Breakfast with Satan and a rendez-vous with the Big Hill

[Graeme D]

What a way to end the school year and start the summer holidays! I was supervising a Gold Assessment from Aviemore through the Lairig Ghru to White Bridge and then via Geldie Lodge through into Glen Feshie and out to Kingussie. Being a gold assessment, a "light touch" was the order of the day in terms of supervision, so I felt quite entitled to plan a few side trips for personal reasons.

After a long first day from Aviemore train station, I left the group camped about a kilometre and a half short of Corrour Bothy and carried on myself to the bothy where I threw the tent up for the night. Having looked at our route, I could see I had numerous options for claiming new Munros and made Monadh Mor via the Devil's Point a priority job.

I opted for an early morning walk rather than a late evening one and settled down for an early night, the alarm set for 3.30am.

I was up and onto the path up through Coire Odhar by 3.45. I was traveling light - the map, compass, phone, camera and a cereal bar.

I was back at the tent next to the bothy by 8.45 in plenty time to grab a spot of breakfast while I watched the group saunter down the Lairig Ghru and off towards White Bridge.

Starting up the Devil's Point shortly before 4am

Big slab of ice just below the top of Coire Odhar

Trying to give some sense of perspective to the ice slab

Nice bit of shelter below the overhang

Coire rim visible over the ice slab

Back towards the top of the coire

Approaching the summit

Breakfast with Satan

Locals on Buidheanach of Cairntoul en route for Loch nan Stuirteag

The meeting of the outflow of Loch nan Stuirteag and the Allt Clais an t-Sabhail

Loch nan Stuirteag and the northern slopes of Monadh Mor

Through some crags on ascent

Looking back down on the loch

Looking west from the summit of Monadh Mor

Rendez-vous with the Big Hill

South to the 1110m top

Massive snow field above Glen Geusachan

Glen Geusachan around the side of the Devil's Point

Beinn Bhrotain

The Devil's Point from the SE

Up the Lairig Ghru to Corrour Bothy and beyond

Up Glen Geusachan to Monadh Mor

The Devil's Point from the path to White Bridge

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[Collaciotach]

Sneaky ................

[AnnieMacD]

That is one spooky view in the first photo. Breakfast with Satan, indeed That has got to be the business trip of the year!

[rockhopper]

glad to see I'm not the only one who gets up a wee bit on the early side nice one, Graeme, and a great use of your time out there ! - cheers

[dogplodder]

Nice when teacher duties get you two new ticks!

[Fife Flyer]

Nice one Graeme, always said it was easy being a teacher Wouldn't say that to my wife though

I suppose one problem with starting in the middle of the night, is early morning mist/clag etc

Some good photo's even though the weather could've been better