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cairngorms advice

cairngorms advice


Postby nzt2011 » Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:02 pm

Hi, looking for some advice please. Looking to do a trip in the summer months up to the cairngorms. So far the plan is to walk out from the Sugar Bowl car park, through the Lairaig Ghru and pitch the tent around the Corrour Bothy area. I was hoping to do Carn a' Mhaim the same day and was wondering if it is feasible (and rough timescales) and what is the best route up to Carn a'Mhaim from the bothy? I have a good fitness level so hoping that I can do this, plus the walk back the next day including the Devil's Point, Cairn Toul, S.L.U and Briarich...should be a fairly lighter pack on day 2.

cheers, neil
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby Cairngormwanderer » Fri Feb 08, 2013 2:55 pm

Should be feasible. There's a path goes up from the Lairug Gru path to the lowest point of the col between MacDui and Carn a Mhaim. You can then walk along the ridge to the summit (a grand promenade) and descend by the normal path towards Luibeg, then follow that track through back into Glen Dee and Corrour.
The next day you can go up the back of the bothy, dump the sacks at the col to do Devil's Point and pick them up again to go over Cairn Toul, Braeriach etc and back fown over Sron na Lairig to return via the Chalamain Gap to the Sugarbowl car park. Bug walk with a pack, but perfectly feasible - and a great day if you get clear weather for it.
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby Cairngormwanderer » Fri Feb 08, 2013 2:56 pm

Forgot you asked about timescales. I'm not big on times for routes - it depends on how unfit I am or how often I get distracted, but if you said a day for each walk, you won't get too much change out of that unless you're hurrying.
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby IainG » Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:43 pm

Cairngormwanderer wrote:Should be feasible. There's a path goes up from the Lairug Gru path to the lowest point of the col between MacDui and Carn a Mhaim.


Is that by the Tailors Burn? Never been that way, but very interested in that approach. Any pictures?
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby Cairngormwanderer » Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:59 pm

Aye, it goes close to the Tailors' Burn, but as far as I recall it goes up on a slight ridge just to the south of it - if you stick with the burn it takes you into the coire. The path isn't always clear to see when you're on the Lairig Path, but is easily seen from across the river at Corrour. No pics I'm afraid, but it is a good route up Carn a Mhaim as well as being the most direct from Corrour to MacDui.
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby brpro26 » Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:14 pm

In summer there's plenty daylight. Why not walk Ben Mac and Carn Mhaim and back round to the Bothy for the night(forget the tent). Next day back out via Devils Point and round off Braeriach back to Suger bowl.
Probably about 10hr days but good trip all the same. Unless you really want to walk the Lairig Ghru?
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby magicdin » Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:36 pm

Here is a photo from Devil's Point looking over to Tailor's Burn
If you save photo and zoom in you will be able to make out path to right of burn
CIMG0944.JPG
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby Cairngormwanderer » Fri Feb 08, 2013 4:38 pm

brpro26 wrote:In summer there's plenty daylight. Why not walk Ben Mac and Carn Mhaim and back round to the Bothy for the night(forget the tent). Next day back out via Devils Point and round off Braeriach back to Suger bowl.
Probably about 10hr days but good trip all the same. Unless you really want to walk the Lairig Ghru?


That would be a great idea. Should have thought of that. :D Would save walking to Corrour, putting up tent and backtracking to path up Carn a Mhaim. More to the point, as brpro26 points out - it'll save carrying the tent! :D :D
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby nzt2011 » Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:32 pm

Thanks for all the info! Helped out big time. There will be a few of us though, so wouldn't like to get to the bothy and there's no room. Especially being in the summer and probably at the weekend, there may be a few folks about. Besides, need to give my tent a good wind bashing :D
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby Caberfeidh » Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:59 pm

nzt2011 wrote:Thanks for all the info! Helped out big time. There will be a few of us though, so wouldn't like to get to the bothy and there's no room. Especially being in the summer and probably at the weekend, there may be a few folks about. Besides, need to give my tent a good wind bashing :D


Corrour is a very busy bothy at most times of year, summer weekend would be a no-brainer! You're much better taking the tent.
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Re: cairngorms advice

Postby whiteburn » Sat Feb 09, 2013 10:57 am

From the Sugar bowl carpark (alternatively park lower and get the bus up) I'd recommend going over Cairngorm; around the coires; Ben MacDui; Carn a’ Mhaim; descend to south; Corrour. It’s around 23km and 1400m ascent, did a a couple of years ago and it took about 9hrs. Route down Allt Clach nan Taillear has a broken path/ deer trail, easy enough to follow and ridge across to Carn a’ Mhaim is a novelty for Cairngorm.

As Caberfeidh points out Corrour is probably the most popular bothy in Scotland and on a summer weekend it can be heaving so be prepared to camp, good pitches are also at a premium around the bothy. In summer with the midgies munching I’d walk up to the bealach back of Devil’s Point and camp there, takes about an hour from the bothy.

Corrour back to Sugar Bowl via Chalamain gap is around 22km and 1300m ascent, a fine walk, and took me just over 8hrs.
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