What an epic day in the Cairngorms. First time out for me with the Stockets, Aberdeen's longest running hill walking club yesterday on a trip to the Southern Caingorms just outside Braemar to take in 2 Munro's - Carn a' Mhaim (1037 metres) and the second highest mountain in the UK - Ben Macdui (1309 metres).
The coach left Aberdeen at 7.15 am with 8 people on board - normally they get 20-25 people, but many away on holidays. We arrived at the Linn of Dee car park at about 9.00 am and started the long walk in to the Derry Lodge. Many people choose to bike in rather than walk this, and this is a very wise idea, as although it was ok on the way in, with people in high spirits, on the way out with knackered knees and feet the land rover track made of hard packed gravel was hellish.
The weather was overcast but the sun was beginning to poke through and it was very humid - not a breath of air. We made the 4 miles to Derry Lodge in good time, and found many other groups all rested up here before setting off on various walks, as well as people just coming back from Bothying overnight. Many people camped up here too - ideal really, set up base camp, go out into the hills and come back, then get another walk in the next day and so on.
After a quick rest we were off - following the line of the Glen Luibeg - two choices to cross this - one, to take the long way around and back via a bridge, 3 of our party - the walk leader Alan and his wife Ann, and Kirsty a relative newbie and a bit nervous took this option, or do as the remaining 5 of us did, and go for it across stepping stones and risk getting wet. No-one got wet, although it was slightly hairy on slippery rocks, so all trekked onwards with dry socks!
After a good while walking onwards and upwards we split into 2 groups - Alan, Ann and Kirsty deciding to do the walk with the least ascent, following the line of the Luibeg then ascending up onto Sron Riach, then the plateau of Ben Macdui. The remaining 5 of us opting for the ascent of Carn a' Mhaim then onto Ben Macdui via a ridge descent along Ceann Crionn Carn a' Mhaim. Although not really that much longer, this second option had a hell of a lot more ascent.
It proved to be tough going, really tough. The sun was really warm now, and although the breeze was picking up as we gained height, it was still knocking the stuffing out of the 5 of us as we struggled up the steep winding path. Eventually, after about an hour and a half, the path stopped and we were presented with the first of two huge boulder fields to climb. It was relentless. I was breathing so hard I thought I was going to turn inside out. Me and a guy called Peter were staying together, having quick breathers every few steps. The two guys, Gordon and Jim up front were bounding along - like goats in Goretex as I said to them. Bob bringing up the rear was really struggling and asked us not to wait for him - he was going to ascend Carn a 'Mhaim, then turn back by himself. The heat was the killer - energy sapping, forcing us to drink more, but hard to do when you can't even breath!
After what seemed like an eternity, the terrain levelled off and we hit the plateau and saw the cairn at the summit of Carn a'Mhaim.
We stopped here for 15 mins to have lunch, check the map, take snaps etc.
Amazingly Bob arrived not long after us, he'd made up good ground, but was suffering still. A good break with spectacular views of the Devils Point (aka The Devils [censored]!) to the West of us - part of the Grampian Mountains, with Cairn Toul and the Angels Peak around a way further to the NW, just before the famous old cattle driving route, the high pass of Lairig Ghru.
The Devils [censored]
Snow still on the North facing gullies of lots of the hills
After a quick lunch stop we started to descend Carn a'Mhaim along a really nice ridge - Ceann Crionn Carn a' Mhaim - seen here in silhouette as we descended from Ben Macdui later in the walk
And here:
The ridge walk was really enjoyable and we dropped 500 metres in no time. There were some quite exposed points, with sheer drops either side. Nothing too gnarly, but it would be a fairly serious proposition in Winter.
But what goes down, must go back up in hill terms, and as close as the contours looked on the map, nothing prepared me for the sight of the ascent we were now looking at. Again the path was arduous and within minutes of ascending, I was seriously out of breath. The path again stopped suddenly and we struggled to pick it up again - the only thing for it was to start clambering up another massive boulder field. It seemed never ending and I questioned my sanity - I thought at one stage I was hallucinating when out of the corner of my eye I saw a young boy of about 8 flying up the boulders to my right, accompanied by a Boxer dog wearing a doggie pack! After a few minutes, I realised that they were with a guy who also seemed to have very fresh legs! I was convinced that they were on a path, so I clambered up, across and along to vaguely where they were, only to find more of the same, only interspersed with bits of greenery here and there - no dice!
The ascent carried on for 2 hours of sheer pain. Finally, we levelled out and started to walk to what I thought at the time was the summit point, but as it turned out was actually the ruins of shelters built by the Norwegian army in WW2, who used the Cairngorms area for training. False summits though, total head****!!
Oh Jesus H Corbett, more bloody walking - to the trig point hooray at last, here we are beautiful vistas in al directions - and the sun came back out for us too!
Ask a guy who still uses film to shoot you with a digital camera!
Peter on the trig point
Breezy at last, chilly even. Nice though. Now 3.00 pm approx. We met back up with Alan, Ann and Kirsty - surprised that they had not summited ages ago and gone back to the bus - but Kirsty had made slow progress and was scared of the ridge path that Alan had led them by on the way up! We started to walk down and try and pick up a path - stopped to fill my Camelbak from a burn - beautiful clean, clear and cold water, tasted superb. Loads of Deer around
Got a path, which rapidly turned into boulder field in reverse - just as knackering climbing down with knees and ankles shot - hot spots in both boots now, blisters not too far away. Just before we hit the main line of descent via the Sron Riach (Alan, Ann and Kirsty's route up) we walked across a little to peer down into Lochan Uaine
Snow still clinging onto sheer faces
Beautiful views to the East
And that was that - a long walk back via the Glen Luibeg, scorching hot sun all the way making for a sweaty back. Back across the stepping stones and through Derry Lodge - a quick break and then the long long long walk out along the land rover track, back through the trees and finally achingly trudging back to the coach to see 'turnaround' Bob all spring chicken like. Time 19.15 PM - 10 hours walking time - 20 miles covered - Ascent 936 metres in total (from Linn of Dee at 373)
Back on the bus to Ballater to stop for a quick pint - got two pints of 80 Shilling inside in me in double quick time - well earnt!
