Dog Falls and Coire Loch circuit — Glen Affric

On this tour I fell head over heels in love with Glen Affric and the River Affric! What a wonderful hike - especially to Coire Loch! From there you unfortunately leave the wild, narrow path and exchange it for an easy gravel road for the rest of the tour. Nevertheless, you shouldn't miss this part - it leads you straight to a magnificent viewpoint where all the Glen Affric postcard motifs are created. Here too, only those who arrive before 8 have a chance to enjoy the place in silence.

After our short detour to Rogie Falls, we continued on to Glen Affric, our hiking destination for today. We were determined to visit this valley before the heavy, persistent rain set in that evening. Glen Affric is often described as Scotland's most beautiful valley and encompasses the third-largest area of ancient Caledonian pine forests in Scotland, as well as lochs, moorland, and mountains. The area is a Caledonian Forest Reserve, a National Scenic Area, and a National Nature Reserve, and is also under various other protection regulations. (Wikipedia) Glen Affric is a must-hike; there are only two parking lots at the end of a 25-kilometer road, which you also have to drive back down. We had opted for a rather short but very beautiful circular hike; we didn't want to be caught in the rain and, if possible, also wanted to find a place to stay overnight in the dry. I particularly liked the ancient Caledonian pines overgrown with rare lichens, and of course the foaming River Affric, which cascades into a mighty waterfall, albeit one that's difficult to photograph. My absolute highlight, however, is the green forest floor; I've never seen it so intensely before. It's not ground cover or temporary lilies of the valley; it's genuinely fresh, lush green grass, the kind that couldn't grow better in a sunlit pasture. Insight of the day: What a difference it makes whether you visit (and photograph) such an idyllic scene in sunshine or under cloudy skies. We're now officially standing at the church in Fort Augustus, and it's raining 🌧️. 👩👦🏼