CAIRNGORM - BEN MACDUI GROUP
From Ben Macdui, Carn a' Mhaim left, Beinn Bhrotain right, Beinn a' Ghlo is the high mass centre skyline. photo big-gorse-bush.blogspot.com
20.1 miles 1814 metres
Start Monday 03.40
Cairn Gorm 03.48
Bynack More 04.33
Beinn Mheadhoin 05.29
Derry Cairngorm 06.16
Ben Macdui 06.59
Carn a' Mhaim 07.42
Finish 08.17
Squares: yellow - changeovers, Circles summits: green - this leg, purple - to do. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 7.15 Actual 4.37
Diana and I both slept well for about three hours, but the call from Colin came before midnight – in fact Molly was only just returning the washing. I was dreading the cold wait on Cairngorm, as it was extremely windy and cold down near sea level, and I did not expect Ian to move through the night in bad weather.
However, as the Cairngorms came in sight I realised that the clear skies were no longer limited to the Moray coast. Climbing up Coire Cas with bivvy gear I got a good sweat going, as I was concerned that Ian might beat me to the changeover. It was such a light night that I could have read in it. The snow patches were icy hard so it was below freezing, and a westerly gale was increasing the chill factor considerably.
I planted the flags and put up my bivvy on a small patch of moss. The cliffs below might have been hoped to provide shelter, but instead they were causing the wind to swirl, and the flag was going round and round in random circles. The din was phenomenal, but I did not have long to wait before Ian, glowing with the wonders of the night appeared.
I set off and almost immediately realised my map was in the pack not in my hand. As I swung off my pack the contents of the top pocket which I had omitted to close, including the baton, scattered over the plateau. I was intending that this should be the fastest Munro from a start and was annoyed at the wasted time, but I suspect that the gale behind my back more than compensated. Anyway it was hardly a fair competition as Ian had done nearly all the work for me and I only had 500 feet upwards and a quarter of a mile to go.
Sunrise did not look too far away at the top but I could not afford to wait, so I plunged down to the Saddle, and chose a route which used the shelter of A' Choinnich, and then contoured, before turning directly up the side of Bynack More. This most unlikely line allowed me to be blown up with little effort. At the top I saw the sun for the first time, but cloud masses to the west showed that the day would not keep its early promise.
I was feeling the effects of my previous exertions on the 1500 foot pull up Beinn Mheadhoin. Climbing the summit rocks, this was the only Munro of the trip I was unable to stand up on. The wind was far too severe, and I made do with a hunched sit.
I had decided earlier that I was not feeling up to any heroics today, but if I could manage each of the peaks within an hour, I would still beat the schedule easily. I had now made the hardest in fifty six minutes, and felt confident.
Crossing the Loch Etchachan outfall, I stupidly did not take a drink. I was regretting it within a minute and should have turned back. Derry Cairngorm is a great stony heap quite devoid of water, so I had a long dehydrated wait before I could divert to water on Ben Macdui.
From the summit there was no spectacular view of Cairn Toul as cloud and light rain was lashing across, the first of a succession of showers. I enjoyed the big drop to the col, and was looking forward to the only real ridge in the Cairngorms. However, it is a long way for a tired body, particularly with cold showers lashing past in a gale, so I was relieved when the final descent began.
The two miles in the valley were sufficiently beautiful to inspire me to keep running, and I arrived at the bothy where Dave and Pippa were I think still asleep.
Peaks done 196 time taken 9 days 5 hours peaks to go 81
The dreary track down Glen Lui turned out to be a joy on a bike. I had always before thought the glen to be flat, but the bike proved most of it to be downhill.
There is no charge for reading this account but please consider donating to Worldwide Cancer Research, the new name for the charity that we ran for.
Share this page