Munro Madness : 4

Munros this section :

Braeriach

Sgor an Lochain Uaine

Cairn Toul

The Devils Point

Beinn Bhrotain (two ascents!)

Monadh Mor

Carn a' Mhaim

Ben MacDui

Cairn Gorm

Bynack More

Beinn Mheadhoin

Derry Cairngorm

Beinn a' Chaorainn (Glen Derry)

Beinn Bhreac (Glen Derry)

Beinn a' Bhuird

Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuide (Ben Avon)

The Devils Point.

I've not done a great job of planning this next section - a hundred and sixty kilometres in five days, fine on flat terrain, but with many huge hills to climb, plus the need to find somewhere sheltered at a lower altitude to camp, it seems impossible.  But perhaps I can find some shortcuts, we'll see.  Things start OK at least, a long ascent of Braeriach, well over four thousand feet, then three more Munros, all in cloud except the last, the Devils Point.  Warm enough and dry though, and if I don't reach camp until eight, so what, still plenty of daylight left.  Lots of people here, both camped and in a small stone hut or 'bothy' - it even has a toilet!

Ben MacDui - second highest point in Britain!

Day two out of Aviemore, beautiful blue skies, it is actually hot and I need to filter water - well, not hard to find up here.  I manage the planned two Munros, ascending one of them twice in fact - still better than my original route which had me backtracking from the Devils Point over two big hills.  But, I'm only at the fifty kilometre point at the end of the day, I need to pick up the pace.

Day three, the glorious weather continues and I keep walking, four more Munros including mighty Ben MacDui and the iconic Cairn Gorm.  A long day, I walk from 8am to 8pm, but with a few cunning shortcuts I get to a nice campsite by Loch Avon, some ninety-three kilometres into the route, this is better.

Derry Cairngorm.

It doesn't get any easier, I walk a twelve hour day with four Munros, tough, but really, the more time out in this amazing landscape on another lovely day the better.  Pity about the hour or so tramping through bog to finish mind.  Then, an easy enough day with just a couple of Munros and a lot of gentle trail gets me to Braemar.  I still need to find a shortcut, this one involves a thigh deep wade of the river Dee, worth it to get to the pub in good time.



Photos to go with this post can be found here.

Munro Madness : 3

Munros this section :

Geal Charn (Drumochter Pass)

A' Mharconaich

Beinn Udlamain

Sgairneach Mhor

A' Bhuidheanach Beag

Carn na Caim

Meall Chuaich

Mullach Clach a' Bhlair

Sgor Gaoith

Sgairneach Mhor.

Dalwhinnie is the highest village in the UK, and the coldest, according to a sign I read there - I can well believe this.  Still I am toasty in my B&B, and breakfast is excellent - there is, of course, haggis.  Then back into the hills, a little easier here as there seem to be more paths, I get up four more Munros and nothing breaks, a good day, for all that it rains for much of it.  Onwards, the Munros keep coming and I keep climbing them.  There seem to be quite a few people about, maybe it is the weekend?  I think these are more popular hills too, this is good, paths to walk on and good gravel roads, courtesy of the grouse industry.  And then the skies clear, I walk and then camp in glorious sunshine, has summer finally come to the highlands?  I sure hope so.

Meall Chuaich.

Getting close to Aviemore now, I am in need of a break I must say, feet are sore and I am tired.  Two more Munros first, and one is a beast, Sgor Gaoith is around 3,700 feet high with a dramatic pointed summit.  Good view from it anyway, for all that it has clouded over again.  Indeed I can see Newtonmore where I started walking a little way away, I really haven't walked far as the crow flies.

I've made good time and it is just a short morning's walk into Aviemore, a pretty big place bustling with tourists, time for proper hot food and beer, and a day off from walking, I need these things.  This is the closest town to the Cairngorm ski centre, and there's a definite ski resort vibe, live music in the evening and all, I approve.  I splurge out shopping a bit too, new socks, gas for cooking and lots of food... a big stage coming up, into the high Cairngorms, good to be prepared for it.

Sgor Gaoith.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

Munro Madness : 2

Munros this section :

Stob Coire Sgriodain

Chno Dearg

Beinn na Lap

Carn Dearg (Rannoch region)

Sgor Gaibhre

Beinn Bheoil

Ben Alder

Beinn Eibhinn

Aonach Beag (Alder region)

Geal-Charn (Alder region)

Carn Dearg (Alder region)

Beinn a' Chlachair

Creag Pitridh

Geal Charn (Loch Laggan)

Stob Coire Sgriodain.

Not giving up on the madness yet.  The tent now has guy ropes - string from the nice people at the campsite.  My sleeping bag is dry thanks to their tumble dryer, and wrapped in two layers of black rubbish sacks, so I am prepared.  Two Munros the first day out of Roy Bridge, Stob Coire Sgriodain and Chno Dearg.  And the climbs go well, it does seem warmer, and there is an awesome view from the tops, several lochs visible, many pointy hills, and little sign of humanity.  I make camp around 5pm, there is even some sunshine, this is good.

Chno Dearg.

The next day brings three more Munros, and good views from each, this is more like it.  Really rather awesome to stand atop these high mountains with the wild country spread out below me.  There's some more sun in the afternoon, and I am making decent time again, shame about the five kilometres of trackless bog to end the day, still, I can take it.  But then, a tussock collapses beneath my foot, I end up on my bottom, and one of my poles jams into the peat, bending in two places.  Sigh...

Sgor Gaibhre.

The ups and downs, both literal and figurative, continue.  I climb five Munros in a day, and four more the next, wow.  And something of a miracle, I find a newish trekking pole just lying around near the summit of Ben Alder!  But, in another peat bog related incident, I bend my remaining Walmart pole - just a little though, it is still functional.  Worse, I descend from a mountain where the usual hurricane is blowing and try to put up the tent - doesn't seem too windy to me, but the tent disagrees, before I know it one of the poles has snapped.  Well, this is why I have repair sleeves... I get to Dalwhinnie anyway, only one night here, but it is in a B&B, so, a proper bed and real food.  Warmth!

Ben Alder.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

Munro Madness : 1

Munros this section :

A' Chailleach (Monadh Liath)

Carn Sgulain

Carn Dearg (Monadh Liath)

Geal Charn (Monadh Liath)

Carn Liath (Loch Laggan)

Stob Poite Coire Ardair

Creag Meagaidh

Beinn a' Chaorainn (Loch Laggan)

Beinn Teallach

A' Chailleach (Monadh Liath).

Time for more Timmy madness!  This time I'm in Scotland, the plan is to see how many Munros - notable hills and mountains over three thousand feet - I can climb in a month.  What can possibly go wrong?

Well, I get up the first couple OK, hard work but totally worth it for the fine view of the inside of a cloud from the top of each.  I make my way towards number three, eventually reaching the high point of a long ridge and a familiar cairn.  Oops, seems I turned around somehow and I walked back to Munro number two...

OK, I keep going, need to keep moving as it is really very cold up here.  I camp in the hills, another small problem, seems I threw away the tent's guy ropes along with the cheap pegs it came with, oops again.  It doesn't blow away, although my sleeping bag is damp from walking in the clouds, makes for a cold night.

Carn Dearg (Monadh Liath).

More gruelling ascents, more horrible weather - on the approach to the summit of Creag Meagaidh, there is such a howling gale that I fear being blown off the edge, so I make my way along the steep, but sheltered slope below the ridge, then crawl to the top on my belly.  Then on my second night, the wind is so strong that I need to remove my shoelaces to use as guy ropes....  Very much a relief to get down for a rest at Roy Bridge.  My fingers don't seem to want to warm up, but, it will get warmer yeah?  Here's hoping.

Creag Meagaidh.  Pronounced 'craig meggy' apparently.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.