Deck Chairs in the Snow on Ben Macdui
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:17 pmWe planned this walk a couple of weeks ago as Gerry was keen to add a couple of new munros to his list and Andy was wanting something that was not too taxing.
I kept an eye on the weather forecast and at first it did not look to good but by Thursday it had changed and we got a great dry day with no low lying cloud. I had done this walk previously and had done the route in the opposite direction from that recommended on walkhighlands.
Picked the guys up just after 6 in the morning and we were up at cairngorm just after 8 in the morning. The drive up was good. Gerry fell asleep in the back and Andy and I had a good blether. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/posting.php?mode=post&f=9#
Once up at Aviemore it did not take long to get our gear on and decide on the best route to go up ( the same as the last time "in reverse") . We knew there was a path at the back of the centre and we headed up the blue path. This is a well maintained path and one that the quad bike i think belonging to the actual centre uses to climb up the mountain. The only hard part is a very steep climb just before the transverse along to the ptarmigan restaurant.
ptarmigan restaurant_ by dektasker, on Flickr
This was a bit of a thigh breaker but the views towards fiacaill a’ Choire Chais are great with the sun coming over the tops which have a light covering of snow.
fiacaill a’ Choire Chais_2 by dektasker, on Flickr
Looking back behind you is the wonderful view of Loch Morlich and Lochan nan Geadas.
Andy did stop for a rest and posted a few photos on his facebook account. What a man, social networking, texting and blethering. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/posting.php?mode=post&f=9#
Once at the ptarmigan restaurant you follow a good stone path up. Again the views back towards Loch Morlich and Lochan na Beinne are breath taking. The path with the snow and the frost was a bit slippy (a bit similar to walking up the hilltown in Dundee with no grit on a frosty morning).
Once at the top of the path the cairns mark the way to the summit. Funny how a couple of months in the summer can give such a different feel.
CairnGorm_way_cairns_weather_station by dektasker, on Flickr
This is a quick and easy munro to climb and I will be taking the kids on a good day as the views are excellent. I actually like the weather station and this summit is a lot better looking than the Cairnwell.
Weather_Station by dektasker, on Flickr
Gerry and Andy at the summit cairn on cairngorm
Gerry_Andy_CairnGorm_Summit by dektasker, on Flickr
Now the hard part the long slog to Ben Macdui. However the walk along Stob Coire an t-Sneach ta is great with excellent views back towards loch Morlich.
Alladins_Couloir_Loch_Morlich_2 _ by dektasker, on Flickr
Looking down Alladins Couloir and the central gully really brings home the awe of mother nature.
Stob Coire an t-Sneach ta_Alladins Couloir _ by dektasker, on Flickr
We took a picture here with the three of our shadows superimposed against the shadow itself, weird.
central_gully_with_3_Shadows by dektasker, on Flickr
Lochan Buidhe is small but looking back from where we have came looks beautiful. The lochan also acts as a good marker and points you in the right direction for climbing towards Ben Macdui.
Lochan Buidhe_ by dektasker, on Flickr
Coire Ruadh looks good and what a view. We definitely got lucky. Once up towards the summit the views of Coire Ruadh are great.
Views_Coire_Ruadh_ by dektasker, on Flickr
We had some great weather and as you can see the summit was busy. Though there was a slight covering of snow, as one of the walkers said we could easily have taken a few deck chairs and got a good tan.
Busy_Ben_MacDui_Summit by dektasker, on Flickr
The only bad thing was having to come back down.
It is a long walk back but again the views are great and we were very lucky with the weather. This is the second time I have done this walk and if I do it again I would do the walk recommended on the walkhighland site. It might take a bit of time to get to the first munro but from there to the second then to the car park are nice short bursts. The long hard slog is well behind you but the views are great
Views_from_Ben_MacDui_Summit_2 by dektasker, on Flickr
Towards_Stob Coire an t-Sneach ta_ by dektasker, on Flickr
I post on my pictures on flickr http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAmamgf (dektasker) or type dektasker into google and follow the flickr link. I always put all my links on my twitter account before I write the blog @dektasker.
I kept an eye on the weather forecast and at first it did not look to good but by Thursday it had changed and we got a great dry day with no low lying cloud. I had done this walk previously and had done the route in the opposite direction from that recommended on walkhighlands.
Picked the guys up just after 6 in the morning and we were up at cairngorm just after 8 in the morning. The drive up was good. Gerry fell asleep in the back and Andy and I had a good blether. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/posting.php?mode=post&f=9#
Once up at Aviemore it did not take long to get our gear on and decide on the best route to go up ( the same as the last time "in reverse") . We knew there was a path at the back of the centre and we headed up the blue path. This is a well maintained path and one that the quad bike i think belonging to the actual centre uses to climb up the mountain. The only hard part is a very steep climb just before the transverse along to the ptarmigan restaurant.
ptarmigan restaurant_ by dektasker, on Flickr
This was a bit of a thigh breaker but the views towards fiacaill a’ Choire Chais are great with the sun coming over the tops which have a light covering of snow.
fiacaill a’ Choire Chais_2 by dektasker, on Flickr
Looking back behind you is the wonderful view of Loch Morlich and Lochan nan Geadas.
Andy did stop for a rest and posted a few photos on his facebook account. What a man, social networking, texting and blethering. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/posting.php?mode=post&f=9#
Once at the ptarmigan restaurant you follow a good stone path up. Again the views back towards Loch Morlich and Lochan na Beinne are breath taking. The path with the snow and the frost was a bit slippy (a bit similar to walking up the hilltown in Dundee with no grit on a frosty morning).
Once at the top of the path the cairns mark the way to the summit. Funny how a couple of months in the summer can give such a different feel.
CairnGorm_way_cairns_weather_station by dektasker, on Flickr
This is a quick and easy munro to climb and I will be taking the kids on a good day as the views are excellent. I actually like the weather station and this summit is a lot better looking than the Cairnwell.
Weather_Station by dektasker, on Flickr
Gerry and Andy at the summit cairn on cairngorm
Gerry_Andy_CairnGorm_Summit by dektasker, on Flickr
Now the hard part the long slog to Ben Macdui. However the walk along Stob Coire an t-Sneach ta is great with excellent views back towards loch Morlich.
Alladins_Couloir_Loch_Morlich_2 _ by dektasker, on Flickr
Looking down Alladins Couloir and the central gully really brings home the awe of mother nature.
Stob Coire an t-Sneach ta_Alladins Couloir _ by dektasker, on Flickr
We took a picture here with the three of our shadows superimposed against the shadow itself, weird.
central_gully_with_3_Shadows by dektasker, on Flickr
Lochan Buidhe is small but looking back from where we have came looks beautiful. The lochan also acts as a good marker and points you in the right direction for climbing towards Ben Macdui.
Lochan Buidhe_ by dektasker, on Flickr
Coire Ruadh looks good and what a view. We definitely got lucky. Once up towards the summit the views of Coire Ruadh are great.
Views_Coire_Ruadh_ by dektasker, on Flickr
We had some great weather and as you can see the summit was busy. Though there was a slight covering of snow, as one of the walkers said we could easily have taken a few deck chairs and got a good tan.
Busy_Ben_MacDui_Summit by dektasker, on Flickr
The only bad thing was having to come back down.
It is a long walk back but again the views are great and we were very lucky with the weather. This is the second time I have done this walk and if I do it again I would do the walk recommended on the walkhighland site. It might take a bit of time to get to the first munro but from there to the second then to the car park are nice short bursts. The long hard slog is well behind you but the views are great
Views_from_Ben_MacDui_Summit_2 by dektasker, on Flickr
Towards_Stob Coire an t-Sneach ta_ by dektasker, on Flickr
I post on my pictures on flickr http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAmamgf (dektasker) or type dektasker into google and follow the flickr link. I always put all my links on my twitter account before I write the blog @dektasker.
