Wild camp after a wild day in Cairngorms.
Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 4:07 pm
We had decided a while back, that the best way for us Englanders to get round the central Cairngorm Munros was to wild camp. So, with a favourable two day forecast, we headed for Linn of Dee at the usual ungodly hour and left the car by 9 o'clock. Blue skies and warmth abounded, but the strong wind was evident. It's a pleasant walk up Glen Lui to Derry Lodge before we veered off up Glen Derry. We had planned to split up in Glen Derry, with me going up Beinn Bhreac & Beinn a' Chaorainn on my own. I missed the path by the last burn as we were busy gabbing so, it was straight up and over the heathery hillside leading under West Top and on to Beinn Bhreac itself. As I approached the summit of Beinn Bhreac, a lovely male Dotterel started acting up in front of me and I soon spotted why; he had two small chicks with him. I resisted the temptation to get too close and got a quick pic of him. Due to the strength of the wind, I only stayed a short while before heading for the dreaded Moine Bhealaidh!!!! Anyway, it was really easy to get across, reasonable path for the most part, couple of minor boggy bits, and so I was soon heading up Beinn a' Chaorainn into an ever increasing wind. I had intended to go to the Munro Top, but walking was quite difficult at this point so I shelved that plan and made straight for the main summit There didn't appear to be an "easy" way down to Lairig an Laoigh, so I followed the shoulder of B a' C until it looked steep but easy enough to get to level ground Once there, I had some food then skirted Stob Coire Etchachan to meet the path up to the Hutchison Memorial Hut. I followed the path up to Loch Etchachan, were I located my mates rucksack. I left mine with it, then took the path up to Beinn Mheadhoin. Met a few walkers on my way up who alluded to the strength of the wind on the top, but once up there, I figured they were playing it down, it was ferocious!! Being a bit older, and therefore wiser, I decided not to stand on the summit, but climbed up to it and managed to one hand my camera into the following picture Now, I am sure the purists among you will say I should have stood up there, and if I'm ever this way again, I will, I promise!! Anyway, I didn't stay long and having met up at the bags and had a bit of a refuel, Derry Cairngorm was our next destination. As we began the ascent of Derry Cairngorm, it was notable that the wind was beginning to drop off, which made walking a bit more pleasurable. This is a fairly shallow ascent and soon enough we were at the summit. It was turning into a pleasant enough evening, so after re-joining the Macdui path, we passed what was our intended bivvy spot near the small lochan behind Coire Sputan Dearg, and headed for Ben Macdui. By the time we reached the summit, the wind had died completely and it was a really pleasant evening. There is a ruin marked on the map, probably only 10 metres descent from the summit, and this looked fine for sleeping in. Turns out it was so after a very satisfying, if difficult at times, day, we bedded down. The beauty of camping this high, is it's nearly all down hill tomorrow Day 2 to follow!!!