Walkhighlands

I first climbed Bynack More back in March 2010 with kevsbald (http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4023&st=0&sk=t&sd=a). It was a howler of a day and with hindsight, we really should have jacked it in that day but we persevered to the summit where we were battered to within and inch of our lives by the howling gales and subjected to a windchill of -276 ...... or so it felt anyway . And for our troubles, we were treated to expansive views of nothing at all. Anyone who has read my report on that one will remember my personal highlights of the day, such as ...... losing my hat to the raging storm and not even realising because my head was frozen beyond the point of having any sensation left; walking with my trousers half way down my arse because my fingers were too cold to do the zip and buttons up after answering a call of nature (mind you, answering a call of nature in those conditions I think I got off lightly!); and having to suck on the strap buckles on my pack to remove the ice from them before I could get them done back up.

All in all a day that had me vowing to reek my revenge one day on that mountain. And now today here was my chance! With a wild camp amongst the Barns (which we saw nothing of back in March of last year). I was up at Glenmore Lodge for a Sea Kayaking course on the Saturday and Sunday (40th birthday present from Mrs D) and decided to head up early on the Friday and get a day in on the hills before booking in. Debbie then said that she didn't mind if I headed off on the Thursday and made it an overnight expedition . So a plan was hatched to not only do a reascent of Bynack More (combined with the Corbett Meall a'Bhuachaille - one of only 2 listed hills in Britain that my wife had done but I hadn't, the other being the Old Man of Coniston) but to take in the Corbett Creag Mhor and the Munros of Beinn Mheadhoin and Cairn Gorm the following day. Mheadhoin was also firmly in my sights after I had been foiled in my bid to combine it with Derry Cairngorm via Glen Derry and Coire Etchachan (http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9908&start=0) back in February of this year.

It was almost 2 o'clock by the time I parked up at the end of the road beyond Glenmore Lodge and headed back along the walkers/cyclists track to the Reindeer Centre, where I began the ascent up the good path to the junction on the ridge between Creagan Gorm and Meall a'Bhuachaille.



A few small groups were heading up ahead of me and a few more were passed on their descent. One couple in jeans and trainers gave me a very strange look as they clocked the size of my pack.



Just before the junction, the heavens opened up and I got fully togged up for the haul up to the large summit shelter cairn, which was giving precious little shelter from the elements today.



The views were non-existent and after 10 minutes of hanging about in hope more than expectation, I abandoned all hope and began descending towards Ryvoan Bothy. I don't know where the groups ahead of me had gone but I saw no sign of them at all on the descent path or indeed down on the track heading back towards the Green Lochan and Glenmore Lodge.





I popped into Ryvoan Bothy for a wee break (had never been in there before) before making tracks for Bynack More via the usual long ascent path. I passed a guy being eaten alive by midgies beside his tent by the bridge. They actually weren't too bad as long as you kept going - I just about managed to stop by the bridge for a quick chat with the bloke as I took a quick snap and filled up my water bottle.



Then it was onwards up the path which is undergoing repair works and is dotted every 50 yards or so with big white gravel bags full of hefty looking boulders for path construction.





I tracked a bit further left than we had done (I think!) back in March last year, to get better views around to Creag Mhor and over to Ben Avon.







The final pull up the steep summit cone was a bit of a killer and by the time I reached the summit, I was about ready to call it a day. The weather had closed in a bit on the final pull and memories came flooding back of that March day huddled next to the cairn and deciding that heading down to check out the Barns was not even an option.



This evening I could at least see the Little Barns peeping through the mist ahead of me and I wandered over to check them out, before heading down to the Barns of Bynack themselves to look for a camping spot.




I found a nice wee flat spot sheltered right in against the north western side of the huge granite tors and pitched there for the night.



After a dinner of Chicken Dopiaza and rice washed down with a nicely chilled can of lager, I wandered back up towards the Little Barns where I found a mobile reception hotspot and called in, before taking a few sunset shots and exploring the innards of the Barns before polishing off the other can of lager and settling down for what turned out to be a quiet and fairly comfortable night.

How could we have missed them? Oh yes, a blizzard....a more enjoyable experience I imagine - won't take it personally.

Another enjoyable and entertaining report Graeme. Loved your sunset pics too.

'' One couple in jeans and trainers gave me a very strange look as they clocked the size of my pack''. ????
Still having problems with that zip???

Nice report, reminded me of my own experience with Bynack More, the first Munro I climbed in the Cairngorms. It was in June 2009, a warm day but we were almost blown off the top by ghastly wind It must be one of the windiest mountains in Scotland!

Another cracking report Graeme & good to see you out tackling the big hills again after your wee blitz on the sub 2000s.

Just read your last report you & Kev had on Bynack More,looks like everything froze that day apart from the crown jewels

A report given that little bit extra by the snippets of humour contained therein.I'm somewhat puzzled by the references to chilled lager cans;were you carrying a mini battery-operated fridge in that large sack which so intrigued the group you encountered?

It's been great reading your report and seeing pics of that area again. Last time I was in that part of the Cairngorms, was in 1991 when I walked through to Linn of Dee, I see the path has had to be repaired. My most abiding memory of Bynack More was the first time I climbed it, I came across a sheep up to it's neck in a Strath Nethy bog and about to drown. When I tried to get the sheep free it's horn broke off, but I hauled it out with the other - at least it was still alive.

kevsbald wrote:How could we have missed them? Oh yes, a blizzard....a more enjoyable experience I imagine - won't take it personally.

I think on the day in question Kev we could have missed a herd of African elephant wandering across the summit of Bynack More!

pollyh33 wrote:Still having problems with that zip???

Aye, never buy walking trousers out of Craigdon Sports, let me tell ye!

BlackPanther wrote:Nice report, reminded me of my own experience with Bynack More, the first Munro I climbed in the Cairngorms. It was in June 2009, a warm day but we were almost blown off the top by ghastly wind It must be one of the windiest mountains in Scotland!

Thanks BP - you'll just have to go back then eh???

gammy leg walker wrote:Another cracking report Graeme & good to see you out tackling the big hills again after your wee blitz on the sub 2000s.

Just read your last report you & Kev had on Bynack More,looks like everything froze that day apart from the crown jewels

Cheers gammy. Aye, can you account for yer whereabouts that day back in March 2010. Certainly your kind of weather!

JGKES wrote:A report given that little bit extra by the snippets of humour contained therein.I'm somewhat puzzled by the references to chilled lager cans;were you carrying a mini battery-operated fridge in that large sack which so intrigued the group you encountered?

Now there's an idea for taking into the Dragon's Den eh! Sadly no such thing exists to the best of my knowledge. Believe me, if it did, I'd know about it. The 3000ft plus air of Bynack More did a perfectly decent job on the lager though.

Border Reiver wrote:It's been great reading your report and seeing pics of that area again. Last time I was in that part of the Cairngorms, was in 1991 when I walked through to Linn of Dee, I see the path has had to be repaired. My most abiding memory of Bynack More was the first time I climbed it, I came across a sheep up to it's neck in a Strath Nethy bog and about to drown. When I tried to get the sheep free it's horn broke off, but I hauled it out with the other - at least it was still alive.

Interesting first aid scenario and thankfully not one I have ever had to role play in any of my courses or indeed perform in real life.