Carn na Caim - winter wonderland
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 12:06 am
Having climbed A'Bhuidheanach Bheag on 31 December 2010 in thick hill fog, deep soft snow and strong winds, and having decided to call it a day when I had returned to the top of the landrover track at 902 metres, it seemed a good idea to go back and complete the pair of hills to the east of the Drumocher Pass as soon as possible.
But this time it was going to be on a much better day with the sun shining and with not too much snow - and I had company. Mrs R and my friend John were joining me for the walk.
Soon we were making our way up the landrover track with Carn na Caim in the background.
From there is was a steady walk all the way up the land rover track (John called it a "jeep scrape") until we reached the quarry, which is really just a turned-over area or gravel and rocks - hardly worthy of the name "quarry"! It's amazing how pleasant the climb up seemed with company and chat. The trudge up in the wind and cold of December was so very different!
From the quarry, after a bite of lunch and enjoying the snowy landscape, we set off north-east heading for Carn na Caim. This is not a dramatic Munro, being rounded hills rather than rugged peaks, but there is a real sense of wide open space up there and going in the winter showed it really well in a brilliant light.
It was a pleasant walk over a few ups and downs on the way to the summit.
And so we reached the summit of Carn na Caim with amazing views of the snow-covered Cairngorms in the distance and Meall Chuaich in the foreground looking almost snow-free. I had my ice axe with me but it hardly seemed necessary most of the day. I did, however, take a walk over to towards the corrie to the north of the summit and whilst standing on grass I looked over the icy surface of the cornice and realised how easy it could be in poor visibility to wander onto this and go sliding into space - even on this "tame" hill!
We took in the views at the summit with Maeall Chuaich and the Cairngorms to the North East and with the Ben Alder group of mountains to the west.
And so we made our way back down with great views of Ben Alder and other mountains to the west.
We took some time on the way down to take in the views and practice our crampon skills on some steeper snow slopes we had found on the way. It had been a great winter day on the hills.
But this time it was going to be on a much better day with the sun shining and with not too much snow - and I had company. Mrs R and my friend John were joining me for the walk.
Soon we were making our way up the landrover track with Carn na Caim in the background.
From there is was a steady walk all the way up the land rover track (John called it a "jeep scrape") until we reached the quarry, which is really just a turned-over area or gravel and rocks - hardly worthy of the name "quarry"! It's amazing how pleasant the climb up seemed with company and chat. The trudge up in the wind and cold of December was so very different!
From the quarry, after a bite of lunch and enjoying the snowy landscape, we set off north-east heading for Carn na Caim. This is not a dramatic Munro, being rounded hills rather than rugged peaks, but there is a real sense of wide open space up there and going in the winter showed it really well in a brilliant light.
It was a pleasant walk over a few ups and downs on the way to the summit.
And so we reached the summit of Carn na Caim with amazing views of the snow-covered Cairngorms in the distance and Meall Chuaich in the foreground looking almost snow-free. I had my ice axe with me but it hardly seemed necessary most of the day. I did, however, take a walk over to towards the corrie to the north of the summit and whilst standing on grass I looked over the icy surface of the cornice and realised how easy it could be in poor visibility to wander onto this and go sliding into space - even on this "tame" hill!
We took in the views at the summit with Maeall Chuaich and the Cairngorms to the North East and with the Ben Alder group of mountains to the west.
And so we made our way back down with great views of Ben Alder and other mountains to the west.
We took some time on the way down to take in the views and practice our crampon skills on some steeper snow slopes we had found on the way. It had been a great winter day on the hills.