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There was a debate recently on peoples opinions of the Cairngorms, some love them others not so. Personally I love them, but they need to be explored. My favourite time of year for these mountains is winter and I have explored the Northern corries many times, Ben Macdui was my first foray way back in 1983 on a winter skills course, I didn’t see much but was impressed by the scale. But they need to be explored in all seasons and I love the change that summer brings about.
Ever since buying ‘The Big Walks’, long since out of print, I have read and reread the Cairngorm 4000’s, thinking one day just maybe. A dream was born. But like all dreams they take belief, patience and effort to be fulfilled.
So today Sunday enough time had passed, 30 plus years. Now was time for the effort.
This began midweek, with the prospect of a day free from packing on the weekend, and the need to cheer oneself up after a £1200 garage bill…gulp !. Out came the maps. I still had my laminated copy from my winter course, the A9 had moved a bit but the mountains unchanged.
I hadn’t walked the mountains west of the Ghru, except for Bray Ree Erch, I know stuff ! So hatched a route to take in Angels peak, Cairn Toul and Devils Point from Glen Feshie. But once I had begun working out my route plus some tips from this forum, I added Beinn Bhrotain and Monadh Mor, now we had a walk…well if your going out for the day make it a day !
Forecast was for low cloud/mist but clearing late morning, hopefully on time as such a walk determined an early start and so to bed with alarm set for 0400hrs.
I didn’t quite get up on time but by 0600hrs I was at Auchlean and off having first had the customary Costa stop in Aviemore.
There were no midges about and the walk in up to the bealach arrived me in cloud, but glimpse of sun were peaking through back in the Glen.
The junction at the head of the glen, paths shoot of in all directions and the clag was down here, but it did have some surprises.
On descent across the open moor, a bewildering place in the mist, the clag cleared and some views opened up, but the interest was closer to home, a sudden commotion beneath my feet, a flurry of chicks which I nearly fell over and mum feigning injury in front of me for the next 50 yards.
Now this is one of the reasons I love the Cairngorms in summer, the wildlife. I had already seen Ptarmigan with chicks (first of many today), Plovers also running all about in front of me, and Curlews calling, although they chose not to show themselves until the walk out.
My route to the big 3 was to take me on a level traverse once over the river crossing that is part of the route to Monadh Mor, amd once around the corner, the start of the ascent of Angels Peak, Sgurr an Lochan Uaine, came into view, ascending to the the left.
I began the ascent, looking back to the lochan that sits beneath between it and Monadh Mor, I’ll be returning here later. The clag is rising but I fear given the height of these monsters it may not come in time.
Looking back as I ascend I can now see Monadh Mor in mist and far left Bhrotain.
The ascent is easy and in no time I am on summit number one, Sgurr an Lochan Uaine, but no views today.
But some exploring over the lip, big mountains give big snow, this field disappearing out of view.
After the easy ascent of this first summit, the ascent of Cairn Toul came as a shock, it seemed to go on and on and being a bouldery mountain the going wasn’t so easy.
But it was reached in due course, and the descent wasn’t much better either, except that’s when the weather started to clear.
First view down the corrie to the Ghru and Devils Point.
My route ahead around the corrie rim.
View to Bhrotain my final mountain today.
A sea of pink, summer blooms.
Devils Point view south across the slabs of Bhrotain.
Birds eye view of Corrour Bothy
Top of the world
Pano from Devils Point, Beinn Mheadhoin…oops sorry Veeyan !! the path out to Linn of Dee and Bhrotain on right
Chill time and its not even 1200 yet !
More Ptarmigan this time with chick,
And next
I now had a long traverse around via my starting Lochan to gain Monadh Mor, which passed fairly easily and then the ascent. View back across to my morning route.
Bhrotain looking a long way off.
Getting closer
Happy bunny, big day !
The walk out revealed more views, and more hills than I could identify fro these angles, but some were familiar
Sgurr Gaoith
And distant into Laggan, Creag Meg, and Easains to left, just
Blessed with good knees I made short work of the walk out, steps and all, from the head of the bealach and was back at my car inside 50 minutes. All in 12 hours, not too shabby. Oh plus a beer en route home at the usual
