So for me, another trip into the Cairngorms to pick off a couple more hills. Third week in a row in this neck of the woods. Today it would be Beinn Mheadhoin and weather, time and legs permitting, Ben Macdui. Then it would be a decent down of the Sron Riach into glen Luibeg and the long walk home from Derry Lodge.
Arrived at the Linn of Dee car park just ahead of 7 a.m. and had intended to take a quick nap on account of having to get up when most Glaswegians would be heading home from a night on the raz



I set off toward Derry Lodge at a little after 7 a.m. on what was looking to be a grand day weather wise. I think I’ve described this walk in before............it’s long









I was setting a reasonable pace for myself and was at the Lodge in no time at all



The walk into Glen Derry is nice, easy walking on a good path. I enjoyed the first section through the Scots Pine, but then I think they are magnificent looking trees




Eventually arrived at a footbridge across the Coire Etchachan burn, where the path divided and I headed off to the left. Again nice, easy walking, with a view opening up to my first target of the day Beinn Mheadhoin

I know such opinions can be very subjective and cause many a heated debate (a bit like the merits or otherwise of goal line technology



Things did change though as the path headed up into Coire Etchachan




I took a bit of time out at the Etchachan shelter to take a quick look around. I think this is the first (and currently only) bothy I have ever stepped into to date




After my short rest stop it was onwards and onwards up the steepish path to the Loch. Another “wow” moment for as I arrived at the lochside


The wind, which had been blowing on the way up to the Loch was most certainly blowing now and there was a fair bit of buffeting as I made my way up the side of Beinn Mheadhoin. The initial path is not only a bit steep, but was also very soft and loose, so I had a few moments of slipping and sliding about a bit. Head down though and I was soon arriving at a levelling before hitting the main summit plateau and the view toward the summit tors.
It was a quick walk across the plateau and I was there. Munro number one for the day. And all to myself

The only thing left to do was to get myself up onto the tor and claim the summit proper. Before I could do that a young couple had arrived from somewhere and bounded to the top. My approach was a tad more cautious – wizened old age and arthritic limbs

Stopped for a quick chat with the young couple, who were sheltering from the wind just off the top and taking in some food. I then left them to the rest of their day and executed a probably less than graceful bum shuffle off the tor and back onto more familiar surroundings

Now for Macdui. Early sunshine in that general direction had been replaced by cloud and the wind definitely seemed to be strengthening. Attaining Macdui was still in the balance at this point, as I was fully expecting the wind to really get up as I gained height in that direction.
Heading off Mheadhoin I was approached by three shady looking characters and their dug






The walk down off Mheadhoin wasn’t that bad – the soft gravelly path was probably a blessing on the way down. I was soon back at Loch Etchachan and contemplating the next part of the journey. The wind here was probably at its strongest and I was having serious doubts about continuing to Macdui. In the end I decided to take the path as if I was going to do the hill and then decide as I went whether continuing to the summit was sensible. If I wasn’t happy then I would simply drop down off the Sron Riach, which was my intended descent route anyway.
As it happened the wind eventually died down – well enough to remove any lingering doubt from my mind. So it was decided. Time to Mcdo Macdui

The path was, as it had been all day so far, excellent. I was enjoying great views back toward Mheadhoin, the Cairn Gorm and across the saddle ridge to Creagan a’Choire Etchachan and Derry Cairngorm


Just below the final, short, push up on the Sron Riach I arrived at what I assume was Narrow Gully where a man, madder than me seemingly, was heading down what appeared to me to be a sheer drop



Once on the featureless saddle between Sron Riach and Macdui I lost the path, but even as the clag rolled in and out it was an easy hike up passed the ruined shelter and onto the summit plateau, where there were plenty of shelters as well as the summit trig point to let me know I had arrived.
And I had it all to myself

Trigger a bit of frustration at this point. Clag rolled in








At this point I still had a bit of a spring in my step. So far I had maintained a pretty god pace and was making good time overall, despite my legs feeling it slightly




This section of the day involved a bit of clambering over rocks, which started to take its toll on my legs, which were showing signs of cramping up a bit. So from a good pace being set up to this point things slowed quite a bit – ok, quite a lot

Despite the slowing of the pace it was still a good walk down the ridge. A great route off Macdui




Yet another great day in the hills


Hang on......what’s that? Oh.......the legs say “no”





But I say “aye”






