Due to high wind forcast multiday trip needed to be low level with option to go high.
Day 1) YHA, Strath Neathy, SW end of Loch Avon nr Shelterstone. Camped by Loch Avon, BBC were filming at shelter stone and had taped it off. 550m. 17km 9.5 hrs
Day 2)Woke up to low flying helicopter that nearly sucked up our tent! Visited YHA basecamp, BBC were talking up climbers to be some kind of God..."we are drinking organic tea and flying everything in my helicopter to be environmentally friendly, you can`t meet the famous climbers, they are too busy`. We didn`t ask to be hey ho. Loch Avon to southern shore to Avon refuge, up Allt an Scallaidh, through Lairigan Laoigh and west to Coire Etchachan, went to bothy to make a brew in the warm and ended up staying in Hutchinson`s Memorial hut bothy as soo windy, didnt fancy pitching tent. Decided after a very cold night sleep that I need a new sleeping bag and a better sleep matt. 12.5km.
Day 3) SW up Ben Macdui to Maiden Creagan an Leth-Chain. Lots of people wearing shorts and tshirt as we were wrapped up in every layer. Very very windy on the top, lots of people stood on the edge!!!, Ski Centre, YHA. 18km.
With Ellie
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.
