Headed out from Rothiemurchus Lodge into strong head wind and snow.
Got some shelter in the lairig, stopped for some hot water and started to enjoy ourselves.
Steep climb out both had us feeling a bit sugar low so we stopped in a slight lea and scranned some bars.
Ridiculously windy on the plateau. And very beautiful. Some brief sunshine and a lot of spindrift being scoured off and forming huge cornices about the Lairig.
At Sron na Lairige we got the shelter out and had a leisurely lunch - a good kit test for the shelter. Ali suggested keeping some piss bags with the shelter so you wouldn`t have to go outside if it was an emergency.
DP at the next summit. We continued into the saddle and climbed into cloud on Braeriach. We gained the summit ridge a bit higher than another wee saddle and followed it tentatively, knowing to out L were massive cornices and catastrophic drops. In a world of white we reached the summit, altimeter and GPS confirming our location. From here a careful descent. At one point we did stray towards the corniced edge but fortunately realised our mistake in good time. Otherwise descent was fine.
Compass bearing and pacing back to the 1184 cairn, which I hit bang on, and to the 1176 which I passed 10m to the side of (nothing to aim off at)
From here our descent was rapid, spurred on my possible lightning to the W (at which point I remembered that thunder had been forecast as possible).
Having left Braeriach summit at 1530 we reach Rothiemurchus at 1745 and without use of head torches. The wind had died and a hole in the clouds to the W allowed just enough light to see by.
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.
