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Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.


Postby weemistermac » Mon Jun 28, 2010 11:50 pm

Route description: Cairn Toul - Braeriach traverse

Munros included on this walk: Braeriach, Cairn Toul, Sgòr an Lochain Uaine, The Devil's Point

Date walked: 28/06/2010

Time taken: 13 hours

Distance: 35 km

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After much toing and froing (why do those words look so strange – "Announcing toing, froing and boing the performing frogs!") and deliberating about which kit to buy, I donned my new North Face Terra 65 with my new Vango Tempest 200 and a borrowed REI sleeping bag etc and headed off to Aviemore. [Before your digits pounce on the keyboard to tell me (through tears and guffaws) that you can pack all you need for 2 nights in the hills in a 40L pack – I'm going to do a kit report too. Guffaws et al will be gladly received there :) ] I told my dad my proposed route, just in case. "So, you're camping on Ben Riach..." "No dad, that's a whisky"... anyway, he did the Lairig Ghru enough times with the Army so I had some faith in him directing the Rescue Team to roughly the right area, if he didn't hear from me by August.

I stopped at the Esso station in Aviemore for 2 bars of Fruit and Nut and the obligatory Spar Mixed Berry Isotonic Drink (probably full of rubbish but I love them on a hill) and headed up Glen More, parked up, put the dog's harness on (on the dog, I hasten to add), and was spurred on to get walking by the biting midges in the car park. It was 1.40pm but, as I was planning on camping up Braeriach and it was going to be daylight till after midnight, I was looking forward to being on the hill on my own.

P6265002.jpg
Cairn Gorm


It was lovely and sunny and the walk up toward the Chalamain Gap had me in high spirits.

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Chalamain Gap


However, the Gap was a little more trying. I have a long 34" stride and normally have no problems with boulder fields (I positively bounded up Schiehallion!) but my four-legged companion had a lot of trouble with the heights and drops and gaps and hollows etc. So, I had to lift his 38kg writhing bulk over more rocks than can possibly be good for me, especially as my new pack had over 15kg in it as well. This mightily slowed me down - I think it took me half an hour to get through.

At the exit to the gap I found a wristwatch sitting on a rock with the engraving "To Sandy...Love from...etc". As it was obviously of some importance to Sandy "Doe" I tucked it in my pocket and headed off downhill to the Lairig Ghru. This was where I met the first group of descending walkers... "Anyone here called Sandy?" I asked. "Well, my middle name's Alec but naebody calls me Sandy onymare"..."er, well, are you married?"..."I think I'm bein chatted up here"... "OK, never mind". [Thinks "this is going to be a long walk if every encounter's like this"]

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As I was about to start the climb up Braeriach I spotted another couple heading down the Lairig Ghru towards me. I decided to wait for them now that I was determined to find this Sandy bloke. They took their time. To my amazement neither of them were called Sandy! What are the chances?! However, they were suffering a bit, had to come off a hill due to bad knees and were asking the quickest way out. So, if I can't help Sandy I can at least help these guys and showed them my map. Some time later I start the climb, at last.

I then met 3 more non-Sandys followed by 3 blokes who were also not Sandys, then another, then a couple, then a Polish bloke and his girlfriend who were ALL not called Sandy. Although one did have Alexander as a middle name - not good enough.

Up to this point I was very happily sauntering along in my t-shirt but suddenly the clouds dropped as did the temperature so I donned my soft-shell and waterproof. The extra weight I was carrying, that I wasn't really used to, started to show itself inmy thigh muscles just as I reached the top of Braeriach. Actually, Barnie my chocolate labrador, saw the cairn first and bounded through the mist to beat me to it, scaring the bejesus out of 4 blokes who were readying themselves for the descent. "I just saw this beast coming at me out of the fog!" I had a chat with them (none called Sandy) for a while. They started their day at 5am heading for Cairn Gorm. They then did Ben Macdui, Cairn Toul Sgor an Lochain Uaine and Braeriach but missed out the Devil's Point. It was 6pm and they still had best part of 4 hours to the car.

We said our goodbyes and I wandered down from the peak to find the Wells of Dee and my campsite for the night. The clouds were down among my ears so I'm decidedly lacking in pix for a while. The wind was blowing an absolute gale too but I found a slightly sheltered grassy patch and made camp. Despite the wind I got my new tent up in a matter of minutes. With the tail end pointing to the wind I figured I'd be ok but it was so strong it was getting under the fly sheet and the tent's inner was billowing like a kite. Luckily, aforementioned 38kg quadruped and my rucksack weighted it down again. I'm glad to say the tent was big enough for my tall frame, the dog and my rucksack so nothing was left in the porch to get wet or swept off towards Sgor Gaoith.

I had a fantastic supper of venison and cranberry sausages (from the excellent factory shop at Stuart Grant's in Grantown), cold tatties and beans with a bit of spice thanks to HP BBQ sauce. It was only 7.30pm but I had no desire to go wandering around "the garden" so curled up and went to sleep. For three minutes. The wind was howling, and although the tent was secure the fly sheet was flapping about like a pterodactyl er... tied down on a mountain. So I didn't get much sleep and every time I opened my eyes Barnie was looking at me as if to say "WTF? What's wrong with our house?" At 3.30 I decided to get up, water "the garden" and check my securings. I managed to tighten a few straps but otherwise the tent was holding fast. Cairngorm gravel is great to stick pegs in, so long as you can find somewhere between the rocks. I got back into bed and think I fell asleep shortly after. The wind must've died down as, the next thing I knew, it was 8.30. I snoozed till 9, got up, breakfasted, struck camp and was on my way by 10.30.

P6275032.jpg


The cloud was still very low but it was dry at least. Sgor an Lochain Uaine was on me in no time at all and Cairn Toul was conquered shortly after although I suffered horizontal hail hitting me on my right for a while. To my surprise my phone rang. Dad asking me if I needed anything from Grantown and "oh, you're still alive? Jolly good"

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Sgor an Lochain Uaine

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Lochan Uaine

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Elevenses


I saw my first human of the day as I descended to Corrie Odhar. Then a few more appeared out of the mist. I started my climb up the Devil's Point just as the clouds lifted and the sun showed its face. I had lunch in the shelter cairn looking out to Deeside and my family home. 1.30pm. That's 3 Munros in 3 hours :thumbup: There's something to be said for starting your day at 1200m.

P6275067.jpg
Cairn on Devil's Point

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Ben Macdui

P6275050.jpg
Barnie


I descended down the stalkers' path to the Corrour Bothy, getting hotter and hotter. I shed several layers and changed out of my wet t-shirt at the bothy and set off North along the Lairig Ghru. By now it was a stunning day and I have a bright red (Close Encounters type) left cheek to prove it.

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Coire Odhar

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Corrour Bothy

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Sgor an Lochain Uaine, I think

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Devil's Point

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Braeriach

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Devil's Point

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P6275106.jpg
very tempting


Apart from a wee sit doon by the falls and Barnie having a roll in the snow, there's not much can be said about the long trek back along the Lairig Ghru. It was lovely though and a real joy to look up at the hills you've just climbed.

P6275113.jpg
Pools of Dee


I met a guy who must've been knocking on his 80th birthday sometime soon who told me he was going to camp in the Lairig Ghru that night. Good on him. I hope I'm still fit enough at his age.

P6275122.jpg
Aviemore in the distance


The last leg was fine, albeit a slog, and I still had the dog-lifting joy of Chalamain Gap to look forward to. As in the day before, this slowed me down a great deal and Barnie and I were suitably knackered when we emerged out the other side. It was then a pleasant saunter back to the car park. We arrived at 7.15pm after nearly 10 hours of solid walking.

At the Old Bridge Inn a pint of shandy hit home quicker than a German goal :wink:. I"m thankfully then just a half hour drive home.

A great couple of days. Anyone know a guy called Sandy who's lost a watch? He'll be the one with the black eye from the missus!
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weemistermac
 
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby Graeme D » Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:14 am

Wonderfully humourous report there weemistermac. Very much enjoyed reading that one. :D

weemistermac wrote:every time I opened my eyes Barnie was looking at me as if to say "WTF? What's wrong with our house?"


I know that look on the face of a chocolate lab! Seen it many times myself. :lol:

weemistermac wrote:I met a guy who must've been knocking on his 80th birthday sometime soon who told me he was going to camp in the Lairig Ghru that night. Good on him. I hope I'm still fit enough at his age.


Me too - it's my ambition in life to still be getting up to these sorts of shenanigans when I'm in my 80s (assuming the hills don't do for me before I get that far!)
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby weemistermac » Tue Jun 29, 2010 1:59 pm

Graeme Dewar wrote:I know that look on the face of a chocolate lab! Seen it many times myself. :lol:


:lol: I saw Lucy in your Ben Lawers post (unless that's your wife's name!?). She seems slightly more portable than mine. I'm thinking of trading Barnie in for a Jack Russell next time I tackle the Chalamain Gap! OK, maybe not. I wouldn't be without him really. He keeps the tent warm too.
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby monty » Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:13 pm

Great report weemistermac,
Have you found Sandy yet :lol: Some excellent pictures too. superb :D
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby walk aboot » Tue Jun 29, 2010 6:26 pm

Brilliant report, weemistermac :thumbup: - really thoroughly enjoyed reading that one :D

Janet, not Sandy either :lol:
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby kinley » Tue Jun 29, 2010 6:30 pm

Excellent and amusing report - looks a great trip 8) :D
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby weemistermac » Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:06 pm

Thanks guys. T'wasnae a spectacularly difficult coupla days but I enjoyed it. More a test of my new gear and my fitness with the extra weight really. I'm keen to shave off a few pounds (or kilos) from the pack and get out and do more wild camping/walking combos.

Congratulations on your 1200th post Janet! :D
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weemistermac
 
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby weemistermac » Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:07 pm

BTW, still no sign of Sandy! I wonder if I should try the watch on eBay?
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby mountain coward » Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:54 am

I can be Sandy if you like if it's a nice watch! :D

Great report - really funny. Extra great 'cos I'm reading it at work while the guys have got the boring fitba on (so I'm also blasting my ears off with heavy metal on my MP3 :D ). Some superb pics there too... just one query/quibble - where you say 'Sgorr an Lochan Uaine I think' - I think it's Cairn Toul...

Your dog doesn't half look p****d off in some of those shots :lol:
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby weemistermac » Wed Jun 30, 2010 8:54 am

mountain coward wrote:I can be Sandy if you like if it's a nice watch! :D

No problem Sandy! Just send me £175 via PayPal for P&P and I'll pop it in the post :wink:

mountain coward wrote:Great report - really funny. Extra great 'cos I'm reading it at work while the guys have got the boring fitba on
What job are you doing at 1.54am??!!

mountain coward wrote:Some superb pics there too... just one query/quibble - where you say 'Sgorr an Lochan Uaine I think' - I think it's Cairn Toul...
You could be right. When I was on top of them they were in cloud so the first I saw of them was from the LG!

mountain coward wrote:Your dog doesn't half look p****d off in some of those shots :lol:

:lol: That's his usual hang-dog look. He loves being on the hills really.
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby walk aboot » Wed Jun 30, 2010 9:46 am

weemistermac wrote:Congratulations on your 1200th post Janet! :D


:shock: ...erm I think I maybe talk too much :? :lol:

Hey, forgot to ask first time, any new ptarmigan photies from your trip to share? :)
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby weemistermac » Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:03 am

walk aboot wrote:Hey, forgot to ask first time, any new ptarmigan photies from your trip to share? :)


Nope, sorry. Barnie and I flushed out a brace of Red Grouse on Cairn Toul but I couldn't wrestle my camera out from under my waterproof quick enough! I can photoshop a ptarmigan into one of my pix for you though if you want. Or you can have a look at my Black Grouse carving on my website. Special discounts available to all Walkhighlanders! :shh: :wink:
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby walk aboot » Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:57 am

...how much for a WOOD pigeon? :lol:


Kidding! Just had a look, fantastic work there wmm :D :thumbup:
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby weemistermac » Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:19 am

walk aboot wrote:...how much for a WOOD pigeon? :lol:

Or a STONE-curlew or a STONEchat? Or er, ok I think we're done.

I went through my pix again and found this one of a ptarmigan, after all! :)
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Re: Braeriach camp, the next 3(for short!) and Lairig Ghru out.

Postby monty » Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:21 am

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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