Autumn on Royal Deeside
Our first stop was the Falls of Feugh where the tremendous amount of rainfall over the preceding days turned the always exciting series of rapids into a churning maelstrom of white water. There was no sign of any salmon leaping today but the bright autumn colours and the power of the river were spectacle enough.
Next up was a pub lunch at the Boat Inn at Aboyne. Very tasty food, pleasant surroundings and the pleasures of introducing the lager shandy to new people!
The water levels at the Falls of Feugh had us a bit worried that we wouldn’t be able to get into the Burn o’ Vat, but our fears were set aside (along with shoes and socks) when it was just a cold paddle to get through the narrow entrance. The waterfall was impressive this time and it was a delight as always to marvel at this natural spectacle.
We did the round up through the woods and along to the viewpoint before crossing the road and making our way along the trail towards Loch Kinord. The late afternoon sun caught the lichens, mosses and fungi beautifully and it was especially nice down by the shore of the loch with the water choppy from the breeze.
Our final stop was the Cambus o’ May bridge, a suspension bridge spanning the River Dee which was running full and fast. The last light was illuminating the trees as we enjoyed the fresh air.
