I’m not sure why but “boreal” is one of my favourite words. The dictionary has its meaning as “relating to northern regions” so maybe I like the word because I am a lover of the north. When I think boreal in Scotland, I think of grey, still, clagged-in winter days wandering through ancient birch and pine woods. There’s something about remoteness in the word and it would be cold with an edge to the wind that feels like a breath from glaciers long gone. But if the low winter sun would poke through, it’s ethereal light could cast a veil of magic over the place. I have a deep-seated need to be in these boreal landscapes. So early in the year, I wandered along the Spey Valley to lose myself in its boreal-ness.
On a quiet weekend when the snow had temporarily retreated, I walked from Boat of Garten to Kingussie, picking up my friend Graham in Aviemore along the way. We followed a network of paths and tracks that meandered through the valley and barely left the old woods at all. The cloud was low and scudded across the tops of the Cairngorms. Where we walked through birch, drizzly mist had formed droplets on the fine twigs that reflected back the world in their little spheres.
Our route skirted the quiet waters of Loch an Eilean and Loch Gamhna and popped out at Feshiebridge where we followed a thin trail up-river. Although not remote, it felt wild here, enhanced by the fact that we barely saw a soul. The walk felt like a long ambling meander but we did have a destination for the second night out in tents – the Uath Lochans. The lochans are glacial kettle holes, formed by a chunk of ice carving off and sinking in the sediment. Our trail pulled in there mid afternoon.
We hid our heavier camping kit in the trees and made a fabulous walk up and over Creag Far-Leitire. A short pull led to a high level path that snaked along the top of the crag which forms a backdrop to the lochans. At its southeastern extremity there is a stunning view over the lochans and the boreal landscape that they inhabit. There are four lochans and from up high they looked like a giant dinosaur’s footprint that has filled with water. Water that today was iced over in swirly patterns.
After a quiet night at the lochans, we picked up the Badenoch Way to continue through the woods to Kingussie. I like this stretch of the walk. It flirts with the outskirts of the hamlets at Insh, Inveruglas and Drumguish. Here wood smoke from cosy homes filled the air and, peering into back gardens, we had a brief glimpse of somebody else’s life.
The old arch of Tromie Bridge signalled the last few miles of our walk as we pushed open the gate and entered Tromie Meadows. But what a lovely last few miles. The trail wandered across the fields then left the river and climbed a wooded rise where young birch encrusted with lichens are regenerating. The rise gave views over the watery world of Insh Marshes. Too soon it seemed we were almost in Kingussie and walking below the atmospheric ruins of Ruthven Barracks.
The old barracks date back to 1721 and stand at the head of the valley on a large mound created by the retreating glaciers. They are bounded on the south by the sub—Arctic realms of the Cairngorms and on the north by the Monadhliath. As I looked up at the ruins under a glowering sky threatening snow, I thought, like myself, they sat well in this northern, boreal landscape.
Fact File
Finish: Kingussie
Public transport: Train to Aviemore then local bus to Boat of Garten. Bus stop opposite front of station. Train back from Kingussie.
Route: National Cycle Route/Speyside Way from Boat of Garten to Aviemore. Starts opposite the shop/post office. Aviemore to Inverdruie along the ski road then picking up a path on the other side of the car park that enters the woods and continues to Lochan Eilean. Round the north shore of Lochan Eilean then the south shore of Loch Gamhna but picking up a branch in the path to the left which continues passed a bothy then onto Feshiebridge. Crossed the river at Feshiebridge then took the right of way up the west bank. It eventually passes between houses and hits the glen road. We turned right on the road then next left onto forest track for the Uath Lochans. The main track into the lochans continues behind Creag Far-leitire and meets the Badenoch Way which we followed into Kingussie.