Escaping the heat on the arctic plateau

[PathfinderPaul]

Beinn Bhrotain 2022.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

The extreme heat 🥵 finally arrived in the Cairngorms, a forecast of 29 deg for the day. So I decided to seek the cool and these two Munroes fit the bill Ponyexpress decided to seek the shade of the caravan site. So a drive down to the car park at Linn of Dee , with the bike on the rack for an 8.30 start. Soon at the Laurig Ghru
ED048D04-3A17-49A6-B529-CEA40102F653 by Paul Howard, on Flickr

5726A84E-28CA-4675-A938-85A3BBAB3A22 by Paul Howard, on Flickr

07FCFABD-74FB-409C-B62B-E329E1C2EF9E by Paul Howard, on Flickr

249C57EA-762E-4DB1-A24F-23D72C0B566B by Paul Howard, on Flickr
I decided it was time to dump the bike and lock it to a deer fence & the rest on foot. A good path followed the burn up the bank
E25C3A7F-DFA3-47ED-82BB-3E14FE86C100 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
8A56E2C5-4EDA-49E9-A8AD-751E3DF91A3F by Paul Howard, on Flickr
75D65195-AE1B-4C6E-B543-137A91EC006C by Paul Howard, on Flickr
CDB3A010-A5A4-40CB-955F-A2995F71898D by Paul Howard, on Flickr
Now a bit of navigation issue in my view, was it really necessary to go to 1108
just to see the pile of stones , would have been easier to follow the burn. I thought I’d got to the first summit


3D45E735-06BE-49AC-B195-572B29BE9E87 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
At least I could enjoy the plateau and the snow
AB0221EB-D04D-4A08-A76C-5945CA60483D by Paul Howard, on Flickr
A24B9884-2EDC-4026-B3E4-7B138F69E1E1 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
F97D7FA6-904B-4C45-8316-09BBA9CEFF0A by Paul Howard, on Flickr
B915A65D-9398-4CAF-B00F-681812FD38B8 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
So having enjoyed the views I thought I better press on to the real summit
CFE84B75-ABBC-4346-8EBB-E68CA40C66E9 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
And finally my first summit, marvellous views, a cooling breeze, I bet not many experience that on this hill

9F335BEB-AB6E-4B79-AD29-FB6D45C273FC by Paul Howard, on Flickr

Now for the boulder field
51173D06-BF60-4E3B-B1A1-964781204905 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
I met a guy doing them from Glen Feshie at the bottom & took these shots of him going up, you get a picture of what it is like
3739D043-FE73-4BCE-BA15-262A4306C998 by Paul Howard, on Flickr

4629C89F-B21F-47A0-A305-50691922E56C by Paul Howard, on Flickr
I had lunch here and have a look at the alternative way back if I didn’t want to face going up the boulderfield

48267DE8-F5AA-4BAC-9295-1D3333E51A4B by Paul Howard, on Flickr
59E999E1-0B7C-451D-B755-10270F84F767 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
Didn’t look too bad, but now for the second summit
DC2BE06F-ACDA-4346-8C24-BB0E45A1ED6A by Paul Howard, on Flickr
6B6C38F4-342B-4FCC-AFC1-849A22BA2919 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
FFF109C9-C6B3-49C7-91BC-8274F38EB4F9 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
Ready for the descent and decision time
D96BAEBF-D634-4DF1-876F-5D9B7B2DFF10 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
A look back at the boulder field, doesn’t look too bad from a distance
948FCC4C-E3E3-4352-BA86-688C08030815 by Paul Howard, on Flickr
Not much to take pictures of on the plateau , didn’t even snap the second summit
Didn’t take long to get back to the Bealach & decision time, the boulderfield or down the gulley & round by the Devil’s Point???? Scree didn’t look too bad

7630FF9E-9114-4361-BBD7-8229EAB9499B by Paul Howard, on Flickr
It was nice and easy but as I looked back, the heat was really hitting me🥵
No real path , just heather and bracken and heat, good views though. Plenty of little streams, so could keep getting water to throw over myself to stop overheating.

A1A158BA-441D-44B4-B87E-DD0720593942 by Paul Howard, on Flickr

F1270FCE-3749-463C-BF50-BAD8BCFE38FC by Paul Howard, on Flickr

4B42575D-5548-4F93-B829-A593E7639235 by Paul Howard, on Flickr

896691E4-0BA8-4D58-984E-5933FEBC044E by Paul Howard, on Flickr

EF9D17FD-C4E8-4E3E-8696-E9A8DA20B36A by Paul Howard, on Flickr
Finally I was in the Lairg Ghru as evening came on and the temperature was finally dropping

F2637A72-F7B5-4193-9AC7-20656591996C by Paul Howard, on Flickr

74696A79-0BC2-4B97-9CEC-760C0FDB34E0 by Paul Howard, on Flickr

Probably last views of this great valley, as no Monroes to come back here for😩

B94E2FA0-FF0A-4BDD-95FC-43A112023287 by Paul Howard, on Flickr