No turning back – looping the loop of A’ Bhuidheanach Bheag

[Delice]

I have to admit right up front that I wasn’t looking forward to climbing these munros, but being a ‘Munro Compleatist’ it is part of the deal! Best to do it in Winter I was told – “it can be a lovely walk across the plateau on a snowy day”. Hmmmn, okay, that sounds reasonable. The thing is that I’m also not into retracing my steps to return to base. So I scoured the walk reports and guide books to find a route that didn’t use the quarry track off the A9 that splits the walk into 2 legs – one south to A’ Bhuidheanach Bheag and the other north to Carn na Caim. That’s where I came upon Butterfield’s description [in The High Mountains of Britain & Ireland – great book for researching walks] of a rectangular route, starting at Balsporran Cottages and using a return bearing west from Carn na Caim that contours the hillside to hit the A9 and cycle path opposite the gate to the quarry track. I could cover the 3kms back down the road with my bicycle – what a plan!

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Then who would have thought, but at the beginning of May there was still snow in the mountains [in case you hadn’t noticed!] and a small intrepid group of us headed up to Dalwhinnie to have a go at ABB, and CC while they were enhanced by some snow. I had been dubious at the weather forecast but we thought – it’s May, how bad can it be up there? So we set off up the steep slopes of the plateau, heading for Meall a’ Chaoruinn as a starter. We probably got to within a hundred metres of the rim of the plateau by which time the snow was blowing at us horizontally pretty hard and visibility was limited. We stopped to regroup and discuss progress. Although we were reluctant to stop and we were not yet miserable, it was obvious the weather would only be worse once we got onto the plateau, it would be a struggle against the wind and difficult to find the summit cairns. Common sense prevailed and we decided to retreat. Good decision – the hills will always be there.
Not to be defeated for long I kept an eye on the forecasts and attempt nr 2 [solo] came a few weeks later as a quickie en route to the more exciting prospect of the Ben Alder ranges! I was up at Dalwhinnie for lunchtime. I locked my bike to the fence at the foot of the quarry track, then drove down to Balsporran Cottages. By 12.30 I was off. A cloudy but bright day, with clear summits and just a little snow hanging onto the upper gullies/edges of the plateau - very different from last time. I struck out in a southeasterly line across the springy heather and bilberries of the managed grouse moor, aiming for Meall a’ Chaoruinn.

First destination - Meall a’ Chaoruinn - lies just over the skyline of the furthest hillside

Over the A9 and intervening hills to Ben Alder in the distance

The rolling rim of the plateau seemed to go on for ever with no features in sight and I used my compass to make sure I hit the cairn. Spot on I was relieved to say, but in poor visibility it would have been so easy to miss it.

The first goal achieved - the pimple that is Meall a’ Chaoruinn!

I resolved to make use of the compass and timing all the way round, even though visibility was good. I was very conscious how easy it would be to become disorientated up here, and it’s also good to keep your hand in with a bit of compass work.
The summit of A’ Bhuidheanach Bheag was about 20 minutes directly east across dried up peatland. I picked up the broken fence line eventually leading to the cairn, but was pleased to pick out a cluster of figures in the distance who had obviously stopped at it. I hoped they wouldn’t leave before I got there – it’s always nice to meet other walkers and compare notes. I’m afraid I was a bit rude in my desciption of this particular munro when I got to the meagre pile of stones marking it, but I doubt I’ve been the first or last on that one!

Blink and you could miss it - the summit of A’ Bhuidheanach Bheag

One of the group took a photo of me, and I know at that point I had my glasses with me, but somewhere on the next leg I lost them – nothing worse when you can’t read the map very well without them! I did manage though, assisted by the compass, the remnants of the fenceline, the gouges of the ATV track, and being able to follow the progress ahead of me of the 2 sets of people I’d met at the cairn. Not that you should ever assume they will be going the same way as you want to!

Perhaps the most interesting view for a while - 2 disappearing figures round a bend in the track!

yes, this is what it looks like - mostly! [looking back at ABB]

Am I just hallucinating or do the grooves of the ATV track look strangely sculptural?

The top of the fence posts pointing towards Carn na Caim - in case you couldn't see it!

The others must have headed down the quarry track, while I turned the corner to continue on to Carn na Caim. Distant views of mountains in the Cairngorms and Ben Alder ranges, and a nice view back to A’ Bhuidheanach Bheag, which looked much more impressive from a distance than it did when I was on it

ABB in the far distance

! I’m trying to think of positive things to say, because overall my experience of the plateau was one of bleakness and loneliness – probably not helped by the fact that the sun was hiding behind the clouds for most of the day and I had been expecting only a light cloud cover with lots of sun!

Almost out of your misery - I'm nearly there! [CC on the horizon]

Whoop whoop - Carn na Caim at last - in fact someone must have made a big effort to find all those stones in that boggy grassland plateau!

Big big mountains in all directions - check out Ben Alder in the far distance - my destination as soon as I got off this plateau, and another walk report to follow!

I decided the direct way off recommended by Butterfield was definitely the way to go, rather than retracing my steps to the junction with the quarry track. So I headed off the side of the plateau, dropping quite steeply into the first gully, still stuffed with snow at the top, a nice tumbling burn and some interesting wild flowers. Rounded the next hillside whose steep slopes above the burn tested my sheep-like hillside skills, then dropped to the gentler angles and connected with the bottom of the quarry track. Hurray, my bike was waiting for me as I knew it would be – a man I met on top had informed me it was still there, having watched me lock it in place from his camper van!
The last few kilometres on the bike felt a bit tough against the wind, but I’d got round in 4 hours 15 minutes. Phew, glad to have that pair under my belt at last! I can’t say I’d hurry to go back, but it might be nice to try in the snow. And maybe I should find out if my route was preferable to the standard up and down the quarry track??