Chasing The Devil Down The Lairg Ghru

[Cairngorm creeper]

It is always satisfying to complete unfinished business,especially when Devils are involved and after two unsuccessful attempts to walk to the Devils Point today was third time lucky. Approaching this mountain from the north is a long walk with lots of ups and downs but despite returning the same way the magnificent setting of the Lairig Ghru meant it was never boring.

The Route

The weather forecast was set to be fine but not too hot, this combined with the long daylight hours, a nearly full moon, and a stream running almost all the way to the summit made it seem like the the natural world was on our side, and as we had previously visited all the other summits in the vicinity we were just aiming to complete the one Munro.
After much faffing and rechecking we had all our gear and the car was locked we finally set out from the Sugar Bowl carpark in Glenmore at 08:15, for a pleasing short walk through a green and fresh feeling forest.

Glenmore forest

Over the past two years the path builders have been hard at work in this area and the pitched path that starts at the Reindeer Enclosure now leads all the way to the Lairig Ghru with just the Chalamein Gap to negotiate in the middle .

Looking down into Lairig Ghru

10:00 in Lairig Ghru stopping for a drink and filling water bottles

I had forgotten just how dramatic the Lairig Ghru but as we were walking below the towering cliffs of Braeriach and Lurchers Crag a long walk to bag a Munro quickly became a wonderful walk with a Munro in the middle.

Blue Sky over the crags of Braeriach

The path leading up to the high point of the Lairig Ghru seemed to miss the worst of the boulder fields and helped by the cairns across the pathless sections marking the best line.
At 11:30 we were passing the watershed at 835m and could see the sharp tip of the Devils Point ahead. The great coires of the Braeriach, Angels Peak and Cairn Toul also came in to view.

A pointy Devil ahead right

Coire Brochain

Angels Ridge

The 5km from the Pools of Dee to Corrour bothy seemed like the longest section of the walk, despite being downhill. We constantly seemed to be almost there but never too arrive. , . but then as got closer we could see the slabs on the Devils Point glistening in the sunlight and its summit looking a very worthy objective despite being dwarfed by the 4000 footers surrounding it.

Devils point.

Reaching the footbridge from the north meant crossing some very boggy ground, but we made it with dry feet just . A quick nosey in the bothy and we were of up the hill. I had anticipated that the route up Coire Odhar would be a minor path and impossibly steep. I am not sure where this image had come from, but I was surprised to find a substantial, well constructed path and although undoubtably steep, it could hardly been construed as impossible. We stopped for lunch at the back of the Coire and then took the shortcut on the right towards the Devils Point. This was a closer fit to my expectations, being loose and eroded in places and probably pointless as a shortcut as the longer route around the path would have been quicker . But it was not long before we were on the summit enjoying some great views all round.

15:00 Jeremy Jetboil on the Summit. Ben Macdui in the background

A summit cuppa

South down the Lairig Ghru

Beinn Bhrotain

15:20 Leaving the summit

Looking towards Cairn Toul

On the way back we followed the path from the top of the waterfall, it was a quick descent and easy descent so by 16:30 we were crossing the bridge and back into the bog.

Sundew growing in the bog

We took our time on the way back, admiring the Cairngorm Giants from the opposite direction, and stopping for several brews-ups on route.

Back past the Pools of Dee

Lurchers Crag

As we stopped for a final brew we were joined by a duck teaching her two ducklings how to beg for food. .

Lairig Ghru Ducks

One advantage of being a slow walker is that you get to enjoy sunsets on most outings, in fact I feel quite cheated if we finish a walk in daylight, even on the long summer days. Soon after we had climbed the staircase leading up from the Lairig Ghru we were treated to a spectacular sunset over the Mondalieths although there was still ample daylight to see our way back through the Chalamein Gap which always seems much easier in descent.

Setting sun

Chalamein Gap

And emerging the other side

. We were just approaching the forest trails at 23:30, when we had to sacrifice our night vision and put on the headtorches to avoid tripping over the tree roots. 11:45 we were back at the car pleased to have finally chased down the devil and once again impressed by the grandeur of the Northern Cairngorms.

[spiderwebb]

Great report for a great trip

[Jaxter]

Fantastic! I approached the Devil from the ridge and remember thinking it seemed too small to be the right hill
But when you're below it seems much larger

A good sunset is always a bonus

[Cairngorm creeper]

Great report for a great trip

Thank you. It was a good day

Fantastic! I approached the Devil from the ridge and remember thinking it seemed too small to be the right hill
But when you're below it seems much larger

A good sunset is always a bonus

I know what you mean, once you are up it is just a little bump at the end of a line of bigger, sharper bumps . Good views none the less. A sunset always finishes the day of nicely.