Braemar weekend - June 2006

A late start to season 2006!  Easter holidays took us down to the Norfolk Broads before joining in the fun at Spring Harvest.  The May weekend passed by, and our first outing to the hills was on Common Riding weekend - 16/17 June.

We camped at our usual favoured campsite at Braemar.


The 16th was overcast, but we ventured up the glen to Inverey, and cycled 5 miles up a good track (right) to Altanour Lodge.  From there, we enjoyed a good day's walking on rounded hills:  Beinn Iuthairn Bheag, Mam nan Carn, Beinn Iuthairn Mhor and Carn Bhac.  Would many peple climb these hills if they weren't Munros?  Probably not, but they have their own charm:  7 hours walking, and we only saw one person in the distance all day.  

The most notable features were the deep coire on the north side of Beinn Iuthairn Mhor (left), and the wide expanse of dried out peat hags between B.I.M and Carn Bhac, which allowed us to make great speed across the moorland on their dried out surface.


Lovely run back down to Inverey on the bikes in the evening, with the sun now shining after a grey day.








Next morning we woke to hear heavy rain drumming down on the tent roof.    Browsed the local outdoor shop while waiting to see if the weather might improve, and ended up buying a new pair of boots!

We drove up towards Inverey and parked in the big layby to see if the weather might improve.  


Finally, about 1pm, the rain stopped and the sky started to brighten from the west.  Middle of June, so plenty of daylight still ahead;  let's go for the Devil's Point!  (this name is a prudish Victorian translation of the Gealic name Bod an Deamhainn).  


Bod an Deamhainn (right) from the Lairig Ghru path

Bikes out once again, and soon we were pedalling up form the Linn o' Dee car park towards Derry Lodge.  Leaving the bikes there, we set off up the Lairig Ghru path, and made good progress, but it was 4pm by the time we reached Corrour Bothy.  Anne decided to wait for me there, while I made a rapid ascent alone to the summit, firstly up the well-engineered path steeply up the coire, then doubling back along the bouldery ridge to the dramatic summit (left).  


From Corrour Bothy:  50 minutes ascent, 35 minutes descent!  And only a mile or so from the southern extreme of last August's expedition over Braeriach, Cairn Toul and Sgor an Lochan Uaine from Coylumbridge.


Met up with Anne again (who had managed to keep her distance from the solitary, slightly drunk, male occupant of the bothy!), enjoying the summer sunshine down by the burn, for the long walk and cycle back to the Linn o' Dee.


(written 20/02/10)