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Munros: Ben MacDui
Date: 06/07/2015.
Distance: 19km.
Ascent: 1090m.
Time taken: 8 hours.
Weather: Warm and sunny, becoming overcast and wet.
My parents were up in the Highlands for their annual holiday. I usually try and con them into the ascent of some Marilyn I haven't been up before, but there aren't too many of them close by any more. As the weather looked best to the east, I decided to give my dad a proper introduction to the Cairngorms. We went up Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda and Cairngorm in 2008 but the weather was poor so we didn't see a great deal. I thought a good wander around Loch Avon or the crags above it would be a good bet - some of the best bits of the Cairngorms are very easily accessible from the Coire Cas ski carpark, so none of the long walk-ins that Dad would moan about from this direction!
Mum was going to walk around Loch Morlich and up onto the moorland behind Rothiemurchus Lodge so she dropped us at the ski centre just before midday. We were planning to use the Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda to get onto the plateau again, so headed up into Coire an t-Sneachda. Once we crossed the burn, we left the path and went up the side of the ridge. I think this is the least bouldery way onto the ridge.
Cairngorm from the Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda:
Across Creag Leth-choin to Creag Meagaidh:
Shortly after the small summit on the ridge, we caught up with a guy who was roping his 10 year old son up the ridge. He made such light work of the scrambly parts that he barely needed the rope.
Fiacaill Coire an Sneachda:
Dad on the Fiacaill:
Fun bit:
Looking back:
Cairngorm and Coire an Sneachda:
We followed on, and bypassed a short section of scrambling, taking us to the most difficult moves before the guy and his son. While dad is getting even more wary of scrambling than me these days, he didn't hang around too much on the steep bit.
On the crux moves:
Last bit:
Coire an Sneachda:
Back down the arête:
Cairngorm from Cairn Lochan:
We had a good long break once we reached the plateau, before carrying on to the summit of Cairn Lochan. Then we took a meandering route down to the top of Hell's Lum. A small herd of reindeer appeared on the skyline but we didn't get very close to them.
Coire Domhain:
Crags of Cairn Lochan:
Across the plateau to Carn Etchachan:
I didn't want to repeat my route from a few years ago (scrambling across snow-covered slabs) so after crossing the Feith Buidhe (wider than it looked from a distance), we re-ascended a little before dropping down again to the Garbh Uisge Beag.
Carn Etchachan and Loch Avon:
Loch Avon and Beinn Mheadhoin:
In amongst the crags and blocks, we spotted some very high stands of bracken. This route was more pleasant underfoot than it looked from a distance and very dry underfoot.
Some very high bracken:
The Garbh Uisge Mhor was flowing high enough to give me a couple of concerns from a distance, but ended up being easy to cross.
Garbh Uisge Mhor:
Dad crossing the Garbh Uisge Mhor:
We then contoured to the gully above the Shelter Stone, before turning left for the last few meters of ascent onto the top of Shelter Stone Crag. This little offshoot of Carn Etchachan is fast becoming one of my favourite places in the Cairngorms. Just like on other visits, I lay on the edge of the cliffs and took photos looking straight down onto Loch Avon. Unlike other times, a couple of climbers appeared in front of us. I forgot to ask what route they had been on, but
The Needle seems most likely. Unfortunately they'd left lots of gear at the foot of the crag, so no quick wander back over the plateau for them!
Castlegates Gully:
Loch Avon:
Carn Etchachan:
Hell’s Lum:
Looking down on the end of Loch Avon from the top of Shelterstone Crag:
Beinn Mheadhoin and Stacan Dubha from the top of Shelterstone Crag:
Hell’s Lum and the Feith Buidhe:
Walkers on the beach at the head of Loch Avon:
Beinn Mheadhoin:
We were probably up here for a good 40 minutes before carrying on up to Carn Etchachan. The sky was noticeably greyer now, with the evening's forecast rain well on the way. I liked the next bit of plateau as well, but with the sun away it did seem like a bit of an anti-climax. Dad wasn't too keen on the endless boulder hopping either. As I had never taken this precise route to Ben MacDui before, I wasn't aware there was a beach up here on one of the lochans. I'll be back with my bucket and spade in the next heat wave
.
Loch Etchachan:
Highest beach in the UK (on the Garbh Uisge Mhor):
Dad pulling up onto the summit plateau of Ben MacDui:
Purple Saxifrage on the plateau:
We finally reached the crest of the plateau and the path up from Loch Etchachan. I had intended us to wander over and look down onto Lochan Uaine, but I did this little detour by myself in the end, as time was edging on. Just managed to get the last of the sunshine before the high tops became engulfed in cloud.
Lochan Uaine:
Crags along Coire Sputan Dearg:
Towards Carn a’ Mhaim:
Cairn Toul:
Last sunshine towards Cairngorm and Beinn Mheadhoin:
I don't recall spotting the ruined bothy last time I was up this way - perhaps it was buried in snow. I caught dad up and we trudged to the summit, which was a bit of a disappointment now the cloud was down anyway. I had already warned him of this anyway, as the best bits of Ben MacDui are not particularly close to the high point.
Ruined bothy near the summit of Ben MacDui:
We weren't deep in the cloud and there were glimpses of scenery on the way back, but following the trade route brought home how much you can miss in the Cairngorms if you don't leave the well-trodden routes.
Cairn Toul and Braeriach from the path back from Ben MacDui:
North up the Lairig Ghru with Creag Leth-choin:
There was the odd spot of rain while crossing the plateau, but once we began descending to the west of Coire nan Lochan, it came on more heavily and stayed with us most of the way back to the car.
Coire nan Lochan:
We got back just before 8pm - the last hour of rain was a small price to pay for the good weather above Loch Avon
