IT had been a few years since I'd hiked the Minigaig, the ancient byway that climbs over the wild hills between Atholl and Badenoch.

Two ancient routes link the villages of Blair Atholl with Kingussie. The Minigaig replaced the older Comyn's Road some time before the17th century. It seems probable that Comyn's Road fell into disuse because the Minigaig was more direct and slightly shorter and, certainly, 17th century maps show the Minigaig as being the sole route across the Grampians.

Drovers, soldiers, poets and vagabonds have all tramped this highlevel route but nowadays you are unlikely to see anyone other than the odd stravaiging gangrel, or a gamekeeper going about his business. You might not see many other people but in the course of a couple of days I saw hundreds of red deer, the stags still heavily in the annual rut, skein upon skein of migrating geese, dainty dippers on the high-level burns and, most surprising of all, a salmon charr in the shallow headwaters of the River Bruar.

I had been enjoying a bite of lunch by a shallow tributary of the Bruar when my attention was taken by something splashing in the water. It was a young charr, about a foot in length, flapping its way from pool to pool as it made its improbable way upstream.

When it became aware of my presence it leapt into the main stream and I was amazed at its efficiency and strength in negotiating the fast-flowing waters head on.

Taking the Minigaig head-on at this time of the year requires the use of a tent as 30-plus miles in the restricted daylight hours of late autumn can be difficult and with strong winds and rain forecast, I wasn't too keen on camping out on the elevated and extensive plateau that makes up the higher reaches of this route. The words of a modern guidebook resonate with warning: "The Minigaig . . . is perhaps the bleakest and most featureless terrain crossed by any major hill track." This great plateau spreads itself aimlessly, a lofty tableland patched in the black-and-white of peat hags and remnants of early snow. I'm captivated by the place and I stood and stared at the still and silent spread of it, inimical under the milky grey skies.

Since this high-level section of the route follows a long walk up the length of Glen Bruar you really have to make sure you leave Atholl at a fairly early hour. To shorten the route a little, and to treat myself to a slightly different start, I began the route at Bruar, rather than Blair Atholl, passing the scenically splendid Bruar Falls at their most majestic following wet weather. The long walk up Glen Bruar got the best of the day's weather before a herringboned sky clouded over and threatened rain. I scampered across the high-level section of the route aware that lowlevel cloud or mist could pose a real navigational problem, despite the line of white quartzite stones that pick out the route. Like all cairned routes, it's easy to be lulled into a false sense of security.

As I reached the far edge of this great plateau a sudden impulse made me veer off to the right to climb the Corbett of Leathad an Taobhain, 2,991ft/ 912m, and instead of returning to the Minigaig route to descend into Glen Tromie I descended, by Meall an Uillt Chreagaich and Lochan an t-Sluic into Glen Feshie, one of the most beautiful glens in Scotland.

The second day was shorter, 13 miles down Glen Feshie to Stronetoper, along the Right of Way to Drumguish, then the Badenoch Way to Ruthven and Kingussie.

FACT FILE

Maps: OS 1:50,000, sheets 43, 42 and 35

Start: Falls of Bruar, Bruar, A9

Finish: Kingussie

Length: 30 miles

Approx time: Two-day trip.

Route: Follow the path to the Bruar Falls. Take the path to the right and climb through the trees to a clearing and a bench. Turn right here, along a forest track. Take the second turning on the left and follow it, ignoring another path that runs off to the right, up to the edge of the forest plantation.

As the track veers to the right another path runs off to the left. Follow this, past the old buildings at Ruichlachrie. Drop down to the river and ford it just below the locked building at Cuilltemhuc. Head N, past Bruar Lodge to the track that runs up Uchd a'Chlarsair.

Cross the high-level plateau to where the path begins to descend into Coire Bhran.

From here, climb the slopes of Leathad an Taobhain and Meall an Uillt Chreagaich, before following the bulldozed track past Lochan an t-Sluic into Glen Feshie. Follow the road as far as Stonetoper, then take the Right of Way W to Corarnstilmore, Bailieguish and Badaguish from where the Badenoch Way is signposted to Ruthven and Kingussie.

WEATHER

Northwest Highlands: A cloudy day. Visibility will be moderate to poor. A strong west to southwesterly wind. Mild with freezing level above the peaks. Max temp 14C (57F).

Grampians: Chance of patchy drizzle. Some sunshine breaking through. Moderate to good visibility. A strong westerly wind.

Mild with freezing level above peaks. Max temp 14C (57F).

Southern Uplands: A mainly dry day with some sunshine.

Moderate to good visibility. A fresh to strong westerly wind.

Mild with freezing level above peaks. Max temp 14C (57F).