walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Wonderful Lochnagar

Wonderful Lochnagar


Postby Alteknacker » Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:36 pm

Munros included on this walk: Broad Cairn, Cairn Bannoch, Càrn a' Choire Bhòidheach, Càrn an t-Sagairt Mòr, Lochnagar

Corbetts included on this walk: Conachcraig

Date walked: 14/04/2018

Time taken: 9.5 hours

Distance: 30.2 km

Ascent: 1795m

7 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).


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



After a damp and misty day on Braemar Crobetts yesterday, the forecast for the Saturday was quite positive. In summary: mist until just before midday, then clear for most of the afternoon, with a return to mist/rain/snow at the back end of the day. So I just had to decide which of the 2 possible routes I'd planned to go for: Lochnagar or Glen Clova/Corrie Fee. The spectacular scenery in both these places had been very evident from WHRs over the past couple of years...

eg
Woodsy Boy
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=78855
EmmaKTunskeen https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=76993 (Report of month winner)
HalfManHalfTitanium https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=77095

Driftwood https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=77953
teaandpies https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=75626

...and many others.

Once I looked at the map again to review the routes again, the choice rather made itself given the morning clag forecast and the longer drive to Glen Clova; so Lochnagar it would be.

And given the forecast of early mist, I don't set my alarm, and notwithstanding the energetic and noisy efforts of the gulls and blackbirds, I don't surface until 07.30. And even then I doze a while before opening the tent flap. But when I do I'm galvanized into action, for the mist is only just covering the summits of the highest hills. Frantic dressing, sandwich preparation, and packing sees me off pretty sharpish, and I manage to get to the car park at the Spittal of Glenmuick by about 9.40. First there's a frantic search in the car to try to find £4 worth of coins for the parking ticket - which I just manage to do following deep exploration underneath the car seats and along the seat slides :shock: . Then I get my kit together, change, and am off just before 10.00.

Image20180414_100004. As I walk across the flood plain north of the car park, a couple of golden plover land in the bog just to one side of me; and ahead there's a tantalizing glimpse of Lochnagar peeping from behind the foreground hills...

Image20180414_100004. Zoomed.

Image20180414_101658. Initially I follow the standard track, but after about 1.5km, I cut off right directly towards Conachcraig. There's no obvious path, but the going isn't too bad - the heather is generally quite short - and it's just a long but straightforward ascent to the summit.

Image20180414_105849. And once there, the views of the Lochnagar cliffs are quite breathtaking.

Image20180414_110441. Meikle Pap in the foreground, Lochnagar cliffs in the background...

Image20180414_110518. View looking back the way I've just come north towards Casteall na Cailich, which is just 3m lower than Conachcraig.

Image20180414_110528. ...while to the north the Cairngorms plateau is topped by the forecast clag.

Image20180414_111340. The descent to the bealach between Conachcraig and Meikle Pap is at first quite bouldery...

Image20180414_112428. ... but then gives way to a large extremely soft snowfield through which my legs keep plunging. So I resort to the time-honoured device of glissading down on my rear end.
Image20180414_113349. Ascending Meikle Pap, I'm quite surprised at how other mountain residents manage without a down jacket. In fact throughout the day I see many of these fellahs actively sorting themselves out for mating in ice-filled pools! Now that's what I call virile...!!!

Initially I follow the broad main track towards Lochnagar - much of it is completely covered in snow, but there are many footprints indicating the way - and then once I'm perpendicular to Meikle Pap, I head up directly to the summit. The going is quite easy.

Image20180414_121040.
This is the view looking back from the summit towards Conachcraig. For some reason the whole world seems to be tilting at this point in the day, but I didn't notice it at the time... :shock:

Image20180414_121054. ...while looking in the other direction is the wonderful, magnificent, description-defying Lochnagar. It really is one of those places that no picture can do adequate justice to: every bit as spectacular as I'd hoped, and much, much more. And notwithstanding the impossibility of capturing the essence of it digitally, in between wondering, stunned, staring, my camera is clicking more or less continuously for the next 20 minutes or so.

Image20180414_121121.

Image20180414_122648.

Image20180414_122712. In order to maintain the spectacle of the Lochnagar cliffs, I ascend the shoulder up to Cuidhe Crom as close to the west edge as I dare - I'm conscious that the west face gets progressively steeper with height, and there are clearly some very large cornices about (I'm very nervous about cornices :roll: ).

Image20180414_123222. The slope gets steeper, but the snow is soft enough not to necessitate crampons, and I make do quite satisfactorily with just the axe.

Image20180414_124203.

Image20180414_124232. There must be a lifetime of climbs in this corrie!

All of a sudden a haze starts to build over Lochnagar...

Image20180414_125727. .... and it's quite pronounced by the time I reach the cairn of Cuidhe Crom at 1082, as this view looking west illustrates.

I had intended to try to include all the tops along the route, but I can see that I'm likely to be a bit pressed for time, and anyway, viewed from Cuidhe Crom, Little Pap seems to have very little to recommend it. So I give it a miss, and this proves later to have been a good decision - most of the tops do not seem especially characterful.

But then the haze disappears just as rapidly as it has developed; and this is a pattern that's repeated for much of the afternoon, though with each reappearance it does become progressively more dense.

Image20180414_131058. ...can't stop snappin'....

Image20180414_132515. So onwards to Lochnagar. This is looking back south east towards Cuidhe Crom (the high point).

Image20180414_132807. The Lochnagar high point, Cac Carn Beag, just visible in the background, centre pic.

Image20180414_133638. Cac Carn Mor cairn. A wee cloud has arrived and envelopes it.

Image20180414_134758. Looking back south towards Cac Carn Mor on the ascent to Cac Carn Beag.

Image20180414_135900. The 2 cairns on the summit of Lochnagar Cac Carn Beag.

Image20180414_140907. Now on to Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach.

Image20180414_140907 labelled. I can't identify the hill in the background left with any confidence - can anyone else?

It's mainly slushy snow on the plateau, so it's slower going, and quite tiring... Navigation is a bit more difficult too, because the clag continues to descend periodically.

Image20180414_145012. But eventually I get to the summit of Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach. I think it's not unreasonable to be somewhat underwhelmed...

Image20180414_150022. On the way the mist intermittently clears slightly to reveal Carn An t-Sagairt Beag (RHS) and Carn An t-Sagairt Mor.

Image20180414_151611. Carn An t-Sagairt Beag summit cairn. Cue: great excitement :roll:
Image

Image20180414_152136. Looking towards Carn an t-Sagairt Mor from Carn an t-Sagairt Beag. Still lots of slushy snow.

It's hills like this that make one seriously wonder at the "logic" of Munro status, especially in the light of the contrast with the drama of Lochnagar. It would surely make more sense to have some kind of arbitrary but defined criterion, as there is for Corbetts - eg 500 feet or 150m of descent on all sides - and as it seems others have already proposed ...

http://www.top500summits.co.uk/list-of-mountains/#scotland

Certainly I don't see any notable absences on this list of the 200 3000ft+ Munros that meet this criterion. Anyone have any thoughts on this...???
Image20180414_153701. En route to the summit I come across this plane wreckage. Looking it up later, it turns out to be the remains of a Canberra bomber that hit the deck in 1956, apparently on pretty clear night. The investigation was unable to determine the cause of the crash...

http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk/canberra_c-t-sagairt-mor01.htm

[Image20180414_153946. At Carn an t-Sagairt Mor, looking back ENE towards Carn an t-Sagairt Beag. Thrilling.... :shock:

Image20180414_154758. The view down the glen of Allt an Dubh-loch ain't half bad though: the almost sheer cliffs to the north east of Creag an Dubh-Loch (RHS of the glen) rival those of Lochnagar for drama. I'm now heading for Cairn Bannoch, which is the second summit in from the RHS of the picture.

Image20180414_160348. Looking back the way I've just come. How can this lot be considered to be Munros...??? Surely they're all just tops of Lochnagar...???

Image20180414_160348 labelled.

Image20180414_160613. Where I'm heading: Cairn Bannoch. Just a long slowish plod through slushy snow...

Image20180414_162252. Looking across towards White Mounth Eagles Rock from the summit of Cairn Bannoch. I'd originally planned to visit this en route, but the late start and the reduced pace in soft snow put paid to that idea. The views from the edge would no doubt be pretty fine.

Image20180414_162822. Ahead, the final summit of the day, Broad Cairn. To the right is the top of Fafernie, but it is so flat and unremarkable I'm glad I have a time pressure excuse not to bother visiting it.

Image20180414_163703. Looking back towards Cairn Bannoch, Plenty of snow, but still slushy and hard work over a longer stretch....

Image20180414_170236. Pano looking back north west from the summit of Broad Cairn...

Image20180414_170236 labelled.

Image20180414_170300. ...and looking east, Loch Muick, which has suddenly appeared...

Image20180414_173444. From here I just head down towards the head of Loch Muick more or less as the crow flies, with the intention of descending on the east side of Corrie Chash Burn so as to pick up the footbridge to avoid any awkward fording, since I plan to return on the path on the north side of Loch Muick. However, once on the steep part of the descent, I see that it makes more sense to use the path on the south side of the loch, and there is a very clear track for the descent, whereas the descent down Corrie Chash is awkward to say the least. So I contour round to hit the track - a slow business through deep heather with hidden boulders.
If I were to do this again, I'd simply follow the track, as shown below. This would probably afford great views of the Loch and surrounding hills also, judging by its profile.

ImageRoutes for descent from Broad Cairn.

Image20180414_181801. Looking along the descent path north east along Loch Muick. This is a good path, welcome if one is in a hurry (can't miss the quiz!!!!).

Image20180414_183240. Looking back along Loch Muick. Clag has descended again.

Image20180414_184057. Nice waterfall at 288822 (which, incidentally, is where the track marked with the dashed orange line on the map extract above joins the main path along the south side of Loch Muick).

Image20180414_184807. As I look back towards the hills I've just come from, I'm rewarded with a superb sunset...

I get back to the hostel at around 20.00, and it being an establishment of sufficient cultural, historical and architectural distinction, and having a bottle or two of vitamins in liquid form in the car, I don't feel the need to go anywhere else...
Image3D Route View.
Last edited by Alteknacker on Sat Feb 09, 2019 12:27 am, edited 5 times in total.
User avatar
Alteknacker
Scrambler
 
Posts: 3473
Munros:176   Corbetts:33
Fionas:1   
Hewitts:264
Wainwrights:118   
Joined: May 25, 2013
Location: Effete South (of WIgan, anyway)

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby Alfachick » Sun Apr 22, 2018 3:22 pm

Very helpful walk report there. This route has been on my radar for some time now and I am just waiting for the snow to bugger off a little bit more before heading up that way myself. Thanks for the detailed post and pictures. :D
Alfachick
Bird-watcher
 
Posts: 57
Munros:39   Corbetts:9
Fionas:7   
Sub 2000:35   
Wainwrights:2   
Joined: Jun 10, 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby malky_c » Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:10 am

Nice one - some great photos of the main corrie there :D . As you will have experienced in the Cairngorms, the actual summits aren't always the main point of interest. But for some reason (possibly because it is at a bit of a crossroads) I have been up Cairn Bannoch 4 or 5 times- at least 3 times more than is strictly necessary :roll: :lol:
User avatar
malky_c
 
Posts: 6342
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:80+37
Sub 2000:315   Hewitts:281
Wainwrights:140   Islands:39
Joined: Nov 22, 2009
Location: Glasgow/Inverness

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby dav2930 » Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:04 pm

Great stuff; not bad for a 10.00am start! :clap: Your pics of the Lochnagar corrie are superb; what a place. As for the less interesting tops, they're positively brimming with character compared with most of the Hewitts in the Northern Pennines! :lol:
User avatar
dav2930
Ambler
 
Posts: 1615
Munros:244   Corbetts:14
Fionas:18   Donalds:56
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:164
Wainwrights:214   Islands:2
Joined: Feb 13, 2015
Location: Cumbria

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby BlackPanther » Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:37 am

Lochnagar always looks good in white :D

We needed four trips to cover all the hills you did in one walk :lol: To our excuse, we wanted to explore Glen Callater and traverse below Eagle Rock. We also spent some time looking for pieces of the crashed Canberra on Carn an t-Sagairt Mor ( many chunks are scattered on the slopes on Callater side). But the big round always tempted me, maybe I'll drag Kevin out to do it at some point.
User avatar
BlackPanther
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 3839
Munros:268   Corbetts:182
Fionas:136   
Sub 2000:75   
Joined: Nov 2, 2010
Location: Beauly, Inverness-shire

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby EmmaKTunskeen » Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:10 pm

I'm so pleased you finally got to Lochnagar :D - I knew you'd love the sudden appearance of the corrie! Love your macho little frog too, the sheer cliffs lining the glen and the gorgeous sunset. :clap:
User avatar
EmmaKTunskeen
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 348
Munros:32   Corbetts:28
Fionas:12   Donalds:14
Sub 2000:4   Hewitts:50
Wainwrights:41   Islands:24
Joined: Aug 19, 2016
Location: was West Sussex, now Ayrshire

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby Alteknacker » Wed Apr 25, 2018 3:46 pm

Alfachick wrote:Very helpful walk report there. This route has been on my radar for some time now and I am just waiting for the snow to bugger off a little bit more before heading up that way myself. Thanks for the detailed post and pictures. :D


Good to hear it was useful. I try to give pics and tips that might be useful for others, so it's nice to hear every now and again that the inf has been useful.

malky_c wrote:Nice one - some great photos of the main corrie there :D ....
Thanks - that corrie is truly sensational, topped only by Ben Nevis north face:D

malky_c wrote: As you will have experienced in the Cairngorms, the actual summits aren't always the main point of interest. But for some reason (possibly because it is at a bit of a crossroads) I have been up Cairn Bannoch 4 or 5 times- at least 3 times more than is strictly necessary :roll: :lol:


Yes, definitely the main interest points in the Cairngorms are the corries, glens, crags and cliffs. Though I still struggle to see any redeeming points of interest for Carn an t-Sagairt Mor...

However, I can see that the cliffs of the White Mounth would be especially dramatic viewed from Cairn Bannoch; but I have no immediate plans to repeat the trip to the Cairn Bannoch side... :roll:

dav2930 wrote:Great stuff; not bad for a 10.00am start! :clap: Your pics of the Lochnagar corrie are superb; what a place. As for the less interesting tops, they're positively brimming with character compared with most of the Hewitts in the Northern Pennines! :lol:


Thanks Dav - once again, all to do with the place and weather rather than the photographer. It is the kind of place that causes one's jaw to drop - quite literally!

As a born Dalesman, I'm not sure I can really accept your calumny in respect of the Northern Pennines... :D

BlackPanther wrote:Lochnagar always looks good in white :D ...


Indeed; and probably in any other season - a sensational place.

I expect to go back sometime myself to look around Eagles Rock in fine clear weather...
User avatar
Alteknacker
Scrambler
 
Posts: 3473
Munros:176   Corbetts:33
Fionas:1   
Hewitts:264
Wainwrights:118   
Joined: May 25, 2013
Location: Effete South (of WIgan, anyway)

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby Jaxter » Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:07 am

Awesome stuff - I was watching you from my Corbetts that day and it was looking like you'd have an awesome day! It was a good one all round I think 8)
User avatar
Jaxter
Wanderer
 
Posts: 1486
Munros:217   Corbetts:139
Fionas:90   Donalds:49+13
Sub 2000:129   Hewitts:69
Wainwrights:81   Islands:35
Joined: Aug 8, 2011
Location: Glasgow/Inverness

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby Alteknacker » Sun May 13, 2018 8:07 pm

Jaxter wrote:Awesome stuff - I was watching you from my Corbetts that day and it was looking like you'd have an awesome day! It was a good one all round I think 8)


Truly it's an awesome place! Having such c**p eyes, I failed to pick you out on your Corbetts, so I didn't know when to wave :D .
User avatar
Alteknacker
Scrambler
 
Posts: 3473
Munros:176   Corbetts:33
Fionas:1   
Hewitts:264
Wainwrights:118   
Joined: May 25, 2013
Location: Effete South (of WIgan, anyway)

Re: Wonderful Lochnagar

Postby mrssanta » Mon May 14, 2018 10:21 pm

your Lochnagar pictures were fantastic - and nothing wrong with a few nerves about cornices!
User avatar
mrssanta
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 3132
Munros:281   Corbetts:12
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:12   Hewitts:43
Wainwrights:41   Islands:13
Joined: Jul 18, 2011
Location: north yorkshire moors

7 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 72 guests