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Weather looking good on Monday so went for these while we've still got a bit of daylight. Cycled up to Derry Lodge, over the footbridge and continued by bike, although the path narrowed with large rocks in it so I gave up & ditched the bike before Luibeg Bridge. Didn't need to detour for the bridge as the water level wasn't too high, back to Luibeg fron the path round Carn a'Mhaim:
Met a couple of guys here who had taken bikes to the bothy, they reckoned it was 50:50 cycling/carrying the bikes which is better than I would have managed. Beinn Bhrotain ahead:
Then Devil's Point, Cairn Toul, Braeriach make an entrance:
Footbridge over to Devil's Point:
Path leads up behind the bothy:
Main path stays on the right of the burn but there's another faint path on the left which looked like a short cut, bit rough though. Macdui & the start of the ridge to Carn a'Mhaim on the other side of the glen:
Good views higher up:
Cairn & Carn a'Mhaim. Starting to think about adding Carn a'Mhaim on to the walk as it didn't look to hard to get on the ridge, it's on the way back anyway and it's a bit of a trek to come back just for that one.
Glen Dee, approach to Bhrotain from the White Bridge:
Devil's Point looked quite big from the path coming in, but it's only 1004m & Cairn Toul is 1291m so a bit more ascent required. From this angle it looks like there's quite a drop after Stob Coire an t-Saighdeir but fortunately it isn't too bad.
On top of Stob Coire an t-Saighdeir. Cairn Toul doesn't look too hard from here, Angel's Peak is next and doesn't look like it should be a separate Munro from this angle, Braeriach in the background between the two:
Bit warmer & less windy than expected today but there are water sources at the Devil's Point and on the way round to Braeriach. Back to Devils' Point:
View onwards from Cairn Toul:
Rocky at the top then path round to Angel's Peak:
Braeriach:
Back to Cairn Toul from Angel's Peak:
Braeriach & Falls of Dee, more water:
Cairn Toul & Angel's Peak from the walk up Braeriach:
Carn a'Mhaim looks OK from here and it's in just about every pic so I'm obviously thinking about it:
Braeriach cairn. And Carn a'Mhaim:
From the top I continued to the next bealach, map showed a path leading part of the way down to Lairig Ghru. Cairn at the start of the path, and Carn a'Mhaim again:
Path zig zags to get clear of the steepest bits then disappears so it's steepish descent on rock, heather & boggy bits. Descent route from Lairig Ghru path:
Path back & decision time. Lazy option 1: forget about Carn a'Mhaim & have a nice walk back. Lazy option 2: bag it on the way otherwise you'll have to come all the way back for it...actually, this one sounds laziest so it's a winner.
At the Allt Clach nan Taillear, looks steepish from here and deep heather on the way up. Legs felt OK but soon realised this was because I'd been descending since Braeriach. Joined a path about halfway, it was heading towards Macdui but I followed it anyway to get out of the heather.
Finally on the ridge, glad to get here but there's still a bit of ascent & false summits to go.
Camera break time. Braeriach & Macdui:
Devil's Point & Cairn Toul:
Finally made it to the top, a couple at the cairn were asking about the nearby so I had a breather and pointed out the ones I'd just done and others I knew from doing before, even got the pronunciation right(ish!). Glad I bumped into them, had to take a moment and look around and the views were pretty good. Then a nice descent back to the bike and an easy cycle back - only fell off once
