Cairngorms West

Peaks: Sgor Gaoith, Sgoran Dubh Mor, Meall Bhuidhe

Area: Cairngorms, Scotland

My first time back in the Cairngorms proper since doing the 4000s in 2017. It's a wonderful area, unique in the UK: for me, what makes it unique is the contrast between the pastoral lower valleys like the Spey, with all the native woodland and beautiful lakes, and the savage plateau, with its secrets hidden to the casual observer. You really have to penetrate the range to get to grips with it, and there's always a touch of seriousness to it (I well remember getting lost on Bynack More in November 1991, a salutary experience which taught me crucial lessons). I'd never been in Glen Feshie before, and after our family walk yesterday headed straight up again and parked near Lagganlia. I took a running approach today, feeling quite good in cool, cloudy and windy conditions. Beautiful caledonian pines gain height comfortably before a distinct treeline leads to the open valley of Coire Rhuadh containing the Allt a'Chroim Alltain. It was my intention to do a horseshoe of this, and I made good progress as the ground steepened and took on the Arctic tundra look so characteristic of the Cairngorms. It became very windy and really quite cold (it was very early, before 8am, and the weather pattern had been to improve throughout the day). A little light mist flirted with the plateau, and I put layers on to emerge on the broad ridge itself. Here, views open out over Braeriach and Cairn Toul. I continued running, and made the top of Sgor Gaoith in around an hour from Glen Feshie. The top is a mini pyramid of rock, and gives an astonishing view straight down to Loch Einaich and across to the still snowy slopes of Braeriach, although mist draped the higher tops. I jogged across to Sgoran Dubh Mor, notable in views of the Cairngorms from the north, and then across the scoured tundra to a broad col and up over Meall Bhuidhe. I continued down the obvious broad spur, staying high with hazy views down to Glen Feshie, Loch Insh and the Spey, and the wind dropped. It was quite a simple matter to complete the mini horseshoe and regain the approach path just above the treeline where I drank from a lovely stream (2.25 for 15k/1000m). On returning to the car, I noticed my ankle, calf and wrist swelling up and it got a tad uncomfortable for a while, especially as we walked round Insh Marshes in the afternoon.