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Lat/Long: 56.832430, -04.223266
OS
Grid ref: NN 64362 73404
Cold overnight down to -9degC. Just
before setting off switched on Garmin Inreach sat traskker only
to find battery completely dead. I’d charged it last week but
the charge process switches the unit on and it stays on. I
mustn’t have turned it off so it sat there discharging. I
plugged it into my powerbank and set off walking north along the
old A9 road. After about a mile there was enough power in the
battery to switch the unit on and start tracking. It was still
dark and behind me was the crescent moon rising. I reached the
left side track that took me down to the railway underpass.
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Moonrise. |
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Following the track up the Dhomhain valley I was relieved to
reach the river ford to find the water level fairly low and easy
to cross. It was now ligh as I continued up the valley and the
left side branch to the bridge. Above me was my main objective
which was the deep valley below the Sow of Atholl. It was still
in shadow and also very cold. I followed the rough track up the
hillside and then left it to enter the start of the valley. Part
way up and by the stream was a trap I hadn’t seen before. It was
a metal grill trapdoor in front of a man made mound. It must
have been for something large but there was no obvious bait to
entice anything inside. Continuing up I reached the site of the
intermittent lake. There was some water in the bottom and it was
reducing as I could see ice rings higher up that had been left
behind. |
Cage & trap by the stream. |
Ice sheet on the hidden valley. |
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At the top of the valley I reached the sun. My original plan was
to walk over the Sow of Atholl but I decided to continue over
the head of the valley and follow the faint path down into
Luidhearnaidh valley below. The ground was mostly frozen hard
with some ice patches. There was surprisingly little snow
around. |
Penstocks on the Loch Garry Intake. |
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At the sluice dam I continued to Dalnaspidal and back to my car
which was still coated with ice. It took a while to get it
thawed out then I drove on to the Schiehallion Road. |
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