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Sunday 29 July 2012

Native forest and some geology at Burn o’ Vat

We had driven up past Ballater on the recommendation of the others who had been there a few days before we arrived on Deeside, to Dinnet, where we could do some walks in amongst birch and pine forest, and see a few interesting bits of history into the bargain!  burn o vat bridge Our first  walk was a short one, along a path edged with grasses, bracken and wild flowers, through the birches and pines, following a small burn upstream, crossing it occasionally,burn o vat falls   

 

 

 

and  soon we reached a little waterfall seeming to spring from the rocks.  burn o vat way in2 Just a little further on we found the burn again flowing through a narrow gorge that because of a fallen rock looked like a doorway. Luckily the burn was low and the stones that acted as stepping stones were clear of the water.  Actually it didn’t matter as far as I was concerned as I was wearing my Crocs and could paddle through the water, when my balance wasn’t good enough to cross the stones!doorway to vat1  Have to say the water was pretty cold! 

burn o vat vat Once through the “doorway” and the little gorge, we found ourselves in a huge almost circular hollow about 80 feet in diameter, with a very pretty waterfall at the far end. burn o vat waterfall  

Last time I tried to explain the rock erosion that took place centuries ago at the Linn of Dee.  Well, this was probably formed in the same way – I reckon towards the end of the ice age.  Water and stone debris would have been washed downstream, and the way out being so narrow, it probably whirled round and round gradually over millennia eroding the surrounding rock to form this large vat for which it is named!   I found the place quite magical.  Someone told me that there was also a cave behind one of the cataracts, but I wasn’t confident about scrambling about on the rocks to investigate further!  I felt quite pleased that I had actually reached the Vat itself!  burn o vat me

Of course I had to prove I’d been there –  friends often ask why I am not in any of my photos (because it’s MY camera and I take the photos)!  However I allowed Colin to take a few photos for the record.evee at burn o vat

coming through burn o vat

On the way out, through the gorge, I paddled when I couldn’t manage the gaps between stones. 

path to vat3

We walked back down the path again, back to the carpark where  we  were going to set off in another directionpath to vat, but I’ll write about that next time.

 burn o'vat downstream

path to vat2

   Talk again soon.

2 comments:

Peggy Ann said...

Gorgeous! Added to my places I want to go list!

Evelyn/Ev/Evee said...

It's well worth it, Peggy. The whole area is lovely but this was the icing on the cake for me!