Mud bath for two bloggers on Glenlivet Estate walk...

It was a good plan. I would meet up with Louise (here) and we would toddle along, chatting of course, have lunch at the summit of Carn Daimh and then toddle back to the car-park.

Mmmmm.............

{Waymarker at the summit}

It started very well. I arrived a bit early, having over-estimated the journey to Tomnavoulin by about 45 minutes. Louise arrived shortly afterwards.

The day seemed quite good. A little chilly but not actually raining, even a bit sunny. We consulted the maps and agreed a route, then set off.

There was a little hesitation after the first stile. But eventually we took off uphill albeit on the wrong side of a fence. We did find a gate, climbed over carefully, and carried on, heading for the Speyside Way and the summit of Carn Daimh.

On the path, looking like soft ice-cubes, we found some star jelly. So I took a photo.

{Mysterious star jelly on the path}

This section of the Speyside Way was exceeding wet and muddy. Obviously suffering from a lot of erosion and very little maintenance. Nice sticky black mud and peaty pools, which we hopped over and around. The path climbed up to the summit where we were struck by a cold wind and deciding to find a more sheltered place for lunch, we continued down to the forest.

{Terrible condition of Speyside Way}

{Summit of Carn Daimh and approaching rain clouds}

Among the trees we found a suitable place to sit. Some felling had left heaps of branches and stumps, giving a desolate feel, but a view of the hills had been revealed.

After lunch we continued through the forest. The route now took us across a swollen stream, then a tricky plank to plank section across a wet field. Then hopping, sploshing and by now, giggling whenever a boot was sucked into the mud, through a forest gap to another stile, where the rain started.......and the path disappeared completely into a bog.

{Plank to plank across a very wet field}

Fortunately we spotted some posts in the distance and set about clambering through the now soggy heather to reach them one by one, although they did seem to move further away all the time. Finally, we reached the Speyside Way again. Oh dear, yet another section of the Way in poor condition.

{Bemused cows, enjoying their own mud bath}

The final part of the walk, in diminishing day light, was just a complete mud bath with cows and sheep for company. This time pale sloppy mud and murky puddles. Oh, and a forced (by the cows) detour through a very spikey, dark wood with another fence climb at the end.

An enjoyable and unforgettably muddy day. According to my Viewranger we completed 18.2 kms.

But my boots didn't leak!