It was one of those lazy mornings when you know you don’t have to rush anywhere. Sipping the coffee I was enjoying the view from my window. I could see Ruthven Barracks in the distance, room filled with the sun. Little things we forget to be grateful for in our day to day lives.
Despite the early hours it was hot already. Hard to believe I was actually in Scotland, temperatures this May must have been the record ones in years. How lucky we were to worry about applying sunscreen and not hiding under our raincoats!
Knowing it actually was an easy day, I didn’t rush at all. Visited the local laundrette, Post Office (who would have thought I would be sending home the warmer layers!), enjoyed my Meal Deal by the river basking in the sun. And then I set off towards Glen Feshie. Unlike previous days, the walk to the bothy is not only relatively short but also flat. Just easy work really. According to my watch, it took me just over six hours, of which hour and a half was spent resting!
Walk itself is just simply stunning. Shortly after leaving Kingussie I came across Ruthven Barracks which were built after Jacobite Rising. Raised on a hill can clearly be seen while driving on A9. And what a view it is!
After that, not for long, I was following Speyside Way towards Tromie Bridge. River Tromie flowing underneath is a truly spectacular sight! Sometimes I wonder if word gorgeous actually derives from the gorge, it would only make sense if it did. Past the bridge I turned into the forestry track and I could see them again. Cairngorms. With way less snow than the day before.
After few miles I crossed a little stream. Took my boots off and enjoyed the gentle caressing of cold water. But I didn’t put them back on straight away. I sat on the rock, lay on the grass, watched the clouds in the sky, let the sun kiss my skin. There clearly is certain magic in Cairngorms. I spotted the bridge over the stream few meters to my right. I smiled, glad I haven’t seen it before!
Soon I crossed the River Feshie and was on my last leg towards the Ruigh Aiteachain bothy. There is a little sign inside the bothy that says ‘It’s Glen Feshie. We do things differently here’. Trust me, I could talk for hours about Glen Feshie, the bothy and Mr Povlsen’s work, but this could be a material for a whole new post or few. The only thing I want to mention is, that you can tell straight away you are in Glen Feshie. It’s green, it is so green. The estate not only planted 1.5 million (!) trees, but also, contary to other estates, they activately encourage people’s free access to the land without keeping to the paths!
Ruigh Aitechain bothy is whole different story too. I visited it first in 2022 while climbing two nearby Munros. On my way there (and it was exactly the same route from Kingussie) I bumped into two women cycling through the woods. When mentioned where I was headed they exclaimed ‘Oh, its the luxury one!’. Luxury bothy? What can be luxury about the bothy? Little did I know, the whole building has been restored by Mr Povlsen. From new walls, to the roof, to the toilets outside, to the whole renovated interior, new stove and new furniture. On a wall there is even a reproduction of Monarch of the Glen for people to enjoy. These days it looks more like a holiday retreat, less like a bothy. I was even greeted with a glass of Prosecco on my arrival back then. It is Glen Feshie. They do things differently there.
There wasn’t prosecco this time but there were many challengers camping outside. Glen Feshie is one of those hot social spots on the challenge. Despite the luxury interior of the bothy, almost everyone chose to sleep outside. Weather was just too good. I joined what looked like a little campsite already, proudly presenting my pen knife trick to everyone who wanted to see it.
There wasn’t prosecco but there was whisky that night, and laughter could be heard from miles.
Route taken: Kingussie- Ruthven Barracks- Tromie Bridge- Drumguish- Baileguish- Glen Feshie (19.5 km)
Outdoors with Karolina 