Munro-bagging
Picked up Jo & Steve on Friday morning and we drove up to Braemar, via Perth, Dunkeld and Pitlochry. Had a nice walk up Kinoull Hill (last time I remember was with our dog at least 10 years ago!) for good views over Perth, and stopped for lunch by the river in Dunkeld. On to Pitlochry and a hike up Ben Vrackie - blue skies and sunshine on the way up, pouring with rain at the top, blue skies and sunshine on the way down - Jo & Steve should get used to the Scottish weather fairly quickly!
Dunkeld; vegetable garden; view from Ben Vrackie
Pete joined us from Aberdeen for a BBQ with mu
m, dad and Christine & Jim Browning (family friends). Was a fun evening, and we planned our expedition for the next couple of days.
Set off on bikes early Saturday morning and went via Linn of Dee to Derry Lodge. Locked up the bikes a bit further on at Luibeg bridge and started hiking towards Corrar Bothy.
We went up Devil's Point, Cairn Toul and Braeriach (actually the correct translation from Gaelic is Devil's Penis but it was renamed because that wasn't appropriate for Queen Victoria!), then dropped sharply down onto the Lairig Ghru near the Pools of Dee, before heading straight back up the other side. Seemed rather similar to the LAMM a couple of weeks ago :)
view of Cairn Toul; hiding in a sheltered cairn; downward climb to the Pools of Dee (Lairig Ghru)
Nearly at the top of Ben MacDui but we had to save something for the next day so we scrambled down the other side to Loch A'an and the Shelter Stone. Found a campspot and had dinner before squeezing into our tents (literally!) and trying to get some sleep - lashing rain and strong winds didn't do much to help our cause.
on top of Braeriach; looking back at summit; crags on side of Ben MacDui
Sunday we had a late start (10am) and climbed up to Loch Etchachan, before splitting up and taking slightly different paths. Pete & I climbed Derry Cairngorm, then back to the loch and up Ben MacDui (2nd highest mountain in GB behind Ben Nevis). We met the others near the top and watched an RAF rescue helicopter make what appeared to be an exciting drop-off. Turns out the two ladies were collecting rubbish from the hillside - I'd say that was an expensive rubbish collection.
RAF helicopter; me on the top of Ben MacDui, view of Carn a Mhaim ridge
Dropped very sharply down from Ben MacDui (a little quicker than I would have liked, with a few cuts & bruises to tell for it) , then a long climb up Carn a Mhaim - munro #7 of the weekend! Ran down the other side and back to the bikes then a cruise back home for a well-deserved shower and an excellent dinner (thanks mum!)
Monday we had a lazy day, driving to Balmoral and doing the
Cairns walk up behind the Castle. Was a really great weekend, and to finish the fun times off, Steve, Jo & I dressed up as pirates when we got back to Edinburgh (along with a few other crazy 'mateys') and went to see Pirates of the Caribbean... YAAARRRRRRR!!!
Dunkeld; vegetable garden; view from Ben Vrackie
Pete joined us from Aberdeen for a BBQ with mu
m, dad and Christine & Jim Browning (family friends). Was a fun evening, and we planned our expedition for the next couple of days.
Set off on bikes early Saturday morning and went via Linn of Dee to Derry Lodge. Locked up the bikes a bit further on at Luibeg bridge and started hiking towards Corrar Bothy.We went up Devil's Point, Cairn Toul and Braeriach (actually the correct translation from Gaelic is Devil's Penis but it was renamed because that wasn't appropriate for Queen Victoria!), then dropped sharply down onto the Lairig Ghru near the Pools of Dee, before heading straight back up the other side. Seemed rather similar to the LAMM a couple of weeks ago :)
view of Cairn Toul; hiding in a sheltered cairn; downward climb to the Pools of Dee (Lairig Ghru)
Nearly at the top of Ben MacDui but we had to save something for the next day so we scrambled down the other side to Loch A'an and the Shelter Stone. Found a campspot and had dinner before squeezing into our tents (literally!) and trying to get some sleep - lashing rain and strong winds didn't do much to help our cause.
on top of Braeriach; looking back at summit; crags on side of Ben MacDui
Sunday we had a late start (10am) and climbed up to Loch Etchachan, before splitting up and taking slightly different paths. Pete & I climbed Derry Cairngorm, then back to the loch and up Ben MacDui (2nd highest mountain in GB behind Ben Nevis). We met the others near the top and watched an RAF rescue helicopter make what appeared to be an exciting drop-off. Turns out the two ladies were collecting rubbish from the hillside - I'd say that was an expensive rubbish collection.
RAF helicopter; me on the top of Ben MacDui, view of Carn a Mhaim ridge
Dropped very sharply down from Ben MacDui (a little quicker than I would have liked, with a few cuts & bruises to tell for it) , then a long climb up Carn a Mhaim - munro #7 of the weekend! Ran down the other side and back to the bikes then a cruise back home for a well-deserved shower and an excellent dinner (thanks mum!)
Monday we had a lazy day, driving to Balmoral and doing the
Cairns walk up behind the Castle. Was a really great weekend, and to finish the fun times off, Steve, Jo & I dressed up as pirates when we got back to Edinburgh (along with a few other crazy 'mateys') and went to see Pirates of the Caribbean... YAAARRRRRRR!!!Labels: the great outdoors
posted by Mhairi
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