Glen Taner II
Date Walked: 6th September 2011
Distance: 13 miles (21km)
Actual Ascent: 2142 ft (653m)
Time Taken: 5 hours
I found myself with a little time to wander yesterday so set off to Glen Taner. There are a host of reasons for my choice of location but mainly it's close to home and has a variety of routes to choose from, you can mix and match too to make routes longer or shorter as the mood takes you.
It was a great day for a wander, cool with just a few showers. I passed by the main car park (£2 charge) for this jaunt and continued along the road past the riding stables to the very end, where the small car park (space for about 6 cars ) has no pay and display machine. Not that I'm tight, its just closer to where I wanted to wander today
There are plenty of choices of route from here......
It was a great day for a wander, cool with just a few showers. I passed by the main car park (£2 charge) for this jaunt and continued along the road past the riding stables to the very end, where the small car park (space for about 6 cars ) has no pay and display machine. Not that I'm tight, its just closer to where I wanted to wander today
There are plenty of choices of route from here......
I begin heading east around the loch but remaining on the west bank of the water of taner.
the forest is beautiful today with sunlight streaming through the trees (which make a great natural umbrella in the showers)
around the eastern side of the loch the small boathouse shows a couple of rowing boats tucked away.
a gentle climb through the trees continues the route as I slowly swing to the west along the logging track.
the area is interspersed with pockets of blooming heather poking out of the lush green bracken.
the water of taner bounces along beside the track for a good distance and at an area with large flat boulders I believe I may have found a weekend picnic spot for Sarah
after about 6/7 km you exit the forest into the open spaces of the Cairngorms National Park
less than 1km after exiting the forest keep left at the fork in the road
still beside the water of taner as I pass the cairn marking the nature reserve (I'm exiting)
I cross one bridge at Etnach and continue beyond 'rumbling pot' to the next, where I can see Mt Keen away in the distance, though I can't see the path that allegedly exists from here (starts where my rucksack is??)
looking back downstream I stop for a drink and a bite.
As I can't find the path that is shown on my OS I decide to make one cutting the corner of my intended route looking back to the bridge I covered ground quickly
I think this little light green strip may be the remains of the path, Mt Keen looks much closer now
the path is barely visible but it is clear I'm heading in the right direction and I'm glad to be walking above the boggy area below
at the top of the rise Mt Keen and Braid Cairn are holding on to the rain but for how much longer.
turning east now behind Black Craig I pick up the logging track I was aiming for as the rain blows in
the shower is much heavier than I expected so I stop and put on the waterproof gear.....in no time the shower stops...typical
continuing on I seem to be escaping the wrath of the storms by walking along a line that turns north east as the storms rush by
the few spots of rain that do come my way are just enough to produce a beautiful rainbow , and almost a double
the rainbow begins to fade within a few minutes
and soon after it's gone, but the stunning autumn colours remain showing the glen at its best
a last look back and I see another storm blowing in
but it passes by again with only a few spots heading my way, resulting in the return of the rainbow just before I dip back into the forest and begin the long descent through the trees to the car
back at the car the heavens opened to provide a final double rainbow, a fitting end to a really enjoyable wander on good firm dry tracks (worth remembering for those soaking grotty weeks)