry day although a bit breezy, turned into a full on blizzard-fest up top! Gusting 50mph and -10 wind chill with horizontal sleet and hail and often zero visibility made Cairn finding a bit tricky!

Braid Cairn

We got some short glimpses of Mount Keen but it was mostly hidden in cloud and the snow flurries. It was bad enough at Gathering Cairn and we still had to nip across the plateau to Braid Cairn where it was more exposed.

Lions face and Mount Keen behind

This was the worst bit and we got battered here, bare legs pelted with freezing wind and hail! As soon as we found and touched the Cairn we were off, no photos nothing, just a big fat U-turn back to Gathering Cairn and directly down to the broken shelter off grid through deep heather!

Then all that was left was the 10kms back out to the van and another mad rush to catch Spiderbike for 2nd visit this time choosing Lentil and Coconut soup by the wood burner.. bliss!

Ace day, mad weather and although mostly landy track it was good and fast running and another Corbett bagged. Route was 30km/4000ft!

The route