24D - CAIRNGORMS CENTRAL
Cairngorm seen from slopes of Beinn Mheadhoin. Ifor had to go via Bynack Mor , the ridge going up right of picture. Photo tms.nickbramhall.com
12.7 miles 1810 metres
Start Saturday 20.14
Derry Cairngorm 20.49
Beinn Mheadhoin 21.28
Bynack More 22.24
Cairngorm 23.21
Finish 23.29
Squares: yellow - changeovers. Circles summits: green - this leg, red - done. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 2.49 Actual 3.15
Ifor writes:
I had been very doubtful about this time from the first, there seemed to be a lot of climb on this leg. The cycle in was very pleasant in good conditions although the track did get a bit soft and gravelly in places. I got the bike right to the changeover but would not have been able to take it much further with ease.
I had a good 2 hours wait for Steve and got cold, putting on my furry trousers as well as mitts and over trousers, even though it was sunny there was a chill breeze from the north. My second hill kept itself in the cloud most of the time but came out for brief moments. Dad came up on the other bike just before Steve arrived. On seeing him I took off my furry trousers and in a minute was freezing and put them back on again. I then had to take them off half way up the first hill.
It's a long way up Derry Cairngorm and I was well down on the schedule by the top and knackered, nevertheless I quite enjoyed the bouldery running over to the outflow of Loch Etchachan where there was a tent. I got cold again going up to Beinn Mheadhoin putting on my cag and balaclava. Climbing up the rocky top was OK but I was in the cloud as expected.
Going out and back to Bynack More took a long time and I really slowed down suffering from the previous day and lack of food. Going up Cairngorm it was getting dark and I was in fog. I thought I had found the summit when I came to a rocky tor which I climbed but the summit turned out to be a couple of hundred metres away. I touched the cairn and noticed that there was a coating of ice on it. I lost the path going to the changeover but Mark heard me shouting.
I almost didn't get down to the van in that I was very tempted to stop at the White Lady restaurant where there appeared to be a great party going on and I really felt like a beer. I eventually got to the car park and found another party at the restaurant there but I walked on to the van.
My time for this leg was disappointingly slow being 25 mins over schedule, and in the end I was worried that I would be even worse next time out.
Peaks done 153 Hours elapsed 160 Peaks to do 124
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