Ben Aigan
After some confusion over e mails that didn’t send ( lesson - don’t try to send big 10 Mb pdf files by group email!) 6 DHC members – Tim, Alan, Gillie, Robert, Linda & Paddy - committed to climb Ben Aigan, a “bulky Marilyn” in lower Speyside which gives great views from its open heathery 471m summit.
A skid on black ice could have stopped our day before it started – but fortunately we avoided the bridge! At the start point we found that the road to the car park was locked, due to forestry operations, but there was sufficient parking at the end of the road and we were soon on the conifer lined track leading us up the hill.
The sky was blue and virtually cloudless while the trees sheltered us from the wind.
On the summit of Knock More, near the mast we stopped for a snack, before setting off on the traverse to Ben Aigan...
...pausing on route to take in the view to the north east over Keith and the prominent whisky bonded warehouses.
Soon we were on the summit of Ben Aigan where the wind was distinctly chilly. After the customary summit photo.
We spent a short while taking in the 360 degree views especially noting the River Spey and Rothes to the west
....and Ben Rinnes to the south. However it wasn’t a day for hanging about so we soon set off down the path to the west, sheltered again by conifers, until we came to the Speyside Way.
We followed it north, and took a short diversion to a marked viewpoint overlooking “Red Sheugh” ,
....where a picnic table gave a comfortable lunch spot. A little further on at the end of the trees we had a much better view of the Spey valley, noting the road and railway bridges at Boat o’ Brig.
Gillie & Linda led the continued circumnavigation of Knock More, with its late autumn colours amongst the evergreens..
....and the path led uneventfully back to the cars where I’m sure we all benefitted from some stretching exercises ..
....before we adjourned for tea and scones at the very pleasant Boogie Woogie café in Keith.
Paddy
