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My first walk report - after reading so many excellent ones, so stick with me.
With the long weekend ahead it was time to head up north and start "working" on some of the Cairngorm Munros. The plan was to complete one big circuit starting from the Linn of Dee. Headed off from the car park in glorious sunshine at noon on Friday. The first leg would take us over Beinn Bhrotain and Monadh Mor to Loch nan Stuirteag where we were to set up camp.
- Beinn Bhrotain from Glen Dee
- Descent to Loch nan Stuirteag
Having read the weather forecast, I wasn't surprised to hear a few showers during the night, but thought nothing of it. It was dry, though cloudy in the morning, so off we went to take in Braeriach, The Angel's Peak, Cairn Toul and The Devil's point. Upon reaching Braeriach in thick cloud, the horizontal rain started and wouldn't stop until we reached Corrour bothy later that day. Having planned to continue further down the glen to camp, we decided to stay in the bothy instead to get dry and stay warm. When we had been up on the Devil's peak we were below the cloud but it had still been raining, so I hadn't taken any pictures of what was the most stunning views I have ever seen in my life. So, when a few fellow bothiers decided to head up there for an "evening stroll", I joined them to take in those views again, this time taking my camera.
- View from the Devil's point
That night the skies cleared completely, revealing stars, stars and more stars. The next day started bright and sunny, but it soon cloudied over. Initially we had wanted to take in Carn a' Mhaim, then continue on to Ben MacDui and Derry Cairngorm, but by the time we had climbed up the path between Carn a' Mhaim and Ben MacDui, the summit of the latter was in clouds again. Being a little tired and not really fancying another "follow the gps" walk, we decided to just traverse Carn a' Mhaim and head back out to civilization. This proofed a rather long walk in itself and we were rather tired but quite happy when we reached the car.
- View down on Corrour and the Devil's point from the Carn a' Mhaim ridge
Having grown up in Switzerland, I have felt a sense of vastness and isolation on pretty much every walk I have done in Scotland since I moved here but the beauty of what I saw during those three days just took my breath away. Pitty we didn't have any views during the traverse from Braeriach, but I will forever remember the moment I first saw the view from Devil's point and I can't wait to go back.