Loch Muick Circuit
Date Walked: 20th January 2011
Distance: 7 miles (11.5km)
Actual Ascent: 557 ft (170m)
Time Taken: 3 hours
It was nice to get Sarah out with me this time, though it may mean less distance and ascent the pay off is time with my beautiful wife, talking, laughing and planning our future together.
We had never seen Loch Muick, it was recommended to us by our neighbour in Banchory so we thought we would check it out. Access is from the small town of Ballater via the B967 heading South on a single track road for 6 miles is a real pain, the road twists and turns preventing any speed at all. We laughed as I spoke of strangling the poor old guy from next door if this place wasn't worth the prolonged 20mph run.
We arrived in a very well maintained car park with a toilet block and small (but interesting) welcome centre, it was looking OK so far as we set off following the signs for the walk.
The sun shone brightly but the frost remained along the ground where the shadows lay, with the winter sun in Scotland staying so low in the sky there are plenty of shadows
We had never seen Loch Muick, it was recommended to us by our neighbour in Banchory so we thought we would check it out. Access is from the small town of Ballater via the B967 heading South on a single track road for 6 miles is a real pain, the road twists and turns preventing any speed at all. We laughed as I spoke of strangling the poor old guy from next door if this place wasn't worth the prolonged 20mph run.
We arrived in a very well maintained car park with a toilet block and small (but interesting) welcome centre, it was looking OK so far as we set off following the signs for the walk.
The sun shone brightly but the frost remained along the ground where the shadows lay, with the winter sun in Scotland staying so low in the sky there are plenty of shadows
as we passed the old buildings and walked out into the glen we spotted a herd of deer high on the hill overlooking the glen
our first view of the glen and loch is one we will remember for a very long time, it was a beautiful location all dressed up in winter colours
looking down the glen, the water of the loch lay breathlessly still where the ice had receded, it made a perfect mirror of the steep sided hills around the banks
Sarah leads the way into the shadows as we head down the Eastern bank of the loch on the well constructed pathway, the frost on the ground compliments the snow on the hills, the perfect calm and blues skies and lack of other people make this a very special moment in time and we savour it
the path makes a steady ascent as we walk toward the end of the loch, the high peak on the horizon is broad cairn, which I hiked some time after this.
when we arrive at a small wooden bridge and waterfall, Sarah gets the priorities right, getting the flask out for some hot tea, looking back down the loch we have covered 2 miles already
from here the path narrows and descends slowly back to the loch level as it heads down toward the end of the loch where we can circle around
as we reach the end of the loch and look back along it we notice that it would be almost possible to flip this photo and get away with it
there is a grassy embankment over a small shingle beach at this end and Sarah wastes no time in getting the flasks out again, including two lovely flasks of stew, as we pour them out and sit eating the steam rises off our cups and we look like an advert for Heinz
when we start away again a series of small board-walks allow us to cross the tributaries that feed the loch
because of the low sun, all of this end of the loch is in permanent shadow and is very cold but the frost coating on everything does add to the aesthetics
once over the last footbridge there is another wide well made path that feeds all around the loch to where we started, unfortunately because of the fading light this was the last photo I took of a great afternoon walk by Loch Muick.
I didn't know it then but Loch Muick became a favourite haunt of mine, returning here many times to climb the munros surrounding it and walk the pathways from here to other glens.