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Plan was to cycle from Linn of Dee to Derry Lodge & walk round from there. £2 for parking, cycle to the lodge took almost 25 mins but just over 15 on the way back. I went on the path initially then joined the landrover track, but looks like it would be possible to cycle further up the road and get straight on the track which might be quicker.
Lodge is closed up, down the hill to a green bothy with mountain rescue landrovers parked outside, one of the MR guys said most folk leave bikes locked behind the bothy. Headed up the path on the east of the stream, back to bothy:
Good path leads to the cut off for Beinn Bhreac:
Then a steeper climb on a faint path through heather.
And boggy bits.
The actual summit isn't obvious, I checked the GPS and noticed I was walking past it so detoured.
South from the cairn, Beinn a'Ghlo:
More boggy ground to Beinn a'Chaorainn. I didn't check the pronunciation of these hills before leaving so when I bumped into people later I either pointed or said 'the 2 on the other side of Glen Derry'. And Mheadhoin - how are you supposed to guess that?
Hopping across peat hags made a'Chaorainn seem further than expected, next there's quite a drop & climb up to Mheadhoin:
Summit tors:
Steep descent, there's loose scree or grass/heathery bits.
Looking back to the descent from a'Chaorainn:
And steep heather/rocky bits on the way up Mheadhoin, I crossed the burn at some slabs about halfway up.
Camera break for a view down Glen Derry.
Crossed some boulders, rock has good grip here, then the summit appeared:
Summit tor:
a'Chaorainn looking small from this side:
Macdui & Shelter Stone Crag:
Easy way up the tor, round the back. Again the rock has really good grip even when wet.
Good paths pretty much all the way back from here, Derry Cairngorm on the left:
Shelter stone crag from another tor:
Descent from Mheadhoin, busy spot down there as paths meet from Derry Cairngorm, Macdui, Glen Derry & Mheadhoin - good spot for a piper.
And here he is:
Back to the descent from Mheadhoin:
The path leads round to Macdui, couldn't see a cairn marking the point to head for Derry Cairngorm so just veered left. Soon joined a good path.
Bit bouldery towards the top.
Light rain showers now & turning colder, a'Chaorainn on the right & Mheadhoin on the left:
Beinn a'Ghlo:
Good path leads down:
Carn Crom is the last top, path bypasses the summit to the left.
And soon back down to the Lodge, after hopping between boulders and scrambling up tors I turned an ankle on a man made step on the path
Soon walked it off after a few nervous steps.