Camping near Dalwhinnie: map & interesting data
Total climbing: 355 m
Total time: 03:30:22
10 mile cycle in, 3h30 – average 3 mph
12 mile walk, 9h – average 1.3 mph (includes some scrambling)
9 mile cycle out, 2h – average 4.5 mph
Arriving at Dalwhinnie
We took the 9.33 train to Inverness and arrived at Dalwhinnie at around noon.
To get to the other side of the platform we had to carry the bikes up the bridge, and then down. Well, Simon did. I just carried a couple of panniers.
The temperature was pleasant and the forecast was for no rain until Monday afternoon.
12.06 – At Dalwhinnie train station
Before leaving, we had a look around Dalwhinnie. It’s a very small place with a couple of cafes and a petrol station shop for emergencies. Nothing fancy.
The landscape around Dalwhinnie didn’t look spectacular from the road.
12.21 – View from Dalwhinnie towards Loch Ericht
We cycled down the road and at some point saw these granite blocks, and many more.
12.29 – Blocks of granite
We then turned left and cycled past the Ben Alder Estate office.
12.33 – The Ben Alder estate office
Our Spanish-style lunch
Soon after that we had lunch by the loch. We had croquettes and tomatoes, breaded meat (filetes empanados) sandwiches, and apples.
Everything tasted great.
12.48 – Our yummy lunch, Spanish style
It was very quiet. There was no one around, except for a couple of small boats on the loch.
12.54 – Not much water in Loch Ericht
We got back on our bikes and cycled on gravelly tarmac for a while.
13.27 – Simon cycling away
Then we turned left and cycled past the lodge and other buildings.
13.59 – Gatehouse to the lodge
Here the road changed to a dirt track.
14.15 – Climbing up towards Loch Pattack
14.28 – Left, Ben Alder; right, Loch pattack
Crossing a magic bridge
Soon we arrived at this awesome suspension bridge.
14.49 – Simon crossing the suspension bridge
The bridge is a lot easier to cross than it appears. The water below isn’t deep, but it wouldn’t be easy to ford it. I guess that’s why they built the bridge.
We saw quite a few fish in the water. Some even jumped out to say hello.
By now the sun was shinning beautifully on us.
14.56 – Artistic view of the suspension bridge
Loch Pattack looked peaceful and majestic with this pair of geese gliding on it.
15.01 – A pair of geese on Loch Pattack
There’s a lot of peat in the area, and it’s obviously been extracted over the years.
15.05 – Peat
Ready to camp
Our plan was to camp near the Culra bothy.
15.24 – Track towards the Culra bothy (closed)
The bothy itself can’t be used as it was closed a few years ago when asbestos was found. Apparently there are plans to demolish it.
15.47 – Culra bothy (closed) & estate building
When we arrived we saw there were a few tents already around the bothy. We like our privacy, so we went back a few hundred yards and camped near the river.
We put up the tent in glorious weather, inflated the mattresses, got everything ready for an early night, and went for a walk to survey the area.
16.29 – Our river from the tent
There were plenty of deer tracks, but no deer in sight. At least not on Sunday. On Monday we saw large numbers of them.
17.17 – Deer tracks
An early dinner
To climb Ben Alder the following day we needed to get up early, so we had dinner by 6pm. It was Simon’s concoction: orzo with three different types of sausage (Spanish chorizo, Polish sausage and hot dogs) in tomato sauce.
Not bad at all. Although a smaller portion and a second dish would have been perfect.
For dessert we had miniature flapjacks (not fantastic) and other sweets.
17.43 – Our delicious dinner with three types of sausage
It was a warm gentle evening with great visibility and no wind. Quite different from what was to come the following morning.
19.09 – Our beloved second home & Ben Alder *
When we went to bed there was still a lot of light. I read my Poirot Mystery of the Blue Train for an hour, while Simon tried to get bored by doing nothing. He failed, as usual.
We both slept well. You could hear the river flowing, but not the deer that came to visit us during the night.
I took all the photos with the Panasonic, except for the panoramic.
* Simon took this photo.