walk to Hell's Lum Crag and Stag Rocks

[litljortindan]

Original plan was to walk to the top of Shelterstone Crag which looks pretty good on Malky_c's recent report. However, once I got to the top of the bump above Helll's Lum Crag I was feeling overheated and my eye was drawn east to the easier looking ground above the crags on the north side of Loch Avon.
I had considered this for a walk before but had dismissed it as probably not yielding good views. It looked pretty good from where I stood though. I was looking at Stag Rocks, a cliff that steepens exponentially on its way down to the loch.
As I edged eastwards I got the bonus of a diversion onto the wee spur that bounds what is presumably the lum of hell. Quite a grand feeling spot with cliffs falling away beneath and the splash of waterfalls as a background.
Had a wander round the rocks there then back up to contour round to the next indent before Stag Rocks, a less dramatic but still dizzying gully overlooking the head of Loch Avon.
Another climb up to get back onto the contour above the crags and then another descent onto a spur that gives great views of Loch Avon beaches and possibly the largest cliff of Stag Rocks.
A bit more walking above the crags followed along with gazing down at the loch and I was well pleased with the day.
Then cut north to catch the other Fiacaill ridge back down to the car park. This time, nice steps to follow.
The day had started with me cutting off too early across the bog to the scrambly Fiacaill ridge then trying and abandoning the scrambly bit as back ache kicked in. So the alternative was a nervous slither up bypass where I also presumably cut off too early. It certainly didn't feel too bypassy to me!



cut off here too early but never mind


two things I like -being able to see somewhere I was earlier in the year and being able to see the Sutherland coast from the Cairngorms


I also like this patchy sunlight


and the attendant last straggles of morning mist












wasn't feeling up to the scramble so went up the side which, it turns out, I also wasn't feeling up to


looking south


























the lum of hell presumably




waterfalls providing a constant and pleasing background noise


Loch Avon beaches from Stag Rocks




west end of Loch Avon from Stag Rocks


the morning's ridge

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[rockhopper]

a great area for a wander ! have done parts of your route in the past though not with such good weather - cheers

[malky_c]

A fine walk . There's loads of bits along the northern edge of Loch Avon that I haven't visited yet, like the top of Stag Rocks. Plenty more entertainment there.

I bypassed the Fiacaill scramble with my nephew last spring as it started raining. With the various slithery slabs and loose pebbles and sandy bits, it didn't seem a whole lot easier than the crest of the ridge.

[litljortindan]

a great area for a wander ! have done parts of your route in the past though not with such good weather - cheers

Very quiet too away from the northern corries, at I didn't see anyone else from the start until the afternoon when I got back on the northern corries path which was very busy. Won't find me there in bad weather (I hope). Mind you there was that first trip up Cairngorm in '88 in thigh deep snow, 80mph gusts, me conking out...

[litljortindan]

A fine walk . There's loads of bits along the northern edge of Loch Avon that I haven't visited yet, like the top of Stag Rocks. Plenty more entertainment there.

I bypassed the Fiacaill scramble with my nephew last spring as it started raining. With the various slithery slabs and loose pebbles and sandy bits, it didn't seem a whole lot easier than the crest of the ridge.

Cairngorms are certainly growing on me.
It crossed my mind at the time that I may have drawn the short straw by electing to take the bypass but in retrospect the right thing as I did get a reaction in my back even with the little bits of bending and stretching I did do plus I had my recent less than pleasant crossing of the Chalamin Gap to ponder and influence the decision. Still, I seem only to be going in the general direction of improvement.

[ancancha]

The cliffs around the top of Loch Avon are majestic
Well photgrahped

[litljortindan]

The cliffs around the top of Loch Avon are majestic
Well photgrahped

Thanks. A pleasant surprise to find it was so dramatic.