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Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!

Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!


Postby Jaxter » Mon Jun 03, 2019 10:44 pm

Route description: Cairn Gorm and the northern corries

Munros included on this walk: Cairn Gorm

Date walked: 01/06/2019

Time taken: 4.15 hours

Distance: 13.47 km

Ascent: 971m

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A stressful day of chores – watching the clock there was a frankly heroic dash across Inverness to make the van deadline before we jumped in the car, destination Aviemore. A vague plan had been to get on the plateau via the Northern corries. There was a nasty shower as we drove past Loch Morlich but it only lasted a few minutes and by the time we were parked up it was overcast and a bit breezy but wonderfully inviting – so much so that I was wearing shorts :shock:

We took the usual path but instead of heading up the Fiacaill Ridge we went for the easy option – I’d been lifting boxes all day and was a bit sore :roll:
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River crossing to negotiate :shock:
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Despite trying to take it easy I was walking far too fast – we both just wanted to get up there!
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Looking back – Loch Morlich visible and Meall a’ Buachaille
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A slight deviation from the path meant we could see into coire an lochain 8)
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Wee wisps of cloud were hanging stubbornly around but the forecast seemed to be for an improvement 8)
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Across to Braeriach
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There were plenty of people coming off the hill – easy to forget it was a Saturday – but we were the only ones going up. For once I was the one getting the weird looks about wearing shorts (clearly Malcy was wearing the trousers today :lol: )

Out the top we looked down the impressive crags
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Loch Morlich and Meall a’ Buachaille
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The sun was starting to come out too – wahey 8)
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We were on the plateau – yas!
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The Shelter Stone crag and Lochnagar in the distance – we had thought to wander down there but were probably too short on time today
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Cairn Gorm and our route ahead over Stob Coire an t-Sneachda
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We stopped to add layers – there was little more climbing and it was a bit chilly in shorts! Continuing along the path we could see down towards Loch Avon 8)
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Taking my idiot for a walk
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Ben Macdui
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Stob Coire an t-Sneachda and Cairn Gorm
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And then the sun really came out 8) 8)
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Carn Etchachan
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Malcy contemplating life, the universe and everything
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Looking down Coire an t-Sneachda
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There were a few folk still out on the ridge, but it was pretty quiet as we stopped to look back to the Fiacaill ridge
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Beinn Mheadhoin and Loch Etchachan
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We decided to pop out to Stac an Fharaidh which we’d missed out on before – we weren’t fussed about climbing Cairn Gorm and could traverse around afterwards
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We didn’t have to drop very much height to hit the path up from Loch Avon which we followed for a short distance before setting off across easy ground
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It was going to be so worth it….and yes it was!
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Stacan Dubh where we had camped last summer
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Malcy doing his thing
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And showing his better side
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The sun hitting Carn Etchachan
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Towards the Fords of Avon
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Although it was stunning we figured we ought to get going – it was getting late and we were hopeful the Winking Owl might still be serving pies if we got there before 10 (turns out they weren’t :( )
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Bynack Mor
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Ben Avon
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Although we had been planning not to bother with Cairn Gorm itself we sort of found ourselves climbing up it anyway :roll:
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The crags with Macdui behind 8)
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Suddenly we heard a thundering above :shock:
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Helicopter above the Fiacaill
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It was circling around probably looking for someone :shock:
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It came so close that we could see the guys leaning out with binoculars and gave them a big thumbs up; we assumed they hadn’t come to give us a ride to the Winking Owl :wink:
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Looking back
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Again I’d been walking faster than I should have and we were at the summit of Cairn Gorm in no time – I’d never been up there til this year, and now twice in two months!
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Gorms 8)
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He actually looks happy for once :shock:
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Loch Morlich
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I could manage this without getting blown over this time :lol:
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Back the way we’d come
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Didn’t feel the need to climb up there this time :lol:
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After sharing a toffee crisp (Malcy’s idea of sharing food is that I get a bite and he gets the rest :lol: ) we headed down the non-yellow brick road
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It was a stunning evening so we stuck to the ridge and were rewarded with a pair of ptarmigan (only one really visible in the photo sadly)
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As well as stunning views back to the Northern Corries
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And the evening light hitting Loch Morlich
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Looking back – we were both actually beyond hungry by the this point!
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Unfortunately the Winking Owl didn’t serve food that late so we had to shoot back to Inverness to eat, but totally worth the hunger for a wonderful (and well deserved!) evening out on the plateau 8) Hard to believe I didn’t like the Gorms until a few years ago!


Evening Gorms.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Last edited by Jaxter on Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Jaxter
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Re: Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!

Postby larry groo » Tue Jun 04, 2019 6:24 am

Fine pics there of a wonderful place!

Perfect evening for it too.

:clap:
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Re: Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!

Postby Alteknacker » Tue Jun 04, 2019 8:03 am

Really superb pics in the evening light :clap: :clap: :clap: (apart from those with Malcy wearing LONG TROUSERS in summer!!!)
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Re: Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!

Postby Graeme D » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:40 am

Was this a Care in the Community type thing???? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!

Postby hughdivers1975 » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:49 am

Fantastic pics, we were up here on saturday evening too couldn't see a thing on top of Macdui then on the way back the weather was stunning, first time down at Loch Avon too what an amazing place.
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Re: Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!

Postby BlackPanther » Tue Jun 04, 2019 5:44 pm

Ahh you beat me to it :lol: We did a similar walk a few weeks ago, let me check... 17th May it was and my TR is still pending. We had better weather, bright and sunny, spent far too much time photographing the cliffs. On the other hand, the cloud over Ben Macdui in your photos looks very atmospheric :D
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Re: Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!

Postby gammy leg walker » Tue Jun 04, 2019 8:40 pm

Graeme D wrote:Was this a Care in the Community type thing???? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:



Aye but who's the carer :D :D
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Re: Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!

Postby Jaxter » Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:30 am

larry groo wrote:Fine pics there of a wonderful place!

Perfect evening for it too.

:clap:

There's something magic about evening light isn't there 8) 8)


Alteknacker wrote:Really superb pics in the evening light :clap: :clap: :clap: (apart from those with Malcy wearing LONG TROUSERS in summer!!!)

I know right, he's turning into a right wuss :shock: :lol:


hughdivers1975 wrote:Fantastic pics, we were up here on saturday evening too couldn't see a thing on top of Macdui then on the way back the weather was stunning, first time down at Loch Avon too what an amazing place.

Timing is everything isn't it! It was a stunning evening 8)


BlackPanther wrote:Ahh you beat me to it :lol: We did a similar walk a few weeks ago, let me check... 17th May it was and my TR is still pending. We had better weather, bright and sunny, spent far too much time photographing the cliffs. On the other hand, the cloud over Ben Macdui in your photos looks very atmospheric :D

Cheers, it was a bit moody on the way up but couldn't have asked for better on the plateau. Summer evenings eh 8)


gammy leg walker wrote:
Graeme D wrote:Was this a Care in the Community type thing???? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:



Aye but who's the carer :D :D

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Location: Glasgow/Inverness

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