UKC

Hi,

Anyone ever done this ?

Chris

In reply to wildernesschris:

I've done it in early April, whilst walking from Blair Atholl to Mar Lodge. It was a boots off job (with gutties), just passable with snow melt water at the ford north of Bynack Lodge. Bloody freezing. The river course was braided with one main channel and a couple of smaller ones. Not sure I would guarantee crossing there with higher levels.

In reply to Jack Frost:

Thanks for your reply.

I think I might detour to Linn of Dee Car Park and cross the bridge then walk back along the side of the river and skip the ford crossing.

I am heading North South, from Aviemore side.

I would interested to know if anyone has taken this detour ? And how long it took.

Thanks,

Chris

In reply to wildernesschris:

I've crossed it at Geldie Lodge as late as November and as early as March. Just kept boots on and soon warmed up after that. That's a wee bit upstream from where I think you're intending to cross if you're going Lairig Ghru/Glen Tilt. I've also crossed where I think you're going in the summer months with no problem.

As far as the detour is concerned I have walked along both sides and there is no particular problem on the S side; N side of course is Land Rover track. Can't say how long it would take you but I'd allow at least a couple of hours.

Of course it's all very dependent on conditions at the time and you may have no option other than to detour.

In reply to Jim Braid:

Hi jim,

Thanks for that. To be honest i think i will just take the detour and walk quicker and that way I can just stop thinking about it.

Also, beter to take the detour as soon as the path forks, otherwise its all the way to the burn, then turn around and walk back the way i came which is an even longer detour.

Thanks,

Chris

In reply to wildernesschris:

Personally I'd take sandals or crocs and do the crossing, assuming it's not a major thaw or very heavy rain. Ground on the otherside of the river is nowhere near as convienent as the track and would be significantly more time consuming.

In reply to ScraggyGoat:

Agreed. It would be a weary way round, and a dire trog back along the south side of the Dee. You should be able to form a reasonable judgment of river levels by the time you've come over the Lairig and down Glen Dee. If there's a hard frost the flow may be well reduced. In past years I've forded the Geldie several times at different seasons without undue difficulty. The risk of high water is probably as great in summer as in winter, and probably greatest at times of major snow melt as Jack Frost suggests.