Hiking the Fjällräven Classic UK | Part Two
In case you missed the first half of this journey on the Fjällräven Classic, you can read about it here.
The wind on the second morning of the Fjällräven Classic UK was still blowing down through the Lairig Ghru, which we were now walking straight into. As we got up to the Pools of Dee, the rain also joined in and for the next hour or so we battled onwards into the gruelling weather conditions. The only issue we encountered that morning was with the rain cover on the Osprey Poco Plus. It has an opening at the front which the wind and rain were blowing straight into and getting Aífe a little wet. Classically, Aífe was asleep so I just pulled the rain and sun cover down with some gaffa tape that I always take with me so the gap at the front was almost closed.
From there on in, the trail slowly meandered its way down into the valley carved out by the tumbling and cascading head of the Allt Druibh. With Lurchers Crag above us, we headed towards the shelter of the trees and into the fringes of the Rothiemurchus Estate. We caught up with the next check point just as the rain subsided, so we decided to stop and eat some lunch. The checkpoint was a calm respite from the weather nestled into the thick heather and treeline between moor and forest. The women at the checkpoint were running low on snacks so we shared some of ours with them as it wasn’t easy sitting in one place for 48 hours while we all trundle on through; they are after all the unsung heroes of these kind of events which wouldn’t happen if it wasn’t for them.
The paths widened, the sun came out and the next few kilometres where easy going and relaxed on forest paths and tracks, as we weaved our way through the far reaching, naturalised Caledonian forest. This 10,000 acre estate has been home to 18 generations of the Grant family who have cared for this land for hundreds of years and it’s a real gem in the Scottish landscape. We soon found ourselves at the next checkpoint on the banks of Loch Morlich where we sat, relaxed and chatted in the sun. The general friendliness and vibe of the event was such a pleasure to be enveloped in and the check points always offered a warm welcome.
As we headed off ,we decided to stop for the night at Bynack Stables which is near to the Ryvoan Bothy. From there the path quickly gained another 400m of elevation so it seemed right to save that for the morning, thus leaving us with 25km for the final day if we were to go all the way back.
The other consideration for us was the weather.
The next day wasn’t looking good and we were hearing reports of sleet and snow on high ground which would be less than ideal. As we meandered our way over towards the green loch we ran over the scenarios and options between us. If it was looking bad in the morning, we would consider finishing at Bynack Stables. We had a good escape route and could quickly be at a road and able to be picked up. If we thought it was possible, then we would head off but this next section was quite committing with Aífe as we had 12km of higher ground to cover and if it was cold, wet and high winds then this would not be good for her. We didn’t have any signal so couldn’t check the weather, but as we arrived at Bynack I realised I just had enough signal to check weather reports. We tend to use a mixture of Met office, MWIS (Mountain Weather Information Service) and Mountain Forecast.
Once we finally found a spot to camp and got ourselves sorted and warmth in our bellies, we tried to decipher all the information. We were only going to 800m and the snow, sleet and 40mph northerly winds was reported for the tops at roughly 1200m. A lot can change over 400m and between reports for 500m and 1000m, our nearest top, it varied from sunny to all out horrible. What was clear though was that the worst of it was coming in around lunchtime, so if we got up and got moving quickly over the first 12km, then potentially we could be up and down before the worst hits. Couple that with the fact that the wind will be on our backs, the rain cover on the Osprey Poco Plus would work in its most effective way, then it was looking possible.
That still doesn’t remove the anxiety of walking with your 10 month old baby in bad weather and all the possibilities that could happen. So we decided to check the weather first thing in the morning and make a decision then. We were all tired and Oslo was curled up at our feet and asleep under a pile of clothes in no time at all. The last remaining light as we settled down for the night was putting on a spectacular show across the hills surrounding us, reminding everyone camping just how beautiful Scotland can be.
We woke to a calm morning and I managed to get signal and check the weather again. The reports were still the same as the day before and the worst of the weather was coming in around midday. We weighed it all up and decided to go, knowing that if it was bad we could always turn back. We got going leaving just after 8am. There wasn’t much chatting with folk on the trail this morning, just a quick hello as we got our heads down and kept moving with the wind building on our backs. The first initial uphill was certainly a wake up call and by the top we were warmed up with the blood pumping.
Bynack More, which we were heading round the side of, was shrouded in cloud but there were moments where we were basking in sunshine and then flurries of high winds and rain. The Scottish weather can be so intricate sometimes; it just feels like there is this constant enigmatic dance between light and water, never a battle as such but more a flowing improvisation of twists and turns that deliver a majesty to tantalise the onlooker.
By the end of the first hour of walking we had covered 2.5km, as the uphill slowed things down a little, but the second hour flew by and by the end of it we had covered 7km. It was fairly easy-going and with the wind on our back it was nice to have a small assist. If the wind had been coming from the south it would have been a totally different story and we would have had to bail.
We hit the Loch Avon refuge around 10.30- 11am, said our hellos, got our trail passport stamped and kept moving with some fun little river crossing to navigate there. It was only another 3km roughly until we would start heading down off the high ground, and we had an hour or so before the weather was really going to come in.
It felt like forever pushing on through the last few kilometres, the rain was starting to build and it was a head down and hood up type of affair. The temperatures had definitely been dropping too and with the humidity high it was getting right into our bones. We passed the Hutchinson Memorial Hut, sat up in a valley to our right and finally met up with the Derry Burn which we would follow all the way down into the valley and our last check point.
Aífe checking the weather on our final morning
We finally started heading down and broke out into a moment of sun with the wind having died down. It felt good to be out the other side after the mild anxiety we had the night before, and knowing that we made the right decision and were capable of covering the ground that we needed to. It wasn’t easy and we definitely feeling ready for some proper food as we had just kept snacking throughout the morning while walking. Aífe was definitely ready for some food too and really starting to let us know.
We tried to stop when we hit some trees and then it rained, so we kept moving and the rain stopped again so we stopped and Athena breastfed Aífe on a log. Then it started raining again! Oslo was getting cold too as we slowed down and so I pulled out the ground sheet to our tent and pulled together a shelter up against the log in the rain and we all got under and huddled. Snacks were passed around and Oslo got some wet cuddles and his share of the snacks until the rain finally stopped. We poked our heads out and were greeted by the most beautiful rainbow across the glen, we could see the rain and clag still holding in the pass above us and we were thankful to be down.
We decided to keep pushing on, to head on down the glen to Derry Lodge where we would finally complete the circular loop of the Cairngorms and arrive at the first and last check point. From there it was only 7km back to Mar Lodge, but we still hadn’t decided if we would stay out for another night or just bee line it back with the lure of a hot shower and a warm bed.
The weather wasn’t looking great for the next day so we just rolled on with the loose plan of getting to Derry Lodge and seeing how we felt. The whole ethos of the Fjällräven Classic is to go slow and take your time, there was an extra day to enjoy and not alarm anyone so this too was alluring as Derry Lodge is such a lovely spot to camp. “Let’s just see how we feel when we get there” Athena turned and said as we walked on down the single track path through the young growth of a sprawling woodland. I could only agree and dreamed of hot chocolate when we got there as foot followed foot in a hypnotic rhythm that my breath began to be washed up in.
The stream widened, the path drew away and we lifted up around a picturesque glen with a waterfall and old growth Scots pine bent and buckled by the ever changing conditions, before we knew it we were at the Lodge and just as we arrived the heavens opened. We searched for cover and found some rest-bite behind one of the buildings, so jumped into action again made a small shelter and finally got some lunch on the go at around 3pm.
It was nice for Aífe to finally be able to crawl around on our PACMAT. She does so well in the Osprey Poco Plus; I think it’s a real testament to how well they are designed that she seems so comfortable in it and can be happy pretty much all day in it. We chatted about the fact that 3 days of carrying her in it was a little daunting but frankly it couldn’t have gone any better; we’re so proud of her and her resilience to be able to just accept the conditions that have been thrown at her.
We stayed and rested for a good hour or so and gratified ourselves with the hot chocolate I had been dreaming of. It was then that we decided to just head straight back. We chatted with the lovely people at the checkpoint and they confirmed the weather wasn’t looking great the next morning so we decided to keep going. Quite a few people had also made the same choice but there was also a good mix of people setting up for the night at the Lodge. It would make for a great final night and we congratulated them on their hardiness as we got ready to go.
As we were leaving, a group of friends rolled in so we hung around and made the final journey with one of them who was happy to keep going. It was a great final leg as we chatted and shared stories and developed a friendship that only sharing these kind of experiences can forge. Whether completing the route on your own or with a group of friends, there is a collective “coming together” that events like these promote. It’s not about the competition or race to the finish line, it’s about the unity that as a group pitching yourselves against the weather and terrain can bring and I think the Fjällräven Classic embodies that so well.
The last stretch disappeared in a fog of conversation and before we knew it we were being greeted by applause, bagpipes, beer, hugs and hot tea. Everyone so happy to see us in as we were the only family participating, and Aífe was possibly the youngest person ever to complete a Classic worldwide, let alone the UK!
It felt great to have completed it when there were moments of doubt with the weather and the mild anxiety of whether we were up to the challenge. We would never put Aífe at risk but there were definitely some factors that could have changed everything very quickly. We were lucky it wasn’t raining when we needed to pitch camp for the night for instance, having wet dogs and wet kit and struggling to keep warm could have really changed things, and had the weather really closed in hard on any of the days then I don’t think we would have been able to continue.
It was a constant back and forth when packing between the fine line of taking too much and dealing with every eventuality but also heavy packs too, closely watching the weather and just taking what we thought we would need to get through the conditions and being able to move optimally.
Ultimately, we feel like we got it right this time, and luckily, we were fine with the weather conditions as they were. Next time I think we would take a dedicated warm layer for Oslo and maybe a group shelter for us all to get under quickly if we had needed to stop the worst of the weather, but we managed comfortably with what we had with us and there was always another option.
We’re so happy we got to come along on the first of the Fjällräven Classics to be held in the UK; we would love to do some of the others around the world and we would highly recommend them to anyone wanting something a little different from a multi-day hike, or maybe it’s your first and just having the safety blanket of an organised event and the general good vibes to help you on your way. We don’t think you’ll be disappointed.