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When planning this year's Scottish trip, I'd researched a few big day-walks and several ambitious multi-day routes. As it turned out, unsettled weather for most of June deterred me from most of these in favour of more modest walks. But there was eventually a positive forecase for several days of high pressure, which looked promising for a higher level route with some camping and long, remote days.
By that point, I was about to check out from a couple of days at the excellent Tulloch Station Hostel. This made it tempting to try a big route through the groups of hills around Ben Alder, with a huge potential haul of hills. Another option, the Fannichs, would have required travelling north (and then heading back again a few days later). But a couple of things decided me in favour of the Cairngorms. One being that most other options could be done by train - giving the potential of a car-free trip another year. And, another, that the best weather seemed likely to be furthest east and south.
So, the Cairngorms it was. That gave the option of a night in Corrour bothy, either instead of taking a tent, or as backup. If I did go prepared to camp, then I'd also be able to spend the second night on the plateau, if necessary, then have the Wednesday morning to stagger back over Sgor Gaoith. `But the tent would add about 2.5 kilos, once I included needing my larger pack: a dilemma.
In the end, I did opt to take the tent. I've hardly used it lately, so a fine forecast and Cairngorms trek looked like the perfect opportunity. And I knew that Corrour is a very small and popular bothy, so didn't want to be squeezing anyone that needed the shelter, or disturbing them with late or early activity.
Once eventually at the last carpark, I loaded up my bigger pack including food and fuel for two nights and mornings out. Then, feeling warm in the mid-morning sunshine, set out south alongside the single-track road towards its end at Achlean.
I turned left within ten minutes, taking a track across an open moorland area towards some woods. Those offered some shade, but also called for more effort as I headed uphill. The first 100 metres of height gain through relatively-young pines felt quite an effort despite the good path. So I paused on crossing a burn from Coire Brocair, topping up my supply of water to filter and taking a first lunch break.
That same path continued uphill at an easy gradient around the south side of Can Ban Beag. There were clouds up ahead and it looked like I would have some navigation practice on the plateau. Those and gaining height helped to bring the temperature down to something more comfortable for carrying a substantial pack uphill, so the duller weather had its compensations.
- Ascent path beside Carn Ban Beag
I even appreciated hints of a shower during the ascent, light enough not to bother with full waterproofs. Two walkers were taking the same path behind me, a way further down, but I turned off at about 970 metres on the side of Carn Ban Mor, passing the upper part of a small burn. This was all through the clag, but over open ground and short mossy turf. Though I did need to concentrate on my pacing, measuring when to turn southwest.
After a slight rise and fall of the broad ridge, the ground became stonier towards Meall Dubhag. I left my pack close to one cluster of stones, taking care to check bearings again for a last couple of hundred paces to the summit. The drizzle had cleared a while ago and the cloud was also thinning, though gave no hint of views from the cairn.
After that first Munro Top, I retraced my way to collect the pack, then aimed east, which turned more to my right and southeast. Descending, or a breeze, helped bring me underneath the clearing cloud, giving a first view across some of the Moine Mhor. The main feature apparent to me was an expanse of peat which looked like it would need crossing.
As I picked carefully ahead, I could make out a burn flowing southwards (Coachan Dubh) and a track cutting across it, maybe half a mile away. Those did need a slog across the peat, the slower due to taking care with a few extra kilos on my back. So I was glad to reach the solid surface of the track, turning right to head around a minor rise on my way towards Mullach Clach a' Bhlair.
This looked a long way, while the weather was improving and looked settled. So I decided to leave my pack and cover the last stretch walking light. I left the bag on a slight southward slope before a burn, putting on a jacket and taking some essentials in the pockets.
Two walkers were on the track some way ahead, but I took a shortcut of my own, slightly closer to the burn instead of swinging further west. Then up onto a drier shoulder and rejoining the track, which turned east again. I left the track for a path south, then five minutes more brought me up to the summit and the two others.
- Am Moine Mhor from Mullach Clach a' Bhlair
The weather and views continued to clear, giving us some views. There was still cloud over the highest Cairngorms, but clear elsewhere. Carn Ealar and An Sgarsoch looked close over the upper Glenfeshie, with Beinn a'Ghlo impressive beyond.
After some photos and chat, I resorted to another different shortcut back to my pack: this time, skirting between a shallow ridge and the boggy headwaters of a burn. That dampened my boots, but nothing worse, before I was onto the track once more, then loaded up again.
I kept with the track for a good while, maybe 30 minutes, appreciating the dry level going and chance to make good progress. The weather looked like staying dry but overcast and cool, without much wind, maybe not so fine as forecast but quite comfortable. And that also seemed promising for finding a good spot to pitch up, at least once I'd covered a lot more ground.
The track did give out, quite abruptly stopping in a T-shaped arrangement where Allt Sgairnich cleft a course through the plateau, turning to quite a valley (and becoming the River Eidart) further down on my right. I had no intention of heading there, but did cross the burn (quite easily) then follow a rough path on the far side to get around a shoulder of hill.
That brought me to a damp, shallow bealach and the lumpy squat form of Tom Dubh. It hardly seems to deserve as long a name as the alternative, Stob Lochan nan Cnapan, though there was a bit of height to gain, then some wandering over the many lumps and cairns, hoping that I'd found the highest of them. It felt a bit underwhelming even for a Top, with Munros nearby rising hundreds of metres higher.
I settled on one likely summit, then started picking my route onwards, with Allt Luineag to cross before an ascent of the bulky and far-higher Monadh Mor. A group of five were headed northwest towards me and we met up at some stones across the burn.
After we'd negotiated the crossing and passing by, I left the others headed towards Glenfeshie and started uphill. This felt a lot of ascent, especially with a big pack, so I took a while to work up the gradual but stony slopes. Those are at least settled going, for an area of boulders and things eased off once I was onto the back of the hill, headed south up to the summit.
The sun had crept through and clouds were lifting, parting or being carried away. Tempting to stop and take that in, but I pressed for a few more minutes to reach the cairn, then indulged in a feast of photos, along with a snack break to keep up my energy levels as the afternoon was slipping by.
- Cairn Toul from Monadh Mor
The broad shape of Monadh Mor continues southwards, with just a slight dip then rise to form a southern top. The path skirts this and so did I, drawn towards more impressive mountain scenery including the massive bulk of Beinn Bhrotain, with quite an abrupt gap to cross at one corner of Glen Geusachan.
- Beinn Bhrotain
During the descent I met another backpacker, who turned out to be doing something similar to be from a different direction. He had come up from the Linn of Dee direction and planned on camping up high, while I mentioned my thoughts about Glen Geusachan. Then we went our separate ways, me to negotiate the loose scree path that starts up towards Beinn Bhrotain.
- Glen Geusachan
That path turns to more of a boulderfield before half-way up, which made things more stable underfoot. But the late afternoon was warm and sunny, conditions clear over even the highest hills. But a full pack weighed me down, so it seemed to take a while to reach my third Munro of the day. The cairns around the trig point brought excellent views and a good excuse for another break.
- South from Beinn Bhrotain
Among those views were the lumps and contours of Beinn Bhrotain, from a lower to eastwards to ridges and features lower down. Only one of those, looking like a pimple at this distance, is another Munro Top, Carn Cloich-mhuilinn, the hill that Sir Hugh was saving to finish his round. In my case, it would be a last summit for the day before chosing where to settle down for the night.
I could see a lot of bouldery ground to descend, about 300 metres, then about a quarter of that height to regain. It would be one thing to descend that far, but coming back the same way - and then recrossing Monadh Mor - didn't feel a good option. So I kept my pack on and went ahead with the plan to descend into Glen Dee for "low level" overnight.
Beinn Bhrotain has a broad, bouldery shoulder stretching southeast down towards Carn Cloich-mhuilinn. The ground was bouldery, often with stones heaped on stones (rather than seated in the soil, which is so much more stable for walking), but wasn't bad going. I didn't mind taking my time, with glorious sunshine and splendid views ahead, all the more welcome after two weeks of often-miserable weather.
After a greener (and slightly damper) area, I crossed to make the last significant ascent of the day. Despite appearances from further up, there was enough of a climb to make it feel a worthwhile Top; more than many of the Lochnagar Munros, or pimples like Tom Buidhe. Afternoon was turning into early fine evening by the time I took a pause at the summit area and looked appreciatively around.
- Carn Cloich-mhuilinn
The next stage was also pathless (at least, with nothing marked), so I needed to pick my own route. Steep rocky ground (some of it bare slabby rock) guards Beinn Bhrotain from the northwest around to the northeast, so I needed to get down into Glen Dee before working around to the Geusachan Burn. I opted for the north-northeast ridge of Carn Cloich-mhuilinn, which helped me to descend 100 metres or so at an east gradient over stony ground and rock outcrops.
Things were steeper to my right, so I continued past the worst difficulties there, with expanses of exposed slab, to start picking downhill. By now I was in the shade with much more heather underfoot, calling for care as I aimed towards a substantial burn guiding the way downhill. That was flowing strongly, but areas of wet sloping rock were the most concern, so it could be a challenge to cross when in spate.
- Allt Garbh over granite slabs
Once over the burn, I still had several hundred metres to descend. I opted to stay close to the Allt Garbh, encouraged by a path threading through the heather of the north bank. That's presumably used by those walking Beinn Bhrotain from the east, so I let it guide me back out into the sunshine, with Glen Dee waiting ahead beyond this little valley and the tree-edged burn.
- Sgor Mor across Glen Dee
The ground began to level out at 500-ish metres, so I left the sketchy path to try cutting northwards. That turned out to be haphazard, for the glen floor had less heather and much more boggy ground, with standing pools waiting to drench unsuspecting feet. I managed to avoid any slips or soaks, but that took a while despite encountering and using occasional stretches of rough track or path.
It was gone 7:30 my now, so I also kept an eye out for suitable spots to pitch up for the evening. I'd maybe passed some earlier on, but everything that I checked later seemed to be damp beneath what looked like flat green grass, or otherwise have problems. There was still hours of light to go, but I had an appetite from 16 - 17 miles of strenuous walking and wanted to get settled sooner rather than later.
A more defined path skirted some drier ground at the foot of Beinn Bhrotain, curving east over lumps and bumps unto eventually reaching the sheltered Glen Geusachan. Heading across to the burn, I followed that for a little way to find an easy crossing, then a minute or two along the north bank. This yielded a campsite, with dry grass that should provide a cushioned rest despite being a bit uneven and tussocky. I'd far rather have something soft(is) and dry beneath me than level ground that had other problems.
- Evening by the Geusachan burn
So I drew water from the burn and set that boiling while I pitched up. The temperature was dropping as shadows reached out down Glen Geusachan, with the Devil's point looming behind me and views across Glen Dee ahead. There weren't even any midges, so far as I remember, thanks to the cool and something of a breeze. I stretched out with a meal of spicy vegetable rice, glad to be off my feet and give those a break.
The night was quiet and clear, Geusachan Burn babbling gently away outside my tent. Clear conditions and my campsite down in the glen meant no sunsets and I also missed out on the dawn, owing to a combination of Carn a'Mhaim opposite and lazily laying in. But my sleeping bag kept me snug, a fresh morning deterred any midges and the tussock "mattress" did its bit.
Once I eventually got up and about, by 6 o'clock, the sun was above the eastern hills and light flooding down to creep across Glen Dee. Fuelled up with muesli, I persuaded my feet back into their boots and packed everything away for my first stage, around the base of the Devil's Point. It may have been the location, or the hour and the lighting, but that looked particularly proud and prominent from this angle.
- Morning glory: the Devil's Point
There was about a mile of slog over wet, uneven ground before Corrour bothy came into sight. This stage was still in the shade, cast by Carn a' Mhaim on my right, but the day already seemed to be warming up by 7 in the morning. So I didn't want to delay any longer, or get baked during the many hundreds of metres that would need to be ascended.
Getting closer to the bothy, I could see a tent and also several fellows outside, so I headed over to offer a good morning. It turned out that there had been five in the bothy last night, four Scots and an Englishman who'd already headed uphill, so it would have been more of a squeeze if I'd not camped in the glen. As they were getting ready, a mouse scuttled past the doorway, also feeling squeezed or maybe after its share of their breakfast.
There's a good path uphill from Corrour, but with about 340 metres to climb over little more than 1 km of distance, this felt quite an effort, especially once "warmed up" and carrying more weight than my normal day-pack. So I took things steady for the ascent, pausing about halfway up Coire Odhar to filter and top up some refreshingly cool water from the burn. Despite the weight, I wanted to ensure there was enough to last me up onto the Braeriach plateau, as the next source of running water without straying off-route.
Refreshed by that break, I eased up the zig-zagged path to rejoin the four from the bothy, emerging to a flatter stretch at about 3000 feet height. There, I hardly needed their example to shrug off my pack and make the short excursion to the Devil's Point with a far quicker and easier pace.
I did remember to take my camera, along with a fruit-and-nut snack to reward myself for the day's first summit. The Devil's Point rises almost vertically in three directions (apart from the gradual bouldery ridge joining it to the main range), so there were dramatic views on most sides, including a plunge down to Glen Geusachan where I'd been an hour and a half before.
But there was more spectacular scenery ahead so, after a short frenzy of taking photos, I dashed back over to re-burden myself and resume heading uphill.
- Devil's Point towards Cairn Toul
There's a good 300 metres of height to gain from the bealach of Devil's Point up to Stob Coire an-t Saighdeir. With a big pack and blazing blue skies, this felt distinctly warm, so I told myself to go steadily. I had many hours of daylight ahead and, if necessary, another morning or so after that. A group of three passed, heading downhill further on my left, picking their own route through or around the long bouldery slopes.
At last, or so it felt, I reached an easier shoulder and could head around the ridge alongside Coire an-t Saigheir. This revealled the much-higher and more dramatic peak of Cairn Toul ahead, compared to which this Top is a modest outlier. I took another short break at the Munro Top summit, trying to stay hydrated and also drinking in the scenery. Braeriach was already too broad to fit into one photo, even from almost two miles away.
There's a moderate descent, then a significant climb up the flat-topped pyramid of Cairn Toul. Almost everything underfoot was stone of some description, whether solid rock or more often heaped boulderfields, except for where the gritty sand offered a sort of soil. The great scooped-out Coire an-t Saighdeir added drama on my right, emphasising the slopes plunging down towards the Dee, then further boulder-covered slopes to the fine hills beyond.
Reaching the summit itself at 10 o'clock, I took another break at the higher, northern cairn. I was appreciating how the west-central Cairngorms, unlike most of their eastern neighbours, offer a series of magnificent summit views across the Dee and Lairig Ghru. There was also a good prospect of the Angel's Ridge, rising steeply beyond Lochan Uaine. One of many spots that I'd only read about and now glimpsed, but hope to go back and appreciate more closely another time.
- Braeriach and An Garbh Choire
Turning west and descending from Cairn Toul, I met up with the camper who I'd seen previously between Monadh Mor and Bhein Bhrotain. We compared notes on our respective sites, as he had been some distance away and higher than me near Loch nan Stuirteag, one source of the Geusachan burn.
- View over Lochan Uaine
Then I enjoyed more fine ridge walking around and up to Sgor an Lochain Uaine. There were occasional glimpses of the group of four behind me, but otherwise I had the hill to myself for a while. With just enough breeze to keep comfortable, the sense of quiet and space was as stunning as the panoramas stretching out for miles all around.
- Sgor an Lochain Uaine towards Carn na Criche
There is more bouldery descent, then a gradual climb, towards the plateau, but the walking was changing in character. Apart from An Garbh Choire on my right, the stony slopes were becoming more gradual, leaving sculpted peaks behind.
- Ben Macdui, Cairn Toul and Angel's Ridge
That made for easier going, but I did need to keep a check on progress and remember when to turn left. Gentle, rolling stony ground led to the day's second Munro Top of Carn na Criche, just one of many swellings and cairns that adorn the miles of plateau.
I didn't hang around for long, aiming to intersect the path again before that crossed a spring-fed burn. This, one source of the Dee, was flowing well despite the warm dry morning and later yesterday. But that made it a cool, refreshing way to keep stocked up on water. It was noon already, but I held off taking a long break, with the perfect spot for that waiting not far ahead.
- Crossing the Dee on Braeriach
Back on track, I headed further across the strange combination of scattered rocks, granite-grit soil and thin patches of moss. Noticing the Wells of Dee, or related pools, I thought at first that there were some larger boulders nearby. Then took a better look realising that they were several dozen reindeer, coats fitting in well with the weathered granite and moss turf.
- Reindeer herd at Wells of Dee
A long, gradual haul haul uphill brought me to the plateau edge, where crags plunged down into Coire Bhrochain. Then just a minute or two found the massive summit cairn, with two other walkers already there. One, sunning himself, turned out to be the fifth man from Corrour bothy; the other headed away west and south, having come up from the north.
- Strath Spey from Braeriach
Off with my pack for a drink and a snack, as well as a think. I'd considered - and decided to - leave the pack in order to head out and back to visit the distant Munro Top of Sron na Lairig. This is about a mile each way, with the small matter of 230 metres worth of descent-and-reascent in total, so leaving the extra 10 kilos would be very welcome. I also left my walking poles, taking along a snack bar and of course my camera.
Heading downhill without a pack made a world of difference. I might already have done plenty of miles and ascent, I was still wearing heavy mountain boots, but felt like running (OK, to be honest, more like jogging) along. Though I did slow down on approaching a walker with three dogs, to avoid startling them and also mention that the pack that I had left. Having read recently about ravens that can open pack zips, I'd tried to make sure that no beaks, or other hungry creatures, would get my last precious bits of walking flapjack.
Then I built up speed again, appreciating the popular path down the east-northeast ridge. I met two more pairs of walkers along the way, getting to experience the reverse of what I usually feel when a trail runner dashes past carrying next-to-nothing. Then, back to a brisk walking pace up Sron na Lairig. Luckily the summit is the nearer of two tops, rather than a second rise about 500 metres further north.
A pause at the top, eating my fruit bar and taking in the views, from the Spey valley around to Lurchers' crag. Then I headed back down, boulder-hopping to rejoin the path. Most of the return was uphill, so at a walking pace, but still a joy to be moving freely and, this time, take in more of the views out across Coire Bhrochain.
Back at the summit, I met up with most of those that I'd encountered during my dash, together with the four from Corrour bothy. The summit started to feel slightly busy, but nothing like as crowded as my one experience of Cairn Gorm last year. Some folk moved off, heading back north or along the round, while I took a longer lunch break and simply basked for a while.
The views were tremendous, though too broad and distant to really capture. Hills such as Wyvis, Ben Nevis or Lawers weren't even the horizon, as I could make out (if not recognise) others much further off. Apart from lunching on my dwindling supplies, I also made sure to top up with suncream.
- Braeriach summit
Not all of the company was human (or canine). I'd spotted one Red Admiral butterfly near the cairn earlier and now there were a pair. A snow bunting hopped around for crumbs, reminding me that the only one I've seen before was at the summit of Ben Macdui across the way.
After lazing for a while and some chat, I found a volunteer to take my summit photo (rather than the usual search for a stone), but eventually strapped the pack back on to head west and south across the breadth of Braeriach. The lass who'd taken the photo was also inspired by the conditions, deciding to walk the round of hills and back through Lairig Ghru rather than straight back.
I passed the reindeer herd again, from a distance, then headed round the Wells up to Einich Cairn. Or cairns, as it proved. This isn't a Top or anything significant, but lay pretty much on the way for my planned route. Which, astonishingly for me, I was actually following (and continued with), rather than my usual tendency to be tempted off course. Perhaps it was that weight of pack helping to keep me settled?
The following descent was gradual, but still took a long, long time. About an hour and a quarter from the summit to where some burns and tiny lochans formed beneath the 900 metres contour. Another short break there, topping up with water, then onward to the lumpy ground and many more burns above Coire Odhar.
- Descent from the Braeriach plateau
There were a few clouds over briefly at this point, rather welcome in the mid-afternoon warmth. I particularly felt the weight of the pack over a lot of up-and-down rough ground, which needed picking a route rather than simply striding along. I knew of one track further south (as I'd used that the day before), but that would be just as hard to reach and a lot more distance, so needed to put up with the slog.
Another hour from the last break brought me to a small burn flowing down from Carn Ban Mor, so I paused further up to draw more water. And, as I sometimes do, splash my sleeves to help drawing away some heat. Passing the remains of a small shelter (but too focussed to head over and investigate), I came out onto the rounded green summit area, then the highest of several cairns.
Carn Ban Mor was within 600 metres of my ascent route, but I wasn't going to end things that easily! Swatting away some flies that had decided to keep me company, I turned north along the long rolling ridge towards Sgor Gaoith, whose pronunciation I had finally learned just a little earlier that afternoon.
The flies and I eased down a gentle slope, then up along a well-worn path. One of us didn't have the benefit of wings and seemed to resent the rest of the group, but the others buzzed chattily. We only parted company after reaching the summit cairn, perched dramatically on the edge of crags overlooking Loch Einich and facing a novel side of Braeriach.
- Across Loch Einich. And yes, that is one of the persistent flies.
I took in something of the views, but it was nearing 5 o'clock and my thoughts now turned towards a descent. A phone mast, presumably down towards Aviemore, helped me to learn that the good conditions were forecast to end sooner rather than later, while a shower and food on a plate were getting very tempting.
So I pressed north towards Sgurr Dubh Mor, glad of the easier walking and that flies seem not to be Top-baggers. There was also a welcome breeze, which like the moving clouds gave more hints that the settled conditions were not going to last forever. The boulder-strewn top offered more fine views in most directions, including Sgor Gaoith looking more like a pointed peak. But I was on a mission and not going to make do with a mere eight Tops for the route.
So I turned west and southwards, descending around a stony flank, then a rounded shoulder, to reach the lower Top of Meall Buidhe. A minute or two at the top, then 20 more to descend the long northwest ridge, across a stony cleft and up to the finally-final summit of the walk, Geal Charn at just 920 metres. The walking was still easy and, now, almost all downhill, so my thoughts started straying towards getting settled for the evening.
- Fiacaill Ridge from Geal Charn
I did encounter one distraction, soon after the 900 metre contour while heading along the ridge. Several short tubes sticking from the ground, with two men and a woman moving around them. So I stopped to say hello and admit my curiosity. They turned out to be taking samples of the soil and moss-turf, reminding me that this is part of the Glenfeshie Nature reserve. They were going to be camping out that night, so I mentioned the forecast of deteriorating weather tomorrow before making my own way downhill.
My way turned out to be more like what I'm used to in straying off paths. The close turf and scattered stones turned into heaped boulder-stones, which didn't get much easier even when overgrown with heather lower down. It was steep enough to call for caution - and slow my pace, loose enough to demand careful balance and checking every step.
I was grateful to get down onto some damp, heathery but more stable ground, then aim across that onto a decent path. Even now, I had quite a long gradual descent to make, but much more pleasant going, especially through the regenerating pinewoods, with views up to some of Sgor Gaoith's extensive ridges and tops.
- Glen Feshie pinewoods
Even once on the path, which turned to join a track, I had a couple of miles' further walking to reach a carpark and sign for the Nature Reserve. But the cruellest bit had been saved to last. Two miles of walking along the single-track road, with some descent - and more ascent - before I could reach my car again.
Better planning would have seen me park the car at the reserve, so getting the road walking finished with fresher feet on the first day. Instead, I did this at pace, with feet that had already covered something like 40 miles. I could have left my pack and collected that from the car, but its weight was not the problem and all subtlety was out of the window. I pressed on, past the hostel and a couple of houses, walking on grass verges in the few spots they were offered.
As a postscript to the day, I did indeed find refuge for the evening (in Pitlochry SYHA, where I had a dorm to myself). The next morning's weather was dull and showery, turning worst through the afternoon and terrible that evening. I managed to be outdoors for some of that worst weather, but that will be for my last walk report to catch up.