free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Date:Sunday 04/09/2011
Time: 10hrs 29m
Distance: 38km (bike 14km, foot 24km)
Weather: Sunny with a change of midges
Participants: Me, Mike, BrianLots of photos for this. More available here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chimpaction/sets/72157627608608310/This was a trip a long time coming. We had been waiting for the availability of all involved to align with the required weather window for all of the summer. Now it was on. This was to be the trip which completed the Cairngorms for me, as well as all Munros east of the A9. Well, apart from one which I have potentially earmarked for my final Munro in a few years time...
It would also be the first hill trip for my new camera - an upgrade from a Nikon D50 to a D90.
We set off from the Linn of Dee just after 8am. It had been a chilly clear night and gloves were required on the bikes. We scooted up to Derry Lodge and then cycled/slid across the Derry flats (last time at Easter, this section had been bone dry - today it was a bog) We dumped the bikes about halfway between Derry Lodge and the Luibeg crossing. The day was warming up so the zip-off trouser legs were removed and we set off on foot.
We crossed the Luibeg via the bridge, more because we had never done it before, rather than due to the water levels and then made our way round Carn a' Mhaim into the Lairig Ghru.
Luibeg Bridge by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Glimpse into Glen Geusachan by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Sentinels II by
chimpaction, on Flickr
The Lairig Ghru by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Cross the Dee by the bridge, and stop at the empty(!) bothy for a coffee break..
Corrour Bridge by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Corrour Bothy by
chimpaction, on Flickr
After our coffee break, we hauled ourself up into Coire Odhar at a steady pace, following the path as it steepens and zigzags up the headwall to the 900m bealach between The Devil's Point and Cairn Toul. Here we dumped our packs and headed for the short climb to the summit of The Devil's Point. I'll let the photos speak for themselves..
Glen Dee and Glen Geusachan by
chimpaction, on Flickr
The Devil's Point Summit I by
chimpaction, on Flickr
The Devil's Point Summit II by
chimpaction, on Flickr
The Devil's Point Summit III by
chimpaction, on Flickr
The Devil's Panorama by
chimpaction, on Flickr
(Go on, click this one for larger views....)
Cairn Toul from The Devil's Point by
chimpaction, on Flickr
After soaking up the views here, it was back to the bealach and onto Cairn Toul. We hugged the edge to the 1213m top and then followed a bouldery route to the summit of Cairn Toul..
Cairn Toul by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Cairn Toul Viewpoint. by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Bear-riach II by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Falls of Dee by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Brian and Braeriach by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Cairn Toul Summit Cairn IV by
chimpaction, on Flickr
The summit of Cairn Toul was a little chilly, so after abite to eat and some of Mikes homemade ginger beer (with a kick!) it was onwards to the last hill of the day..
Cairn Toul North Panorama by
chimpaction, on Flickr
(Go on, click this one for larger views....)
Sgor an Lochain Uaine (The Angel's Peak) Summit Cairn II by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Cairn Toul from Sgor an Lochain Uaine (The Angel's Peak by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Lochain Uaine II by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Cairngorm Explorer by
chimpaction, on Flickr
We met a few folk on the summit here and hung around for a good while gawping at the views. My new camera also proved its worth here with my favourite shot of the day, this panorama...
The Angel's Panorama by
chimpaction, on Flickr
(Click the photo for larger views)
Eventually, time was wearing on, so we started back. We polished off the 2nd bottle of Ginger Beer and then contoured round Cairn Toul. On the descent of Cairn Toul, we picked up a path which has been hidden on the ascent but was prefectly visible on the descent. It proved a speedy way off the hill, avoiding the boulders and we made it from Sgor an Lochain Uaine summit to Corrour Bothy in 90 minutes.
Cairn Toul Descent by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Descent to the Lairig Ghru by
chimpaction, on Flickr
Bothy Days by
chimpaction, on Flickr
After another break in the sunshine and a chat to a couple of German hikers, we set off back around Carn a' Mhaim. This leg felt much longer than it did on the walk in. At the Luibeg, we crossed by the stones (nearly managed to lose a pole in the river here) and then got back to the bikes.
On the cycled back from Derry Lodge we began to pass more and more people wearing midge nets. Looking down, our legs were crawling with the winged devils. Fearful for our skin, we never stopped until we reached the Linn of Dee carpark. The midges here were as bad as I have seen them anywhere on the west coast and it was an epic struggle to get th ebikes onto the bike rack. We were stratching ourselves all the way to the Inver Hotel.