Area: Cairngorms, Scotland
My Cairngorms experience is not extensive, and has always been limited to forays from the north and west. I did the Cairngorm 4000s in 2017, but missed Cairn Toul (in other words, I didn't do the 4000s, but it was still a big and memorable day). I had a formative experience on Bynack More in a blizzard in winter 1991, a memory which still causes me to shudder. And more recently I did the peaks above beautiful Glen Feshie. But I had never properly explored the southern and eastern hills and approaches before, so this short trip was aimed at correcting that. I parked the van a couple of miles outside posh Braemar, and drove round to the Linn of Dee early on Sunday. It was busy already, a reflection perhaps of the better weekend weather in the east. After porridge and coffee on the stove, I cycled up the gravel road to Derry Lodge, standard practice which shaves some time and distance off these unavoidably long outings. The scenery here is exquisite, beautiful copses of Caledonian pine and babbling streams. I left the bike and trotted up the key Lairig Ghru path which goes all the way to Aviemore via Scotland's most famous mountain pass, but also gives access to the peaks I wanted to do. It was very pleasant indeed, and I adopted a loping walk/mild jog pace through the robber's copse to Glen Luibeg and its river crossing, which I did barefoot as I was enjoying the novel comfort of dry feet. Delightful native woodland here, with great views up Luibeg towards Ben Macdui, looking like a more interesting route than the one I took up Macdui in 2017 (across the plateau from Cairn Gorm). The path climbs gently and traverses the base of Carn a'Mhaim with teasing views until finally reaching a viewpoint over the grandest part of the range - Devil's Point very notable ahead, with Cairn Toul to its right. The deep Lairig Ghru running all the way up to Braeraich. And ahead, the magnificent Glen Geusachan curving up to the plateau above Glen Feshie. The path then gently descends to the base of the Lairig, crosses the river, and comes to the legendary bothy of Corrour. I found it empty so took a short break inside, very pleasant and atmospheric. When I emerged, the early cloud was clearing to bright blue sunshine. Stunning clarity, and hot as I ploughed up the steep climb into Coire Odhair above the bothy. Plenty of streams to drink from, and I concentrated more than usual on replenishing my fuel, always a good idea in the Cairngorms as you are generally a long way from your car! I took a steep short cut up towards Devil's Point (a famously prudish victorian translation of the Gaelic original) and easy ground led to this. It is a munro, but really just a spur, the end of the Cairn Toul ridge. It gives tremendous views down to the river confluence and Glen Geusachan, as well as the entire Lairig Ghru and surrounding peaks. After a banana, I trotted back to the col, and then up a forepeak to the first proper view of Cairn Toul, by far the shapeliest Cairngorm mountain (and also a pair of snow buntings, presumably breeders). Nice boulder hopping up this, with the weather now absolutely perfect, crystal clarity across the entire range and beyond. This is a major peak, a key 4000er and the fourth highest mountain in Britain, so I stayed for a while on the summit, drinking it in. I then popped across to Sgor an Lochain Uaine (Angel's Peak is a made-up name, Victorian again presumably). It is a fantastic viewpoint, promoted to munro status in the 90s, with mighty Braeraich and its wild, remote corries the most notable feature. I contoured back across Cairn Toul, saving lots of time and energy and trotted back down to Corrour, drinking often from the rushing stream which cascades down these slopes. The return was long but not too tedious, and it had clouded over by the time I reached Derry lodge after 26k/1400m of effort in around five relatively relaxed hours. A delightfully easy gravel ride back to the van for a pint of tea, sitting outside the van in the sunshine. I then took a bath in the infant River Dee before retiring to the same overnight camp with views of Macdui and Beinn a'Bhuird on a superb cloudless evening with virtually no midges.
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