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May Cairngorms Backpack

May Cairngorms Backpack


Postby Stevekerr188 » Tue May 31, 2022 3:06 pm

Date walked: 10/05/2022

Time taken: 10 days

Distance: 218 km

Ascent: 7011m

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A recent Scottish Backpack finished Sat gone. Travelled up on the late train midweek and due to the hour stayed in the Aviemore YH.
Day 1. Initial plan had been to walk down Gleann Eanaich and ascend from the loch to do the Munro pair of Monadh Mor and Bhein Bhrotain with a camp at White Bridge but with the weather promising strong winds and rain I opted for a trip over the Lairig Ghru and a camp at Derry Lodge. 17.3mile, 27.8k. 867mtr ascent.
Day 2. Track down to Linn Of Dee then a road walk through Mar Lodge, onto Braemar and then up to Callater car park and the track up Callater Bothy. The weather was dull and overcast, I could have used the bothy but opted to walk on a bit further and camped beyond the loch. 15mile. 24.2k. 574mtr ascent.
Day 3. Up Jocks road and then bear Northish to the Knaps of Fafernie, onto Fafernie and then Cairn Bannoch and Broad Cairn. On both Munro tops the wind was gusting strong and at times I was barely able to stand. I opted for the path down Coire Chash and followed the path around Loch Muick. Again, a bothy was available at Glas Alt Shiel but I continued on, camping at the boathouse using it as shelter from the strong winds blasting down the loch. 10.6mile. 17k. 778mtr ascent.
Day 4. On the morning I walked up to the visitor centre area and took the path ascending to SE from there and continued up past the Shielin of Mark bothy and onto Muckle Cairn and then down via estate tracks into Glen Lee and Glen Mark where I camped overnight. 14.2mile. 22.8k. 726mtr ascent.
Day 5. Went up Mount Keen on the morning and continued down on its northern flank into Glen Tanar. I then took the western path at the Shiel of Glen Tanar and then when the path ended continued over heathery ground onto the estate tracks at the Linn of Tanar. I then continued over the estate tracks on Am Mullach and Cairn Hillock before dropping down into Glen Muick via estate tracks. This unfortunately led to about an hour of road walking before camping near the car park at the Spittal of Glenmuick where the estate allows camping. 14.7mile. 24.2k. 1292mtr ascent.
Day 6. Another change of plans. The original plan, after looking at a long-range forecast had been a high camp and walk over Lochnagar but firstly I didn't get that far and secondly, in the morning, it was mist down to ground level and tipping down. I was going to Braemar as I was booked into YH so it was a trip over the col with a break at Gelder Shiel bothy and then a walk out through the Ballochbuie forest.14.5mile. 23k. 645mtr ascent.
Day 7. Road walk from Braemar up to Victoria Bridge and then through Mar Lodge. Onto Derry Lodge with a break at Bob Scotts and then up Glen Derry continuing up to the Fords of Avon hut. I sat for a while at the hut as I intended to camp but the strengthening winds saw me taking the hut option. As a storm passed through during the night waterlogging everywhere I was pleased I took that option. When it's stormy it gives you an idea how remote the hut actually is. 14.7mile. 24k. 796mtr ascent.
Day 8. From the hut I continued on over the shoulder of Bynack More where again the wind was a factor and I was surprised to see how many people were making their way up the Munro. I dropped down and continued onto Glenmore Lodge and then used the logging track into Aviemore. Got the train down to Newtonmore and then walked up Glen Banchor for an overnight camp. 18.1mile.26.5k. 457mtr ascent.
Day 9. From the camping spot continued through the glen and dropped down through Cluny castle and then a road walk to Laggan to the coffee shop and then a road walk through to an overnight camp at Garva bridge.16.5mile. 26.5k. 464mtr ascent
Day 10. I had a bed booked at a hostel in FT Augustus so it was a continuation of the road up Melgarve bothy and then up over the Corrieyairack pass through to Fort Augustus. 17.4mile. 28.1k. 772mtr ascent.
I had options for a bit more but in truth it had been a while since I had covered this sort of distance so it was homeward bound the next day. Total mileage, 153.2mile, 218.1k,7011mtr ascent.
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Stevekerr188
Backpacker
 
Posts: 181
Munros:282   Corbetts:52
Fionas:23   Donalds:89+52
Hewitts:138
Wainwrights:214   Islands:16
Joined: Dec 29, 2019
Location: Co Durham

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