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Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice


Postby christopherwalkin » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:13 am

Hi everyone!

I'm going to be walking Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm tomorrow for the first time. Does anyone have any tips or advice that might be useful to know?

Thanks!
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby iain_atkinson_1986 » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:24 am

It's a straightforward walk in good conditions which looks like it'll be the case tomorrow. It can be windy as hell up there, though, so I would make sure you've got gloves and something windproof with you.
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby jmarkb » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:41 am

If you fancy a more scenic approach that avoids most of the ski area, you can start from the lower car park and go up Cairn Gorm via the Sron a Cha-no ridge and Cnap Coire na Spreidhe (though it does make the walk a bit longer).
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby Caberfeidh » Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:33 pm

Lots of loose boulders up on MacDui, take care not to sprain an ankle. Great views down Loch A'an, shelter available under the Shelter Stone by the head of Loch A'an, at the foot of the Sticil (Shelter Stone Crag). But you have to clamber all the way down there, and then clamber all the way back up!

Sticil#r.jpg
The Sticil (Shelter Stone Crag)
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby al78 » Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:56 pm

If you are starting from the ski centre and taking the direct route to Cairn Gorm, then across the plateau to Ben Macdui, a nice route back is to come north along the edge of the Lairig Ghru, there are great views along it in both directions. There is a good path that bypasses Cairn Lochan and takes you down down down to the ski center, with some good views of a couple of the northern corries. One word of warning if you haven't done much decent hillwalking recently, this final path that takes you back down will hammer your legs, and you will wake up tomorrow morning with huge DOMS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_onset_muscle_soreness(at least I did when I did that route).

WP_20170618_025.jpg
Lairig Ghru looking north.


WP_20170618_036.jpg
Northern corrie of Cairn Lochan.
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby davekeiller » Fri Jul 31, 2020 6:28 pm

I'd start from the lower car park and go up via coire na ciste - it's a much quieter route, and you'll not have to see the funicular or many ski tows until you're almost at the top of Cairngorm.
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby Sunset tripper » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:29 pm

The Walkhighlands route is a fine route for these two hills.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/macdui-cairngorm.shtml

Ps. The car park may not be free parking or voluntary payment anymore.
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby al78 » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:15 pm

Sunset tripper wrote:The Walkhighlands route is a fine route for these two hills.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/macdui-cairngorm.shtml

Ps. The car park may not be free parking or voluntary payment anymore.


That is pretty much the route I did, except I regret not passing close enough to the deep glen where loch Avon lies. I couldn't find the path from the car park along the spur so I started by following a wide track which follows the funicular.
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby Sunset tripper » Sun Aug 02, 2020 8:55 am

al78 wrote:
Sunset tripper wrote:The Walkhighlands route is a fine route for these two hills.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/macdui-cairngorm.shtml

Ps. The car park may not be free parking or voluntary payment anymore.


That is pretty much the route I did, except I regret not passing close enough to the deep glen where loch Avon lies. I couldn't find the path from the car park along the spur so I started by following a wide track which follows the funicular.


The approach from the Aviemore side gets a bit of bad press, which is a wee bit harsh I think. I've been up Cairngorm and Macdui a few times as they are really close for me. I have tried several routes and combinations and with the walkhighlands route you leave the ski resort stuff immediately and easily reach Macdui on a great path. The fiacaill ridge approach is probably my favourite that I have tried, which you can make as hard or easy as you like. :D
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby prog99 » Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:54 am

Approach from the ciste car park is decent as well. There’s a decent path for a lot of the way up Creaghan Dubh. You will need to do a bit of lateral thinking or some road walking to return to the start after macdui.
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby Scottk » Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:04 pm

Was up Ben Macdui yesterday but came up from Loch A’an and Loch Etchachan. Lovely day and was in short sleeves the whole way (although I passed quite a few people well wrapped up!). As said, boulders at the top!
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Re: Ben Macdui / Cairn Gorm advice

Postby BlackPanther » Sun Aug 02, 2020 2:46 pm

Sunset tripper wrote:The Walkhighlands route is a fine route for these two hills.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/macdui-cairngorm.shtml

Ps. The car park may not be free parking or voluntary payment anymore.


We went up MacDui yesterday, a lovely day. Added another plane crash site to our tally. Coire Cas car park is still donation box at the moment (I wonder how much longer though?).
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