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Cairngorms advice

Cairngorms advice


Postby Walk cycle » Fri Jun 15, 2018 4:45 pm

Hi

Not been on the site for a while but I am trying to organise a few days walking in July in the Cairngorms area. Not walked there before. I would probably only have two full days and as I am coming from Liverpool I intend to pack in as much as possible. I know I can read through reports but any suggestions would be welcome: walks that involve as many Munros as possible. I would like to camp, probably in the same site (I might wild camp). Any recommendations would be very welcome. Most of my previous walks have been in the North West Highlands and Torridon.

I appreciate any suggestions/,
links to walks.

Cheers
Paul
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby jmarkb » Fri Jun 15, 2018 5:02 pm

Can you help us narrow it down a bit? Aviemore side or Braemar side? Car or public transport? Base camp and day walks or backpacking?
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby Walk cycle » Fri Jun 15, 2018 5:06 pm

jmarkb wrote:Can you help us narrow it down a bit? Aviemore side or Braemar side? Car or public transport? Base camp and day walks or backpacking?


Thanks - sorry should have said! I have a car. Probably day walks but would backpack. Not sure where I will be based yet but the Braemar side is nearer!
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby malky_c » Fri Jun 15, 2018 5:23 pm

Longer walk-ins from the Braemar side, but probably nicer. It's easy to put loops together taking in 4-6 Munros, but to be honest, the best bits of the Cairngorms are away from the main summits. Visiting Loch Avon (or looking down onto it from the edge of the plateau) is a must. Lots of other interesting corners, corries and lochans too. You can take some of these in while picking off Munros, but if you stick to the standard routes, you miss out quite a lot.

Here are some of my favourite bits (scattered across various reports):
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=73818
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=72917
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=69480
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=66526
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=64265
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48878
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=45318
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby jmarkb » Fri Jun 15, 2018 5:28 pm

OK! How about a base camp at Derry Lodge: with Carn a’Mhaim, Macdui and Derry Cairngorm one day and Mheadhoin, Chaorainn and Bhreac the other.
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby Essan » Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:01 pm

jmarkb wrote:OK! How about a base camp at Derry Lodge: with Carn a’Mhaim, Macdui and Derry Cairngorm one day and Mheadhoin, Chaorainn and Bhreac the other.


Was about to suggest something like that :)

Easy walk from the car park at Linn of Dee. Lots of places to camp amongst the trees (but absolutely no fires!) and the possibility of doing a big circuit of Mheadhoin, Derry Cairngorm, Macdui and Carn a Mhaim in a day.
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby Caberfeidh » Sat Jun 16, 2018 7:28 am

What way will you travel that Braemar seems the best start? Aviemore is on the A9, a much quicker approach if coming from the South. From Aviemore you can drive high up to the Cairngorm ski area and the world is your oyster. At least, the Cairngorms are. Wild camping throughout; Loch A'an (spelt Avon but pronounced 'aan' with a long ah as Aardvaaark) is very impressive. The Shelter Stone is a massive rock which has a cave under it to shelter in if the weather turns nasty. Once up on the plateau Munros can be had with very little descent between peaks.

Lairigh Ghru #1r.jpg
Sunrise from Lairig Ghru


012dR.jpg
Frozen Loch Etchachan


Sticil#r.jpg
The Sticil (Shelter Stone Crag)


Shelter Stone#1.jpg
Shelter Stone below the Sticil, Loch A'an
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby Robinho08 » Sat Jun 16, 2018 12:49 pm

From Linn of Dee you could do a circuit of any of these Munros: Carn a'Mhaim, Ben Macdui, Derry Cairngorm, Beinn Mheadhoin, Beinn a'Chaorainn and Beinn Bhreac. Also have the Devil's Point Cairn Toul and Braeriach.

The Cairngorms are fantastic for doing various different routes. Get pouring over the map and plan. 8)
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby Avocetboy » Sat Jun 16, 2018 3:43 pm

Hi WC, You and I appear to have frequented similar destinations over the years. It was my first visit to Cairngorm's last year for a weekend and I did as follows

Day one - Evening - Quick Hike up the Cairnwell Three from the ski centre. Then drove up to Loch Muick and camped in the trees just near the car park, overlooking Lochnagar.

Day two - White Mounth Munro's. Good long day and relatively easy walking and added on the Corbett of Conachraig. Then drove back up Glen Shee and found a nice spot to camp just off the road.

Day three - Morning - Did 3 munro's of the Glas Maol Circuit. Finished by lunch and back on the road home.

Great introduction to the area, 11 munros and a corbett. Going back up for a week in summer, such was the enjoyment of the area.

AB
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby Walk cycle » Sun Jun 17, 2018 11:49 am

Thanks for all your help . I am looking at the maps now! I will probably start from Braemar as there are a lot of possible routes especially from the Linn of Dee area. A couple of questions - is Derry Lodge quite a popular spot to camp/can I leave the car overnight at the carpark? - I am a member of the National Trust. From what I am reading the Cairngorms appear to be quite unique in their expanse and weather so do I need to be aware of any local conditions that might affect my walking - ( I've have always walked on the west of Scotland). Mobile reception - I find EE has been dreadful and Vodaphone better - is this the case there too?

Value the replies. Yes AB we seem to head for the same hills, but your Munro count is higher than mine, I have some work to do! Another reason for Braemar is to walk the Munros which include the Cairnwell. Amazed how close to the road that one is!

Thanks
Paul
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby Scottk » Mon Jun 18, 2018 3:43 pm

Derry Lodge is very popular for camping and you can often see groups of DoE there.You park at Linn of Dee (no problem parking overnight) and walk or cycle in. Either camp in the area or use Bob Scotts bothy. Midges can be bad. There's a river running right past as well.
I'm with Vodafone and find it pretty good but no signal in the Lairig Ghru but you get one on the Devils Point.
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Re: Cairngorms advice

Postby Alteknacker » Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:42 pm

Folk have already pointed out the obvious hills to target.

These reports cover most of these hills, which I did cycling in from Linn of Dee to Derry Lodge and back again. They help you firm up your thoughts.

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=66503

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=66749

Hope you get good weather :thumbup:
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