Central Cairngorms

[Benaden887]

Central Cairngorms

Derry Cairngorm, Beinn Mheadhoin, Beinn a Chaorainn and Beinn Bhreac 28/ 8/ 93 32km 1880m 10.30h

Darren and Sarah having called off, I`m here at the Linn o Dee cp with Robert, for my day shot.. Being that he`s taught me in my 50s how to ski, I feel he`s due a “Jack day”. Gear up and the walk up to Derry lodge takes an hour. Bridge the river and a path winds up thro trees. A steep pull on the side of teabag gains open hillside with great views over the surrounding hills. Top the ridge at Carn Crom,@ 890m eat and rest. The day is clear and bright not too warm and so far midges free.
Beinn Bhrotain lies across the glen, done with my son, some 3 months ago and here Carn Toul, Carn a Mhaim with Macdui done only two months since. Pick up the sacs, a wee dip and as we climb, the short grass becomes gravel, then stones. Another wee pull shows Lochain Uaine with its craggy walls on our left. Then cross a boulder field and some clever hopping to reach a stony
Derry Cairngorm @ 1155m. We can see the twin humps of Beinn Macdui, Devils Point and a distant Lochnagar. Wow. This is some place and days like these make up for all the crappy ones you`ve had before. Down to “Little and large” the two Etcharchan lochans, here Robert soaks his feet, I return after dropping into the coire for a swift looksee of the Hutchinson refuge hut, now we are good to go. Cross a burn and a path zig zags up the edge of the coire for the figure of eight shaped top, The dried out soil is thin and dusty and raises puffs when walked on. A group of tors here are known as “the Barns of Mheadhoin, awesome stacks of pure granite. They can also be found on Ben Avon, Beinn a Bhuird and Bynack More. It is a short walk out to the highest, where an easy climb up the back gives both of us Beinn Mheadhoin@ 1182m. A wee break here, then time to go. Drop steeply SE into the Lairig an laoigh, then an easier 100m climb onto the shoulder then top of Beinn a Chaorainn @ 1082m. Rest at the large well stacked cairn before a brisk walk across the Moine Bhealaih finds the two tops of Beinn Bhreac @931m. We trek down over Meallan lundain for a path that leads to the river and the car park.
Seen enroute, no folk after Derry lodge, plenty bird life, little midges until the cp trees, a good day out, good company and four Munros.