210. Carn a'Mhaim (95). 05/01/2020

The weather was very blowy today and with rain to accompany it in the west, we decided to head east and tackle my final peak in the Cairngorms. This proved to be wise, because we stayed virtually dry throughout and it therefore turned out more comfortable than expected.

We set out from Lin of Dee at 9.15am along the track past Derry Lodge that leads to the Lairig Ghru. We followed this for 5 miles over one new bridge (not on the map), through a slightly boggy section, over a ford and to the beginning of the rise round to the Lairig Ghru, before we took the fork which went straight up Carn a'Mhaim. This was a very efficient and well made section, which climbed up steps most of the way to the summit. We were below the clouds until 900m, but even at the top, the wind gave us fleeting glimpses through the cloud.

The wind was very strong at times at the top, so we were glad for the lack of precipitation and given that we'd made good time, we decided to wander a little way along the ridge towards Ben Macdui. We turned back after a kilometer, but it was well worth it, as we were gifted some impressive views straight down to Corrour bothy in the Lairig Ghru (the scene of a midge-fest from a few years previous). 

Progress was fast back along the valley and we were done in 6h, despite the extra time spent on the top.

A view of the top from near Derry Lodge

A windy top just in the cloud

Looking down into the Lairig Ghru

An action shot of Chris failing to fall in

207-209. Creag Meagaidh (30) (P600 40), Stob Poite Coire Ardair (76), Carn Liath (127). 04/01/2020

A damp and misty day in Scotland, but with weather set to deteriorate significantly, we opted for our longest walk today. This meant an early start from Edinburgh to begin walking at 9am.

The walk up into the corrie was along a well made path all the way to the lochan below a notch in the ridge called The Window. It included one detour across the heather, but that was entirely our own fault, having misread a perfectly clear signpost. On climbing the steeper path to The Window, we saw a small amount of snow, but there was still very little and certainly not enough to please the ice climbers that frequent this corrie. We were able to imagine the popularity of the north-facing gullies which line the slopes here. 

Without this notch in the ridge, access would have been difficult, but there were no problems at all. Creag Meagaidh is a big plateau and we didn't necessarily find the most efficient route to the summit in the mist, but we got there eventually over the occasionally snow-covered ground.

The wind appeared to be less than forecast, but it was still a relief to turn our backs to it as we made our way to the more ridgy section of the walk on the other side of The Window. Getting to the summit of Stob Poite Coire Ardair took little over half an hour, making a very quick second munro and the walk on from there was more interesting and no doubt spectacular in better visibility.

We passed a few walkers going into the wind and were glad of our choice of direction, before making it to the summit of Carn Liath. By this time we were a little cold and damp, which made the descent a bit more tiresome, but it was a fairly swift one to the end of the south spur and then down across heather and to a path through the birch trees (which became a stream). We rejoined the good path and were back to the car in 6h30.

Not much visibility on the ascent up to The Window

The summit of SPCA in the mist

The view of CM with a little more clarity