Geldie Lodge Munros  

Getting there
From Braemar, drive west to the bridge over the Linn of Dee and the car-park just beyond. It's £2 to park here - the environmentally friendly toilets are an experience !

Geldie Lodge
Leave the car-park, turn right and head back along the road towards the bridge over the Dee. Just before the bridge a barrier blocks a track heading off west. Preferably by bike, head along this track for 4.5km to White Bridge. Cross the bridge and keep on the main track heading south-west. After another 2km, the track turns west, passes Red Hut, then becomes quite rough as it continues to a nackered wooden bridge. Beyond the bridge the track becomes easier, but further on the Allt Dhaidh Mor needs crossing, which can be tricky in spate. The track then drops to Geldie Burn, where bikes should be left. Crossing Geldie Burn is a doddle in summer, but in spate, it will demand that you take your footwear off. The sad ruin of Geldie Lodge is 400m up the track.

Carn an Fhidhleir
Behind Geldie Lodge, a fine cyclable track used to run west below Sgarsoch Beag's heather clad slopes. The NTS decided in 'the spirit of the long walk in' to remove the track and replace it with a narrow path. You now have to walk in line rather than side-by-side. Why ? Anyway, enough of my moaning - a path is better than nothing ! Follow this track to its end, then on a wet path drop to the Allt a'Chaorainn. Cross this burn, then pick up and follow a faint path through the heather for around 1km. As the gradient starts to steepen, the path disappears, but sections of grass surround one of the burns and this can be followed uphill. Eventually the grass gives way to boulders, but this is a sign that the crest is nearly reached. Once up onto the crest, turn south and attain the summit with its small cairn.

An Sgarsoch
If the mist is down, navigational skills will be needed from Carn an Fhidhleir to An Sgarsoch. From the cairn on Carn an Fhidhleir, aim south-east following a faint path and drop to a bealach before the rise up to the top marked on the OS map with a spot height of 906m. Don't go up this - turn east-south-east and drop on wet grass and tussocky ground to the peaty bealach below An Sgarsoch. Cross the bealach and pick up a faint path through the heather climbing up the hill's western shoulder. The heather gives way to grass and stones higher up and eventually the large cairn is reached. This is a fine summit for views on clear days. On windy days, the cairn provides plenty shelter for a few hardy folk.

Return
Leave the summit and follow a barely distinguisable path for 1km east. Turn north and start losing height. At around c800m, the ground becomes steep and thick heather can now be bound down on. The ground levels out and becomes easier to progress following the grass covered banks of the Allt Coire an t-Seilich. Count how many times you cross this burn ! A path evolves and Geldie Lodge is approached. Cross Geldie Burn and return back to Linn-of-Dee.