After an enforced gap last year, Ruth and I resumed our annual tradition of spending Spring Bank Holiday week in the Highlands. I went up with only one Corbett unbagged, but decided not to visit it this time as I’d like to leave it for an occasion when I can invite as many friends as I like to join me for the walk and for a celebratory meal afterwards. So, our objectives were a few Corbetts that were return visits for me but new for Ruth, and a few Munro Tops to satisfy my bagging needs.
I drove up as far as Ruth’s house after the motorway traffic had died down on Friday night, and we spent the Saturday morning driving up to Glen Clova, in Ruth’s car this time but sharing the driving as usual. Our objective for the day was Ben Tirran. I had just taken a quick route up and down by Loch Wharrel last time, as a second outing after a walk on Mayar and Driesh, so was keen to make a slightly bigger loop of it this time. We parked near Clova village and headed up the good pitched path to Loch Brandy, surprised to find it quite busy with other visitors. Not what one often finds on a Corbett, but it turned out hardly anyone proceeds beyond the loch and the ridge above was customarily quiet!
We continued up to Green Hill, which gave good views north to Lochnagar, which was holding quite a bit of snow after the cold Spring, and then along the very easy grassy ridge to The Goet, as the summit of Ben Tirran is known. This gave hazy views of Mount Keen and Mount Battock to the east. From there it was an easy descent over grass and short heather to Loch Wharrel, similar in character to Loch Brandy but far quieter, and then on down to the valley on intermittent paths. Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578469
Once back at the car, we resolved to drive around to Glen Isla to cook by the car, then see where we could find to camp either near the head of the road or on the slopes of our morning objective, Monamenach. It turned out there was a suitably discreet spot very close to the car park, at the edge of a small conifer plantation and close to the River Isla, which meant we could use the larger tent and didn’t have to carry backpacking gear up the hill. We were pleasantly surprised not to encounter any midges as we cooked or set up camp.
Once we’d taken down the tent in the morning, and had breakfast by the river, we set off on a quick march up the hill, only around 3km from road to summit and all on a well-graded track, and consequently only about 45 minutes of effort. We had overtaken another walker on the way up, just nipping up to bag the Corbett before his hotel breakfast and golfing, but the hill was otherwise deserted. The sunny morning rewarded us with good views north to the adjacent Munros, Creag Leacach and Glas Maol. Last time I had made a bigger round of it by continuing over them and some of their Tops, but today we had another Corbett objective, so we didn’t linger long before descending back to the car. Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578472
The second hill of the day was Creag nan Gabhar, near Braemar, so we took a drive up Glen Shee and over the Cairnwell pass, and most of the way down the other side. I had half a memory that the car park at Auchallater was pay-and-display, and so it proved. Needless to say, we parked for free in a layby 100 yards up the road! After following the main track up Callater Burn for a couple of kilometres, we branched onto the smaller track up the north ridge of the hill, having lunch part-way, above Glen Clunie. Once past the summit, we descended east to the end of Loch Callater, where we paused a short while in the sunshine to admire the view. Then it was an easy walk back down the track to the car. Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578479
For the next four nights, we camped at the Invercauld campsite in Braemar, somewhere I hadn’t stayed for years and a more attractive site than I remembered. We were allocated a pleasant pitch by trees at the edge of the campsite. It was good to have a base camp set up that would not need to be moved each day, and the place was also well set up for social distancing, with only tents and small campers permitted to use the shared facilities.
As the weather was set fair, we decided to do our planned one-night backpacking expedition over the Monday and Tuesday. Our objectives were four remote Munro Tops on Ben Avon and Beinn a’ Bhuird, the Corbett Creag Mhor, and the Graham Cnoc Chaochan Aitinn, and we had decided the best plan of attack was to approach from the east, parking at Cock Bridge. The first few miles were along the tracks past Inchmore and over the low pass to the shooting lodge at Inchrory in Glen Avon: not the most interesting walking but quick and easy going.
Once we’d passed the Linn of Avon, we soon turned onto the hill path up the northeast ridge of Ben Avon. Part-way up, we passed the ghillie (with shotgun), who had been searching unsuccessfully for his dog that had run off. We didn’t see any sign of it – hopefully he did eventually! The good path made for easy climbing up to Meall Gaineimh – a short detour off the path but worth it for the rocky summit and views ahead to Ben Avon – and then up the ridge to our first Munro Top of the day, East Meur Gorm Craig. This was an interesting rocky ridge with impressive granite crags on its east side. From there it was just a short traverse on to the next Top, West Meur Gorm Craig, higher but less interesting than its eastern neighbour. We had first lunch in a rather blustery spot near the summit. The remainder of the ascent to the summit of Ben Avon was very easy walking, gently uphill over the tundra, passing a few snowfields thanks to the cold Spring. A very strong wind was blasting over the summit tors, but we found a good sheltered spot in the lee of the rocks for second lunch, and spent a while enjoying the views over the grand Garbh Choire separating Ben Avon from Beinn a’ Bhuird.
The continuation down to the bealach and back up to Cnap a’ Chleirich, our next Top, was similarly easy walking, with more good views over the corries north and south. We passed a few walkers going in the opposite direction. From there, we crossed a couple of large snowfields on the traverse to Stob an t-Sluichd, Beinn a’ Bhuird’s northern Top. This was another interesting rocky ridge, with good views west to the snowy plateau of Ben MacDui and Cairn Gorm.
A 3km walk back to the south, gently uphill almost all the way, brought us to the rim of Coire nan Clach, the grand eastern corrie of Beinn a’ Bhuird, from where it was just a short walk to the summit of the Munro. We descended the easy north ridge of the hill to Cnap Leum an Easaich, then more steeply northwest past the crags of Spion Rocks to the River Avon. We hadn’t bargained upon so much snowmelt in estimating how difficult the river would be to cross, but after a few minutes deliberation of the best spot, got on with taking boots off, rolling up trousers, and wading to the other side. The water was actually only about knee deep in the deepest section, and didn’t push us too forcefully. Then we only had to walk a short distance upstream to find some suitable short grass to camp on the riverbank – an attractive location although a bit less sheltered than ideal, making for rather a noisy night after our standard Ainsley Harriet couscous dinner. Day 1 route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578490
The next morning dawned a little cloudier, with a bit of mist over Beinn Mheadhoin. We packed up camp pretty efficiently and were soon ascending the adjacent heathery slopes, directly to the summit of our Corbett objective, Creag Mhor, again a return visit for me but a new bag for Ruth. After enjoying the views for a few minutes, we descended more gently northeast to the bothy at Faindouran Lodge, which has an attractive attic sleeping area. From there, the next few miles were along the riverside track down Glen Avon, enjoying views of yesterday’s Tops, and then another track up Glen Loin and up some zigzags right to the summit of the Graham, Cnap Chaochan Aitinn – not a very exciting peak but fairly remote and worth ticking off while we were passing so close anyway!
We continued along the ridge for a few kilometres then dropped down fairly steeply on sheep tracks into Glen Avon to cross the footbridge opposite the lodge. That just left a reverse walk of the first few miles from the previous day, back past Inchmore to the car. Over 40 miles with backpacking gear over two days made for a pretty tiring expedition, even if most of it was on good tracks or easy tundra. It made for a very enjoyable traverse of the two Munros though, and a good remote camp, far from anywhere or anybody, and some efficient bagging too. Day 2 route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578495
After a night back at base camp in Braemar, with welcome shower facilities, we headed back east to Glen Muick for another walk collecting a few Munro Tops, this time on Lochnagar. Our route started with the standard approach up the track to Clais Rathadan, but rather than continue up the Munro path, we took a rough traverse around Meikle Pap and across the bottom of the main corrie of Lochnagar, giving fine views of the cliffs from below.
Continuing across Coire na Saobhaidhe brought us fairly easily to the day’s first Top, Meall Coire na Saobhaidhe. Traces of path led from there up to Cac Carn Beag, the Munro summit, my third visit. There are very few Munros I’ve visited more than twice, but Lochnagar is certainly one that’s worth returning to. We spent a few minutes enjoying the views over the extremely impressive buttresses and gullies at the corrie rim.
Then we headed south across the plateau to the two flat Tops labelled White Mounth on the map, quite appropriately today as there were a few good snowfields. We then traversed around the head of Glas Allt to reach Cuidhe Crom, covered in unusual red boulders, and down the ridge to the day’s final Top, Little Pap. We descended the steep but very well built path down Glas Allt, past an unexpectedly impressive waterfall, to soon reach the shore of Loch Muick, from where the lakeside track led all the way back to the car park, gradually getting busier as we approached the foot of the loch and tourist terrain! We resupplied on groceries in Ballater for the remainder of the trip before returning to camp. Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578503
On Thursday morning, we got up quite early to break camp and do the long-ish drive north, over the Lecht pass and Slochd summit to Inverness (for fuel) and on north to Ben Wyvis. We knew it’s a busy car park, so were pleased to find a few spaces still free mid-morning on a bright summer day. The first objective of the walk was Ben Wyvis’ lower Corbett neighbour, Little Wyvis: rather a rough ascent from the northwest, but not as bad as I remembered it from my previous visit. We were surprised to pass another hillwalker descending as we approached the summit ridge. The summit gave very hazy views west to the Fannaichs, An Teallach and the Beinn Dearg hills, and also southwest towards Strathfarrar and Strathconon. It’s always fun to look at these extensive mountain panoramas and remember that I’ve climbed literally all the major peaks in the view!
Our onward route traversed east over the rough bealach, following an old fence line, to gain the long south ridge of Ben Wyvis, which we climbed all the way to the summit, the ground gradually getting easier on ever shorter grass as we gained height. Ominous grey clouds had been gradually approaching from the south, so we were pleased that when they arrived, they didn’t actually bring any rain, and in fact brought significantly clearer air, giving better views of the peaks we’d only seen hazily from Little Wyvis. More easy grass walking took us down and back up to Ben Wyvis’ northeast Top, Glas Leathad Beag, which gave unexpectedly good views back to the parent peak over its impressive northeastern corries, a few that only a very small proportion of visitors to Ben Wyvis must see!
Having traversed back up along the ridge to Tom a’ Choinnich, we descended along the rough north banks of the Allt a’ Ghairbh Bhaid, eventually reaching the forest tracks that lead back to the car park. My sore ankle didn’t really appreciate the several kilometres of tussocky, pathless descent. Another 45 minutes or so of driving took us to the attractive campsite in Cannich, where I’ve enjoyed staying a few times before, where we settled in for the final two nights of our trip. Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578508
Ruth’s objectives for Friday were the two Corbetts south of Glen Affric. My ankle was still quite sore from the previous day’s descent, so I opted instead for a slow and easy walk along the tracks south of Loch Affric, to the bridge at Athnamulloch and back. This gave good views over the loch and up towards Mam Sodhail, and later of Mullach Fraoch-choire. Thankfully, the ankle gradually loosened as I walked. Once back at the car I walked around the two very short signed loop trails, up to a memorial and down to the River Affric, then sat at a picnic table reading until Ruth got back an hour or so later. It was a shame not to be able to accompany Ruth, but I remembered these two peaks being quite rough, particularly on the ascent, and largely pathless, so I am sure it was the right decision. Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578510
On Saturday, we were again up early to break camp and make a long-ish drive to our walking destination: back to the Cairngorms, this time from Glen Feshie. My ankle felt stronger again, and I knew that the majority of the walk would be on paths, so I decided to give it a go, motivated of course by the lure of new Munro Tops. We parked in the Allt Ruadh car park, and made good progress up the footpath through the woods, and then a good unmapped path up the corrie to the bealach with Creag Mhigeachaidh. A short, pathless ascent over short heather and boulders led to the summit of Geal-charn, once a Munro in its own right, but now just a Munro Top. From there, we were back on tundra for the traverse over the next Top, Meall Buidhe, incidentally my last Munro Top in the Cairngorms, and on up to Sgoran Dubh Mor. This is a fine viewpoint over Gleann Einich to Braeriach and the northern corries of Cairn Gorm. Continuing south along the ridge to the Munro, Sgor Gaoith, gave closer views steeply down to Loch Einich, and also over the corrie towards Monadh Mor.
We could see as we approached that the summit was busy with other walkers, as expected on a popular Cairngorm peak on a sunny Saturday. What we weren’t expecting at the summit was to find an Australian who’d ridden up on his electric bike, parked it right on the summit cairn, and cracked open a can of Tennants to celebrate. We found a peaceful spot a few hundred metres further south to eat our lunch away from the crowds, atop the crags. Our descent route by the path from Carn Ban Mor proved to be a very quick and easy one, with a well-made pitched path all the way and very easy gradients. We made good time back to the head of the road at Auchlean, and the final few kilometres back down the lane to our car park. Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1578513
The drive back to Ruth’s house went smoothly, arriving around 8pm without delay. I stayed the night there before continuing to Derby on Sunday morning. Another excellent Spring Bank Holiday week in the Highlands, perhaps the snowiest we’ve had on the high peaks, and also the fewest midges in the valleys (just a few in Cannich). It was good to collect another 12 Munro Tops, leaving me with just 16 to go. Looking forward to those, as they’re scattered around a selection of very fine peaks in the west, including Liathach, the Black Cuillin, Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan, the Grey Corries, and Ben More (Crianlarich). Maybe next year will be the year I finally get that last Corbett too?!
My full photo album from the trip is available on Google Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/etYtSFM1Yj6nNSo38
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