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Playing catch-up again – so its back to 2009.
I’d done my first Munro (
Carn an Tuirc) in full winter conditions in Feb and had been on a winter skills course at Glenmore Lodge the previous weekend so was keen to put into practise my new skills. As it turned out there was a lot less snow about here than on Cairn Gorm. Lots of patchy snow but not much ice so no need for crampons or ice axe – well not on the std route I took. Which was exactly the route suggested by this site. I had intended to include Meikle Pap but by the time I got up to the bealach the weather was closing in so I decided to crack on.
Lochnagar Corrie. Full size one over
hereThe cloud closed in while I climbed up the Ladder so it was out with the compass when I topped out on the plateau. From below I had see the drooping cornices so wanted to steer well clear of the cliff edge. Was very pleased when Car Carn Mor emerged from the clag and I was in luck when the cloud lifted 10 minutes later and I claimed my second Munro by 10:30am (having started off around 8:00am). The only other person I’d seen was a mountain biker near Meikle Pap – I was frankly amazed he’d made it up there, but he didn’t come over for a chat so I’m not sure if he’d managed to ride all the way. So had the summit to myself and spent a long time taking lots of not very good photos. Here are a few that aren't too bad:
Lochnagar trig with The Stuic behind
Lochnagar summit
Mind the gap
As the cliff was now cloud free I went back to get a good look at the cornices I was careful to avoid on the way up. After a few more photos it was off to Glas-allt Shiel. But instead of retracing my route to Car Carn Mor I took a path that I thought would take me there but that was probably headed to Loch Callater and that soon disappeared under a fairly extensive snow field. Out with the compass again, got myself pointing in the right direction and once below the snow line soon picked up the obvious path down to the Queen’s bothy.
Come spring I'll be doing this...
My feet were killing me by the time I’d got down to the Loch – or more precisely my right foot. Have very recently had this diagnosed as been due to a neuroma. In fact
Morton's neuroma. As this only effects me when I’m walking I’m going down the route of getting custom made orthotic insoles made. Not cheap but better than putting up with the suffering with no prospect of it betting better my itself. In fact I was at my podiatrist’s this evening getting the moulds made.
The sore foot made the loch side walk back a bit of a trudge but all in all it was a pretty good day. The Lochnagar corrie is still the most impressive I’ve seen and the views from the peak are great. Was back there this April (from
Loch Callater) and I dare say I’ll be back at least once a year for as long as I can.
