The Highlands, Day 4

Carn a'Mhaim seen from the slopes of Ben Macdui.

One good thing about camping at well over three thousand feet, it is really not far to reach my second Munro of the week, Ben Macdui.  Shame that just like Cairn Gorm yesterday, it is in a cloud... But while the climb was easy, the descent is not, a steep boulder field that I make slow progress over.  As I climb down I can see my next target, another Munro, Carn a'Mhaim.  Looks to be the high point of a knife edge ridge...

Turns out Carn a'Mhaim is an easy climb, but again the descent is horrid, and I'm very glad to reach a flat walk along a burn.  Then I come to a point where the path crosses a burn... ah, this is what that sign yesterday was about.  No help for it, I take my boots off and wade - at least there are a couple of locals to show me how it's done.  On the far bank I notice it has gone 4pm and I still have many miles to go, so, forced march for three hours it is.

Washed away bridge over Derry Burn.

I reach today's destination, Braemar, a little worse for wear.  Very nice to have a beer or three in convivial surroundings, and an excellent burger - Angus of course.  There is even live music!  I run into one of the chaps from the wading incident earlier, apparently he and his mate, whose 70th birthday it is, walked twenty miles from Aviemore today.  Hope I can still do that at such an age...

Walking along the Glen o' Dee towards Braemar.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.