Lochnagar

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

"Away, ye gay landscapes, ye gardens of roses!
In you let the minions of luxury rove;
Restore me the rocks, where the snow-flake reposes,
Though still they are sacred to freedom and love:
Yet, Caledonia, belov'd are thy mountains,
Round their white summits though elements war;
Though cataracts foam 'stead of smooth-flowing fountains,
I sigh for the valley of dark Loch na Garr."

Lord Byron

We had a most enjoyable week staying in Ballater in September 2015. This holiday was a chance to walk some of the less fashionable hills of the Cairngorms and Grampians, but with a sombre beauty of their own, enhanced by the rich colours of late summer blending into autumn.

The river Dee at Ballater.

IMG_3308 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Feeling suitably Byronic, we decided on Lochnagar as our target for our first day.

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

We walked up from the Spittal of Glenmuick car park under low clouds. However, as we ascended, the clouds receded ahead of us, in a helpful kind of way. By the time we could see the famous loch and crags, the clouds had retreated onto the highest rocks.

IMG_2782 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The scenes became even more dramatic as we climbed the bouldery staircase up to Cuidhe Crom and then walked along the edge of the "crater" - this is the top of the Red Spout. I have heard that Cuidhe Crom means "crooked wreath" referring to a late-lying snow patch in the shape of a shepherd's crook.

IMG_2788 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Ahead of us was the rise up to Cac Carn Mor.

IMG_2796 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The cairn on Cac Carn Mor.

IMG_2797 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

From here I wandered over to the top of the cliffs, with some grand views down the gullies.

IMG_2803 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Black Spout and its Pinnacle. The walker obligingly appeared, to provide me with scale.

IMG_2811 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A closer view.

IMG_2817 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

A rather arty abstract view across Black Spout from a side gully.

IMG_2824 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking back to Cuidhe Crom.

IMG_2834 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Some attractive pinnacles...

IMG_2853 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The Old Man of Lochnager?

IMG_2846 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Cloud clearing from Cac Carn Beag

IMG_2900 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The summit view indicator.

IMG_2884 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Big skies to the north from Cac Carn Beag.

IMG_2873 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Carn a'Choire Bhoidheach, The Stuic and Loch nan Eun from the summit.

IMG_2862 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

We wandered southwards again, lingering at the top of more dramatic views down the cliffs - this is a nicely perched boulder.

IMG_2889 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Granite walls of the "crater". More about the Somme Lochnagar "the largest crater ever made by man in anger" can be found at http://www.lochnagarcrater.org/. However by a curious non-coincidence, the crater at the Somme was not named for its resemblance to this huge hollow, but after Lochnagar Street, the trench used in the operation. That in turn was named after a street in Aberfeldy Village (!) in London E14.

IMG_2891 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking across the gullies of Cac Carn Mor. The cairn can just be seen.

IMG_2892 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

My favourite of the many views we had of these crags.

IMG_2896 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Looking back to Cac Carn Beag, now bathed in sunshine.

IMG_2909 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Clouds above Cac Carn Mor.

IMG_2913 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

It was all so enjoyable that in order to prolong it we headed over to the cairn of Carn a'Choire Bhoidheach, which had a great view of the unfolding skies above Lochnagar.

IMG_2928 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Mountain puja in the form of some very nice Kendal Mint Cake, on the cairn of Carn a'Choire Bhoidheach.

IMG_2924 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

We went over to the rocky top of The Stuic to look at the view.

IMG_2936 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Loch nan Eun and the twin summits of Lochnagar from the top of The Stuic.

IMG_2947 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

The ridge of The Stuic, with Sandy Loch beyond.

IMG_2959 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

On the way down to Loch Muick - the Falls of the Glas Allt

IMG_2980 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

[EmmaKTunskeen]

Enjoyed this 2-yr-old memory of yours so soon after my Lochnagar trip. Your photos of Black Spout and its Pinnacle and in fact all your pinnacle shots are just beautiful. And I didn't realise the Lochnagar crater wasn't named after the corrie but after the trench. Thank you for the enlightenment!