Tuesday 13th May, TGOC2014 Day 5

Ault-na-Goire to Cafe Akto

After a cold and clear night we woke to a frosty tent. We’d unfortunately pitched badly, it was going to be a while before the warm sun would hit the tent. Just as well we’d booked breakfast with the Sutherlands – plenty of time for the tent to defrost and dry out. Alex and Janet, well Janet really, put on a magnificent breakfast that really set us up for the day.

We left Denis in the capable hands of Janet and Alex, the general idea was that Denis would catch up with us later in the day. Hmmm, he’d not even dropped his tent yet! I was rather hoping Denis WOULD catch us up – he’s great company over the Monadhliath and in the last few years we’ve always tried to cross to Glen Mazeran together.

Croydon, Alan, Viv and I set out for our long day to Cafe Akto, that well-known peripatetic raiser of dosh for worthy causes.

  Ault-na-Goire, the morning after the night before

There was to be much tarmac today but the weather was so lovely it really wasn’t too much of a trial….although I’m not sure Viv’s delicate tootsies agreed.

 Progress, greed or opportunism?

Our trial by tarmac ended just beyond Aberader House where we headed up a pleasant LRT that sort of followed the course of the Allt Mor. We kept an eye on the road as long as it was visible but there was no sign of Denis. He was probable still drinking, er, tea with Alex & Janet.

Ugh! (Sorry about the knees)

We found a suitable lunch spot and had a leisurely stop – I was still hopeful that Denis might catch us up. Then there was the climbing. Ah well, you can’t walk across Scotland without going uphill a teensy-weensy bit. Can’t you?

Looking back – still no Denis.

Once over the watershed the walk changed from good to brilliant. Not only was it (nominally) downhill it was just wonderful. The Monadhliaths are spectacularly wild and it’s a real pleasure to walk this way. I cannot imagine why these wild and wonderful areas are being ruined by windfarm development. Why on earth does a country that relies so heavily on tourism for it's income trash it's main asset? To say that this new windfarm won’t be visible from the Loch Ness and the usual tourist routes is just feeble.

These damned windfarms don’t even pay their way – they’re not efficient and they’re seriously environmentally unfriendly. The only attraction that I can see is that there are enormous cash subsidies available that make them financially attractive to landowners and energy companies. It’s us, the tax payer, that gets the short straw: we pay the subsidies AND we have to suffer the angst and the eyesores. Approving the Stronelairg windfarm is an unbelievably short sighted decision that will have repercussions for a long time to come.

I shall now get off my soapbox.

Anyroadup, to Glen Mazeran:

Viv trying to catch Alan 

 The Cairngorms on the horizon

Alan & Croydon descending into Glen Mazeran

The walk over to Glen Mazeran was a real pleasure. We trotted down lovely grassy river-bed runnels to the LRT. The ground was dry and soft – wonderful to walk on, if I hadn’t been so knackered I’d be happy for the day to just go on and on.

The LRT surface came as quite a shock, hard and stony – much harder on the feet than the soft ground we’d just been enjoying. Ah well.

Alan and Croydon, well ahead of us, were met by Cafe Akto’s proprietor. He was clearly very keen to ensure these potential customers didn’t wander off to a competitor’s establishment. That would never do.

The ground around Cafe Akto was a bit lumpy but it was quite dry and we all managed to find half-decent pitches. There were other Challengers camping nearby and a pleasant evening ensued as they all gathered around Mike’s beer supply:

 Cafe Akto and customers

I can’t imagine how Mike managed to transport all that food, beer and camping equipment up the glen, but he did. I gather the beer was good (there wasn’t much left by the time we left anyway!) although I didn’t partake, for me it was getting a wee bit too cold to enjoy a cold drink.

And this is where we went

15(ish) miles with around 2300’ ascent