Glen Gelder

The first walk In 2021 for the DHC was held on Saturday 20th March.

With a group of 15 now being allowed under the new COVID-19 restrictions. Twelve

of us gathered at the Crathie car park on a bright sunny morning. After the initial Covid briefing the group including Sandy, Tim, Ali plus Dylan, Susan, Graeme Neish,Moira, Jane, Ian, Ruth, Steve, Robert and Gordon set off at 9am.

The plan for the day was to head up the Land Rover track in Glen Gelder before joining the footpath beside the Faith an Laoigh burn to reach The Prince’s Stone. Then make our way to the Munro Top of Meall Coire an Saobhaide. Returning via Creag Liath and the Gelder Shiel bothy.

It was a very pleasant walk up Glen Gelder and a coffee stop was welcome at the open shed where we were to leave the Land Rover track and join the footpath.

The narrow footpath which took us up to The Prince’s Stone was still holding some snow. This made the the ascent more exciting than it would otherwise have been.

There is not a footpath to Meall Coire an Saobhaide and a lot of the hoped for snow had reduced to a few small patches. It meant a bit of easy? heather hopping was required.

We were met with a ferocious wind on Meall Coire an Saobhaide and it made reaching the top very difficult. We dropped off the top and out of the wind for lunch. The views were excellent in all directions but particularly those of Lochnagar.

It was a fairly easy return via Creag Liath to meet up with the Land Rover track in Glen Gelder. The Gelder Shiel bothy was closed and locked as they all are under the present restrictions.

The sun shone as we wandered back to Crathie and reached the car park about 4pm.

Gordon