Lochnagar and more, from Auchallater, What a day!

[The Rodmiester]

Another Argyll Mountaineering Club's weekends landed us in the Braemar area and it was the to be a small but select party to converge to meet in 'The Bothy' a fairly new Coffee shop in Braemar as the Fife Arms Hotel had the decidedly Closed look, maybe it opens at Easter? The Big Three of us discussed, plans A, B, and C and finally a plan of action was hatched over fabulous bacon rolls and coffee. Plan A Two Munros, Plan B three Munros and Plan C Five Munros, no contest really, plan C it was as the MWIS forecast was looking good for Saturday in particular for the whole day. The time now was about 1300hrs and the decided to drive back down A93 to Auchallater also one of the starts of Jock's Road, walk in with big packs to Loch Callater where two were to find accommodation at the MBA Bothy 'The Stables' and I was to pitch my tent overlooking the loch. The walk to Loch Callater took us our heavy packs just over an hour, after pitching the tent and getting our tea at the bothy it was an early night to get us prepared for the Big day ahead (Saturday). One of the group had been struggling with blisters with his 4 season boots so the approach from this side meant that after scaling Lochnagar we could just return and leave Cairn Bannoch and Broad Cairn for another day, if we needed to.

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The Bothy in Braemar where a warm welcome awaits with a huge selection of food and drinks. This is where the weekend plans were hatched over a few spread out OS Maps

After leaving the carpark at Auchallater, large size will take probably more than a dozen cars £2.50 pay at machine. There is a good track all the way to Callater Lodge and Loch and Bothy, there is a bridge crossing of the Callater Burn approximately at half distance (just over 5k to Loch etc)

Group photograph just outside the Bothy. After a freezing night in the tent I was glad to get moving. The route starts just at a boundary fence to the North of the Bothy, the path is generally well constructed and the gradient makes for easy walking. Left Bothy at 0845hrs

Looking back to the Lodge, Loch and Bothy from the path above

Gradual climbing on the East side of Loch Callater

In all my hill walking years I have never seen so much wildlife, Mountain Hares with their winter coats, hundreds of Red Grouse, Ptarmagan and Deer

Told you it was a frosty night, Brrrrrrrrrr, nice shapes!

After leaving the path which goes to the South of Carn an t-Sagairt Mor we headed directly up to the summit and found a piece of a wrecked aircraft, a wheel. Summit time 1 3/4hrs from the bothy

There are two summit cairns we went to both as both looked nearly the same height. Next was to head over to the summit of the Munro Top Carn an t-Sagairt Beag

This was the one time we took it very steady and probably we should have fitted crampons but in the end the micro spikes were fine

Looking over to Broad Cairn and Cairn Bannoch with the Dubh Loch in between

Looking North West where even bigger hills were looking very inviting

Summit cairn on Carn an t- Saigairt Beag looking towards The Stuic, Lochnagar and Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach on the right

Thought it was cold in the tent last night Loch nan Eun just North of The Stuic

The cliffs and Snow Cornice at The Stuic

The cairn of Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach on the horizon with some icy parts to negotiate

Another climber from Aberdeen with his dog from Aberdeen who had an early start from Loch Muick took this for us, thanks again if your reading. Time from bothy to this summit 2h 20mins

The Summit of Lochnagar looking pretty busy as we were expecting on such a glorious day

Two of the gang with two others from Forfar and District Hill Walking Club, Hi again, nice to have met you all, hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did! We left the summit at 1400hrs

Heading off Lochnagar to the South

Traversing the SE slopes of Carn an t-Sagairt Mor heading for Cairn Bannoch

Looking towards Cairn Bannoch

Summit cairn of Cairn Bannoch looking towards our last Munro targer Broad Cairn the Munro I have climbed the most times always from Glen Doll

[Huff_n_Puff]

Lovely - enjoyed reading and seeing that. Beautiful conditions too

[davetherave]

Yes, Saturday was a supreme winters day. We did a few from Glenfeshie on same day.

Your day looked much busier than what ours was

Days like those will make many people jealous indeed.

[Fife Flyer]

Nice one Rod, up to your usual descriptive standards
How did you manage with your light rucksack?

[The Rodmiester]

Lovely - enjoyed reading and seeing that. Beautiful conditions too

Glad you enjoyed it, we certainly did, wonderful conditions, days you dream of.

[The Rodmiester]

Yes, Saturday was a supreme winters day. We did a few from Glenfeshie on same day.

Your day looked much busier than what ours was

Days like those will make many people jealous indeed.

Hi Davetherave, busy only on Lochnagar as you would expect, unforgettable, glad we made the most of such a day

[The Rodmiester]

Nice one Rod, up to your usual descriptive standards
How did you manage with your light rucksack?

A fabulous day Martin, hope we get a similar day next month up North I managed to get it down to 22.7k, far too heavy, I must try harder, but have learned some lessons, to include some satchets of coffee rather than all sugar

[Petr Dakota]

Hi Rod, I like your report. Looks like really big day and good weather condition with a blue sky. I admire also your condition especially with that loaded rucksack...great trip in great area...all 5 hills = good effort...Well done ! Nice to see the place again after two weeks...feeling the air and views, still in my memories and also in my legs Just "missing" the neverending path around Loch Muick
Good choice of day, the saturday was really nice 1st spring day and you welcomed the spring by the right way !
I was working all weekend, but fortunatelly I had good sunny day on my day off on wednesday 18th, enjoyed views in sunshine and blue sky on my trip Creag Meagaidh circuit Hope to meet you somewhere this year

[The Rodmiester]

Hi Rod, I like your report. Looks like really big day and good weather condition with a blue sky. I admire also your condition especially with that loaded rucksack...great trip in great area...all 5 hills = good effort...Well done ! Nice to see the place again after two weeks...feeling the air and views, still in my memories and also in my legs Just "missing" the neverending path around Loch Muick
Good choice of day, the saturday was really nice 1st spring day and you welcomed the spring by the right way !
I was working all weekend, but fortunatelly I had good sunny day on my day off on wednesday 18th, enjoyed views in sunshine and blue sky on my trip Creag Meagaidh circuit Hope to meet you somewhere this year

Thanks Petr, still to do this starting from Glen Doll, vie Broad Cairn, Bannoch over the others to Lochnagar then down yo loch Muick and back over Capel Month back to Glen Doll, a biggie, think I'll leave it to longer days and after a dry period and travel light. Don't think its been done by a WH as yet, better check it out Fancy it? You could give me a piggy back on the latter stages Pity you were working this weekend

[Happyfeet]

Great walk Rod lovely pics and all the wild life and frost, looks absolutely stunning. Super report too!

[jepsonscotland]

Another great report.

And now I know what they all look like!!
I always get clag there!!

You're absolutely right about the wildlife. I've never seen so much as I have over past few months.
Especially deer and grouse.

Nice one.
Chris

[BlackPanther]

What a cracker! I always wondered if any Walkhighlander would try to bag all 5 Muick M's from this side - glad you enjoyed it! And on a lovely, bright day

I have some good memories from Glen Callater, we climbed Carn an t-Sagairt Mor and Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach from this direction, sadly didn't have enough time to continue to the other 3 (did the rest from Loch Muick side). I remember we found quite a few bits of the wrecked plane - a piece of wing, parts of the engine, scattered all over the western slopes of Carn an t-Sagairt Mor. It was a Canberra bomber that crashed in November 1956, the cause of the accident is still unknown!
A piece of Canberra:

[Beaner001]

Some round that Rod, never seen them done from that side, well played

[The Rodmiester]

Great walk Rod lovely pics and all the wild life and frost, looks absolutely stunning. Super report too!

Thanks Emms, it was as you say Stunning! An unforgettable day, still to get my backpacking fine tuned, WHAT A WEIGHT

[The Rodmiester]

Another great report.

And now I know what they all look like!!
I always get clag there!!

You're absolutely right about the wildlife. I've never seen so much as I have over past few months.
Especially deer and grouse.

Nice one.
Chris

Thanks Chris, just thought it would be a good idea to test the fitness before Martins journey North next month, look forward to a catch up then, fingers crossed similar weather will prevail