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I'm a bit behind on walk reports, so this is one from a couple of weekends ago, when I decided to attack the 5 munros associated with Lochnagar.
The plan was simple. Drop Mrs R off at work late Saturday evening and head off for the longish journey to the car park at Spittal of Glen Muick. Then have a few hours kip in the car, get myself some breakfast and then be off for a good days walking. The idea of driving over night for an early start was a new one for me (not yet brave enough for any of this wild camping malarky
), so I couldn't wait. 43 years old and as excited as a little school boy
The road trip itself was no worries. Took it easy, as I was sure there would be the risk of deer on the roadside - only saw four
Did see lots of rabbits though (dead ones mainly) and hedgehogs, but eventually pulled up at the large parking area at the end of the public road. I thought I might find a few cars there already, but was genuinely surprised at just how many there were. Settled down for a couple of hours kip.
Woke up around 4.30 to find myself engulfed in mist
Bugger
I wasn't happy, so shut my eyes in the hope that when I woke up agin it might be showing signs of clearing. Woke up a little later on ...... to find myself engulfed in mist still. Bugger again
But there was nothing to be done than get fed and get going.
As I followed the route toward Meikle Pap and Lochnager the bridge over the river Muick was closed for repairs, but it looked pretty much done, so I skipped over the barrier and across rather than seek out the sugested detour
Early signs for the day didn't look good, as the cloud was very low
- Early doors ..... doesn't look hopeful!
Headed up the track, until the path heads off into the trees.
- Off into the trees
The path was a good one, which was just as well as I couldn't see a thing. Apparently I was walking toward a stunning view
Mist it
Did get a nice view looking down on the burn I was walking alongside
- Is this the best view of the day?
Followed the track until it split at the large marker cairn. From there I dropped off to the right to head off into the hills proper. Passed a tent at this point, but it looked liked the occupant probably wasn't much for getting moving, as by now the mist had been joined by the rain
Soon enough though I found myself walking on the ladder, which while I couldn't see much else was a good little section of the walk
- Up the ladder
Despite the mist the walking had been good so far. The path was pretty good all the way and before not too long I was on the plateau and faced with a decision - follow the path along side the cliffs or be sensible and follow the large marker cairns up a more direct path to the summit. So,I followed the path along side the cliffs
Actually, it was a good path, but with the pea soup I was in
there was nothing much to see
- See!
The problem was that I couldn't even see the large cairn on Can Carn Mor, so when my path started to disappear I wasn't sure what to do for the best. Strike off into the mist and hope for the best or decide to bail out and head back down the hill. Come back another day perhaps. For some reason I wasn't happy about carrying on, so made the decision to bail and head back down. While I was happy to bail if it was for the best I wasn't happy to be finishing a walk quite so soon. End result was me faffing about on the hill while I um'd and ah'd, which just wasted time.
But then my luck changed. As I meandered down I met a couple heading up and they seemed happy for me to tag along with them for a while. So, we headed up the proper path (the one with marker cairns all along it
) and soon enough foind ourselves on the summit of Carn Cac Mor.
Absolutely nothing to see in the mist
- Cac Carn Mor summit
- All the hills I could have seen!
- The biggest cairn in the world
- Summit trig point
Didn't hang about long ...... it was cold
Headed off toward munro number 2 - Carn a Choire Bhoidheach. Path was good all the way, but we weren't sure at what point to head off the beaten track and up onto the summit. Came across a small cairn and decided to head up the obvious path to the top.
Except, I'm not so sure now if we actually made it to the true summit. This was the carn stopped at, but having looked at other reports since I don't think it was the very top.
- Cairn on Carn a Choire Bhoidheach
For now, I'm claiming it......but at least I have an excuse to come back on a sunnier day
Back on the main path and the route to number 3 - Carn an t-Sagairt Mor. Walking was easy still. And the mist seemed to be lifting too
- Some views at last - toward Loch Muick
Carn an t-Sagairt Mor has two cairns, but the visibility at the top was good and I was able to visit both. Not sure myself which one was the high point, but as I touched both the summit is mine.
- Carn an t-Sagairt Mor cairn 1
Went in search of the plane wreckage, which struck me as a little weird on the summit plateau and being there after so many years
- Plane wreckage on Carn an t-Sagairt Mor
And the views opened up some more, just for a short while.
- View from Carn an t-Sagairt Mor
- Another view from Carn an t-Sagairt Mor
- Carn an t-Sagairt Mor cairn 2
On the descent from Carn an t-Sagairt Mor the people I had been walking with eventually headed off ahead of me - they were like torpedoes and I was struggling with my ribs due to a freak accident at home a couple of weeks before. So I was happy to leave them to it, having enjoyed their company to that point.
As I headed off toward munro number 4 - Cairn Bannoch the weather started to take another turn for the worst, as the rain headed in.
- Heading toward Cairn Bannoch
By the time I got to the summit it was wet, windy and decidely chilly
- Cairn Bannoch summit
Not much to report from Cairn Bannoch to the final peak of the day - Broad Cairn.
Rain
Rain
Rain
- Broad Carn summit
Then it was just the matter of the short walk back to the car park along Loch Muick
I took the path that dropped down alongside the loch which, despite the length of the walk, really was a great way to end the day. Had I not got a long drive home to do I would have taken my time on this section, but it was a case of putting my best foot forward and getting back.
Still had time for a few photies along the way though
- Along Loch Muick
- Lock Muick
- Lodge on the Loch
As the lochside path re-joined the landrover track there was a nice waterfall, but it was a case of a quick pic and on my way
- Water fall
Just a chance of some final views along the loch as I headed back and arrived at the car
- View of loch muick ahead
- And back the way I had come
So, I missed the views, maybe even have missed one of the summits, but despite that I really enjoyed the day
I will definitely be back again when the sun is shining, to clear my conscience and make absolutely sure of Carn a Choire Bhoidheach