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The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel


Postby PeteR » Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:35 pm

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

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Firmly back in the saddle it was time to ensure normal practice was resumed as I tackled another challenging day in the hills. :lol: :lol: So, it was the Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie and his pals Cairn Toul and Sgor an Lochain Uaine – approached from the Linn of Dee.

I had slightly mixed feelings as I set off, returning to the same area as I had been in just the week before when I had tackled Cairn a Mhaim. Not that I don’t like the area or the initial walk in to Derry Lodge; it’s a great area to walk in. It’s just that I like a bit of variety in my walking, preferring to walk in a different area from the weekend before if I possibly can. I had a long walk in to the Corrour bothy to do on this walk and I was hoping I wouldn’t be bored and lose my focus repeating a big section of last weekend’s walk.

I needn’t have worried :D :D :D Weather conditions seemed better than the week previous, and a bit of early morning sunshine gave a different perspective on the autumn colours as I walked along Glen Lui to Derry Lodge
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Early morning sunshine


And the walkers today seemed much more cheery – as witnessed by two very chirpy chaps passing me on their mountain bikes early on :D :D

I tend to break my routes down into bite size chunks, in order to give myself a series of targets to achieve rather than just tackle a route as a whole. It seems to work for me and helps me decide whether I’m on target for the planned day out or whether age :lol: (or alcohol consumption :lol: :lol: :lol:) has played it’s part in slowing me down and changes to plans are required. I had the route to Corrour bothy broken into three sections (Derry Lodge, Carn a Mhaim junction and Corrour bothy) with a total walk in time of 3 hours. Up to Carn a Mhaim I knew the path was excellent (excepting a couple of boggy areas, which while still boggy seemed less boggy than a week before thank goodness). Beyond this point the path did get a bit rougher, but never anything bad and so I was pretty pleased with a time of around 2.45 hours to the bothy.
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Early view of the Devil's Hoot-en-nanny

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Into Glen Dee


By now there was a bit more cloud and I’d witnessed a few rainbows along the way, but the Devil looked clear and I was hopeful the cloud would lift on the other two peaks as the day went on. I wasn’t to be disappointed :D :D :D
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The Devil from near the bothy

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Corrour bothy


At the bothy I thought I deserved a short break and time to take in some fluids. It was also a bit on the breezy side, so before heading up into Coire Odhar and onto the saddle between the Devil and Cairn Toul I decided to don my jacket. About 30 seconds after having set off from the bothy I then decided it might be worth donning my gloves too :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

After nearly three hours of walking the initial walk up into Coire Odhar suddenly seemed a bit tough :shock: :shock: but the stream the path zig-zags up by was enough to keep me entertained, especially higher up near where the path hits the saddle between the Devil and Cairn Toul’s southern top, Stob Coire an-t Sailghdeir.
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Allt a Choire Odhair


Met three people coming down as I was heading up and as I was making my way up I could see the two cyclists I had seen early on hitting the saddle and making their way up the Devil. Appreciating they stopped up there for a while they both looked a bit shocked to see me so close behind them given I’d walked in and they had cycled. We shouted a few words at each other – it was fair blowing a gale up on the saddle :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: and they then made their way down, as they were only doing the one.

From the saddle it’s an easy walk up to the summit of the Devil and some amazing views toward Carn a Mhaim, into Glen Geusachan and down into Glen Dee :D 8) :D 8) :D 8)
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Glen Geusachan from the Devil

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Cairn a Mhaim from the Devil's summit

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View to Glen Dee and beyond

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Corrour bothy from the Devil


I spent a little while on this summit. It’s my type of hill. Big and pointy. And the wilderness aspect of it just added to the sense of enjoyment and achievement. Apart from a chap heading up to the summit when I was headed down I met no-one else all day, so was totally isolated and miles from civilisation. Fantastic 8) :D No sound of cars, motorbikes or anything else mechanical. In fact I think the only sounds I heard were wind, wind and more wind, running water and a plane or two flying high overhead.
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The route ahead


Heading down off the Devil the path up onto Cairn Toul looked quite easy to follow. Funny then that when I was on it I had a devil of a job to locate it. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: And as the wind was fair gusting at times I wasn’t too keen to be walking along the cliff edge too much. The result was a lot of clambering over rocks and then higher up boulders (some big boulders too :shock: :shock: :? :?), which was sapping the energy from my legs like nobody’s business. The decision a few hours earlier to leave the walking pole in the boot of the car suddenly didn’t seem so sensible as I was hoping and skipping over these big boulders. Twinkle toes in walking boots :lol: :lol: :lol:
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View back to the Devil


I did make the odd foray toward the cliff edge higher up and the view of Cairn Toul was simply breathtaking (not that my point and click camera can really do it justice at all).
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The Angel from Cairn Toul south top

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Cairn Toul


The shadow of the clouds racing across the hill gave me the impression of a rainbow effect moving across the rocks, which looked very impressive as I stood on the summit of the southern top admiring where I was headed.

Again the path looked easy to follow, but when I was on it I found myself doing the foxtrot over more big rocks and boulders up to the summit (which is the second of the two cairns, but it’s good views all round from both)
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Braeriach from Cairn Toul

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Macdui

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Carn a Mhaim from Cairn Toul

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Cairn Gorm?

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The Angel


By now I could feel the effects of the wind chill when I took my gloves off to text MrsR with my usual summit message to let her know I was ok, so there was no hanging about as I headed off to the third and final summit of the day, Sgor an Lochain Uaine or the Angel’s Peak. It’s only a short hop and a skip down to the saddle between the two hills and then a short walk up to the summit. Cracking views of Lochan Uaine and Braeriach :D 8)
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Braeriach and Lochan Uaine


Unfortunately the good luck I’d had so far ran out on the way up onto the Angel, as a bank of mist descended and the great views I had hoped to see into the Lairig Ghru and the Falls of Dee were hidden from me this time :( :( :( (an excuse to do this route all over again some other time :lol: :D)
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The Angel's misty summit


All I got was another misty view of Lochan Uaine, which was a little disappointing as a celebration of passing the half way point. 142 down and currently 141 to go :D :D
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The mist covered lochan


The route back involved bypassing the main summit of Cairn Toul from it’s saddle with the Angel’s Peak by traversing the hill and heading to the saddle between Cairn Toul and its southern top. Very nicely the weather decided to turn a bit for the worse, as the mist looked to me like it would be hanging around for while. Oh, and it started raining :lol: :lol: Nice :lol: :lol:

Not wanting to traverse too low I decided to head a little higher than perhaps I needed to, but my thinking was that it would be easier in the long run than having to gain height onto the southern top. The downside was more rocks and boulders to navigate, sapping more energy from my poor aged legs :lol: :lol: It wasn’t too long before I was heading back to the southern top’s summit, which had been a bit easier than I had expected. And there was an excellent path down to the saddle with the Devil, which kept me well clear of the cliff edge and made for easy going.

It was then a steady plod down to the bothy and the simple task of an approximately 2.5 hour walk back to the car :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: I really thought this walk back was going to destroy me, but despite the old legs stiffening up toward the end it was a good march back. I even succumbed to the desire to jog a little of the way too :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

But before that urge took over I was able to get a final view of my day’s conquests, as well as another rainbow sot and a tempting view of Coire Sputan Dearg and the ridge to be taken off Ben Macdui. One for another day :D :D
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Last look back at the Devil

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Rainbow

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Coire Sputan Dearg


By the time I was almost back at the car it was almost dark, but I couldn’t be bothered to stop and make use of my head torch for the final few minutes, so just plunged myself into the darkness of the woods :lol: :lol: :lol: Spooky :lol: :lol:

All in all a great day out and a walk I will certainly want to do again.

As a postscript to this report, when I set out at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning I had it in my head this was only a 19 mile walk which the man from Cicerone said should take me as near as 10 hours as makes no difference. When I got home and checked out the route it turned out it was a 23 mile walk, which the man from Cicerone reckoned should take nearer 11 hours :lol: :shock: :?

Whoops :lol: :lol:

Still, coming in at 11 hours 15 minutes I was pretty chuffed as I can never hit the suggested times in the Cicerone guides.........on account of the fact that old age seems to slow me up on the descents :lol: :lol:
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby LeithySuburbs » Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:45 pm

Enjoyable report and a great route to get under the belt :D .

PeteR wrote:I could feel the effects of the wind chill when I took my gloves off


Yep, first outing this season for the gloves for me at the weekend as well :( .
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby MarilynMunro » Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:37 am

Good one Pete, enjoyed the report and a lot of great photos, good to see the "smiley" count is still high :lol: . Bit of an epic day out, well done
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby dogplodder » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:06 pm

Thanks, this is helpful to me.

I've done Braeriach, Angel's Peak and Cairntoul but not the Devil and was on the point 8) (no pun intended) of tackling him from Glen Feshie but then went and did something else instead. But now I'm thinking walking in from Lin o' Dee might be more pleasant than over the Moine Mor...

Planning them is half the fun! :D
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby BlackPanther » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:47 pm

Great report! I'm jealous :evil: :evil: I had these three planned for 2011 but never got around to doing them. I remember sitting on the summit of Braeriach two years ago, looking at Angel's Peak and Cairn Toul and promising myself: I'll be back!!! Now, as days are getting shorter and winter is on the doorstep I'll have to wait till next year :( .
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby dogplodder » Wed Oct 19, 2011 1:02 pm

BlackPanther wrote:Great report! I'm jealous :evil: :evil: I had these three planned for 2011 but never got around to doing them. I remember sitting on the summit of Braeriach two years ago, looking at Angel's Peak and Cairn Toul and promising myself: I'll be back!!! Now, as days are getting shorter and winter is on the doorstep I'll have to wait till next year :( .


These hills aren't going anywhere and you've still got them to look forward to! :D :D
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby pigeon » Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:16 pm

Great report Pete ,did a similar hike a few months ago but the clouds rolled in just after the Devil's point so good to see your pics,know what you mean about the cicerone book,great wee book but some of the times are a bit tight,don't think he allows tea breaks :lol:
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby PeteR » Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:40 pm

LeithySuburbs wrote:Enjoyable report and a great route to get under the belt :D .

PeteR wrote:I could feel the effects of the wind chill when I took my gloves off


Yep, first outing this season for the gloves for me at the weekend as well :( .

Thanks Leithy. Really enjoyed this one, with its real wilderness feel. And if I'm out for the day then I like to make a real day of it too :D

MarilynMunro wrote:Good one Pete, enjoyed the report and a lot of great photos, good to see the "smiley" count is still high :lol: . Bit of an epic day out, well done

Thanks MM. Smiley count is always high :D Who wouldn't be smiling when they can experience the great scenery we have here in Scotland :D

dogplodder wrote:Thanks, this is helpful to me.

I've done Braeriach, Angel's Peak and Cairntoul but not the Devil and was on the point 8) (no pun intended) of tackling him from Glen Feshie but then went and did something else instead. But now I'm thinking walking in from Lin o' Dee might be more pleasant than over the Moine Mor...

Planning them is half the fun! :D

Thanks dogplodder. I would certainly give this route the thumbs up, even though it is a long walk in. You would need to take a few bags of carrots to reward your doggies though :lol: :lol:

BlackPanther wrote:Great report! I'm jealous :evil: :evil: I had these three planned for 2011 but never got around to doing them. I remember sitting on the summit of Braeriach two years ago, looking at Angel's Peak and Cairn Toul and promising myself: I'll be back!!! Now, as days are getting shorter and winter is on the doorstep I'll have to wait till next year :( .


As dogplodder says, they'll still be here next year. By the amount of big lumping boulders Ihad to make my way over it will take some years of erosion to wear these hills down :lol: :lol:

pigeon wrote:Great report Pete ,did a similar hike a few months ago but the clouds rolled in just after the Devil's point so good to see your pics,know what you mean about the cicerone book,great wee book but some of the times are a bit tight,don't think he allows tea breaks :lol:

Cheers Pigeon. Glad the pics were enjoyed. The view from the Devil was amazing, especially as I dropped down off the front a short way to get the views looking straight down to the glen floor. MrsR was impressed with those pics though :lol: :lol: :lol:

And the man from cicerone - he don't stop :? :shock: I creak down off the hills, but I can only assume he runs down :lol:
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby lomondwalkers » Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:50 pm

Great report and pics as always Pete :thumbup: Thats one helluva walk, good on you!
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby PeteR » Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:00 pm

lomondwalkers wrote:Great report and pics as always Pete :thumbup: Thats one helluva walk, good on you!

Cheers lomondwalkers. It is one long walk, but well worth the effort for the views from the Devil itself :D :D If camping's your thing you've got the bothy to break it up into more manageable chunks :D
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby davetherave » Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:31 pm

Looks like your hill fitness is heading in the right direction PeteR, and your hill count.
Another top report well done.

Ps. what's your next plan for the hills.
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Re: The Devil’s thing-a-me-boabie, Carn Toul and the Angel

Postby PeteR » Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:01 pm

davetherave wrote:Looks like your hill fitness is heading in the right direction PeteR, and your hill count.
Another top report well done.

Ps. what's your next plan for the hills.


Thanks Dave. I've got to say I think I'm nowhere near the fitest person on the hills, but just recently over the last few weeks something seems to have clicked and I've really been enjoying the long walks :D

At the moment I'm forecast watching for Sunday, but thinking it's not looking too positive at the moment. Hopefully a slight change in wind direction in the next day or so and things will improve :D Well, I can dream can't I? :lol: :lol: I quite fancy Sgor Gaibhre and Carn Dearg from the kinlochrannoch road, but I want the views for that one if I can. If the east is looking better then It'll be another trip to the Cairngorms no doubt.

Just need to pursuade MrsR that wild camping would be a good idea for 2012 :lol: :lol:
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