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I recently spent a few days around the Cairngorms area, one of the places I stayed was the Cairngorm Lodge SYHA. The clouds were covering the tops for most of my time there, and when I set off from the hostel on this morning I wasn't expecting to have an enjoyable day and it was snowing a bit as I walked along the track towards Rothiemurcus Lodge.
As I approached the Lodge I was greeted by a wee doggie, I sat down on a bench to have a cup of tea and a bite to eat and saw that the dog had it's name, Skye on it's collar tag. I gave her a fig roll and a piece of chocolate. She's a friendly dog and liked to be stroked.
Time for me to press on, so I headed on away from the lodge, only to be followed by my new friend. Saw a guy walking towards me, and he called Skye. I asked him if he was the dog's owner, but he wasn't, anyway, we tried to get Skye to follow him back towards the Lodge, but she just would not. So I said to the guy that I was staying at the hostel in Glenmore, and if Skye followed me all the way around my walk that I'd call the Lodge from there so they could collect her.
Conitinued my walk, with Skye in tow. I had intended to just go up through the Chalamain Gap and then head down towards Glenmore, but at around 1 o'clock the clouds started to lift and I had a re-think on my intended route, looked at the map and saw a possible way up to Creag an Leth-choin (Lurcher's Crag). Got a good view of the Crag from the point above Lairig Ghru.
Heading up towards Lairig Ghru
Lurcher's Crag
The ridge leading to the summit is not too steep and I got my first views of the Cairngorm plateau.
view of the Cairngorm plateau from the ridge to Lurcher's Crag
The views really opened up at the summit, from the Meall a' Bhuachaille group, over the Cairngorm plateau and down into Lairig Ghru. It's a sheer drop from the top of the Crag and I didn't dare to go close to the edge!
Cairngorm mountain and top ski staion, cliffs above Coire an Sneachda
Cliffs above Coire an Lochan
Looking down into Larig Ghru from Lurcher's Crag summit
Cairn Lochan from Lurcher's Crag summit
Skye on Lurcher's Crag summit cairn
Lurcher's Crag summit
Skye and Lurcher's Crag summit
Made our way down from Lurcher's Crag down the gentle slopes into Coire an Leth-choin, I was intending to head for the road from the ski station into Glenmore, but descended too far and came to a ravine. At this point, I could see the Chalamain Gap, so I thought that I might aswell go that way back and walk Skye back home.
descent into Coire an Leth-choin
Chalamain Gap
looking west from Chalamain Gap
Was dark when I finally returned Skye to her rightful owners, and a chap that was staying there kindly gave me a lift back to the hostel.
