Running it in - 250 miles today

Well spotted, do you know the local name for the ridge before it without the snow? The middle ridge.
 
Well spotted, do you know the local name for the ridge before it without the snow? The middle ridge.

Leacann Dubh.
Old hospital route to Braemar.

The ridge runs down to where the Devil's Elbow is, to this day.

The old military road goes over iron bridge is on the other of the A93 and takes a more direct line on the Cairnwell before coming in at the pass with the A93.
As to the 'black paved road' I don't know what it is called locally.
But is not the Monega road from Glenisla to Braemar as that goes north of Glas Moal and only connects with the old military road at Glen Callater.
 
Monega path comes out at the 'Shand Spittal' bridge in Glen Clunie. Local name again.
The black paved road you mean,is it below the current A93? If so that is the old Devils elbow,.
The old military road comes across the back of an old pillbox not far from the now A93. Built to stop the germans invading Braemar!
 
Monega path comes out at the 'Shand Spittal' bridge in Glen Clunie. Local name again.
The black paved road you mean,is it below the current A93? If so that is the old Devils elbow,.
The old military road comes across the back of an old pillbox not far from the now A93. Built to stop the germans invading Braemar!

No, not the Devil's Elbow. It's in the middle of the photo.

You referred to the middle ridge in the picture, the one without the snow. That's what I think is Leacann Dubh, as marked on the photo with blue dotted line.

This is a fine ridge and because it is such, would probably be clear of any heavy snow. This would probably be a good route for access between the Spittal and Braemar.
Hence we can see it clearly just now with virtually no snow.
I can also see what you mean by the route eventually coming out at Glen Cluanie. Tends to keep to the ridges and avoids any potentially deep snow drifts.
A good 'hospital' route. 'Hospital' as in 'hospitality' - places to stay/rest and get food and lodgings.

The Devil's Elbow road must have got blocked a lot because it is closer into the river bed. More susceptible to snow drifts.

Interestingly the 'proper' Old Military Road, marked with black dotted line keeps out of the river bed and as I have said already climbs and contours into The Cairnwell as the same spot as the 'new' road and the Devil's Elbow road.
Good old William Roy, surveyor of many a Scottish Military Road.

BTW Is this a rhetorical question about knowing the local name for the ridge??

ps enjoying this, but I feel we may have hijacked this thread......:nenau
 

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pps found some intersting stuff on a previous UKgser post.


Did you guys ever get out and about to do the 23 high passes of Scotland in a weekend??


AND this old footage of the Devil's Elbow.


http://ssa.nls.uk/film/1727


What a pile of buses.
Should we complain nowadays even with all the ski/tour buses!!!
 
I have done around 18 of the high passes. Do the 23 in a weekend now that I think is worth a go. Perchance anyone got a map of them all?

As to hijacking the original thread, hell no, this discussion is much more interesting.:thumby:
In future I will try and put up a mountain of interest in the background to stimulate the same type of chat.:type
 
No rhetorical question concerning the 'middle ridge'.
I worked on this ground for a few years and know it and the local names well.Also i find the old routes interesting ,drove ,smuggling ,ministers paths etc. They are easily lost or indistinguishable if not used,reclaimed back by the hill.

A few of us did a run of 13 passes on route to Applecross,starting at Creiff,-Glen Quaich,-Loch Learg nan Lun-,Loch Daimh-,Lochan na Lairige,-Cainwell,-The Strone,-Tom Dubh,-Lecht,-West Bridge of Brown,-Cairngorm,-Glen Kyllachy,-Carn an t Suidhe,-Bealach na Ba.

It is well worth doing again.
 
This idea of doing the high roads in a weekend, appeals to me.:thumby:
Bit like completing Munros or whatever.:rob

This will be built into my summer "things to do" on the bike.
Will look out for a decent weather High across the country so it is a definite "run with a view"

In case this would this be of interest to others, I could post up as an overnight run later in the year.
 
Run with a view

That would be a great idea,I would be interested in doing a few scenic runs as I end repeating the same roads over and over.let me know what you have in mind and with a little notice we could maybe organise a few guys from the site to join in.

Brian
 
Sounds like a great idea lads...count me in...

Another idea is to visit all the ski resorts in the one day..ie the Scottish Summer Ski Run !!:flag:flag
Its got a great ring to it.

I've do it a few times now and is always good fun..

Richard
 


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