14.5km, 365m cycle + 30km, 1470m + 14.5km, 260m cycle - a mammoth day!
Left the van at 7.15 for the cycle up Glen Avon, past Inchrory, to the bridge at GR155067 8.30. I angled up the subsidiary ridge of Meall Gaineimh to pick up a lovely path which contoured beautifully to East Muir Gorm Craig 10.15. the path disappeared into the granite wilderness of Ben Avon, reaching West Muir Gorm Craig at 10.55. The summit of Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe was reached at 11.50, and gave a welcome break to the persistently chilly wind. Before the will weakened I headed south to Carn Eas 12.50, where I met another solitary walker from Aberdeen. The drop to Creag an Dail Mhor 13.30 was steep, making its ascent a bit of a killer. A gentle contour across to The Sneck and the last major ascent to Cnap a` Chlèiich 15.30, and the trudge to Beinn a Bhuird 16.00, an innocuous `summit`. North east took me to the rocky ridge of Stob an t-Sluichd 17.00. Then the long descent in intermittent rain to the footbridge at GR126059, a bit of a wobbly one 17.00. Then the walk along the track before abandoning it for the low level route beside the avon back to the bike 20.00. I finally got back to the van at 21.15 - a 14 hour day!
The south top of Beinn a Bhuird will have to wait till I head in to do Square Face and/or Mitre Ridge.
Area :
The Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are ‘a little piece of the arctic in Scotland’ according to the SMC Munros Guide and the area contains many of the tallest peaks in the East Highlands. Ben Macdui (1309m), Cairn Gorm (1244m) and Braeriach (1296) are probably three of the better known and the whole area is full of steep corries and high plateaux. Access to the mountains is typically from Aviemore or Braemar.
