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.
A near perfect weather forecast suggested a long weekend of high camps above the midges around the Cairngorms 4000 footers (plus a few). The train and bus took me quickly to the ski car-park and a brisk walk up "Windy Ridge" path to Cairngorm. A traverse round Stob Coire an t-Sneachda became pathless and I camped In Coire Domhain. Friday morning saw me walking along with a herd of reindeer towards Feith Buidhe and over Ben Macdui before tackling the boulders to the long ridge of Carn a'Mhaim. Descending to Luibeg Ridge I followed the path past Corrour Bothy and up to Bod an Deamhain. I camped by the second stream on Buidheanach of Cairntoul. The next morning I moved the tent near to the pools by the Alt Clais an t-Sabhail. Leaving it here I traversed round Loch nan Stuirteag, ascended Monadh Mor by the stream desceding its Eastern face. Following the path to Beinn Bhrotain I returned the same way to my tent. The next day I climbed by the stream to the pass at 1140 for a quick up and down of Cairn Toul, then following the clifftop over Sgor an Lochain Uaine and Carn na Criche, before exploring the area around the Wells of Dee. It was then over Braeriach and a camp on the nameless spur at 963 999. Up until now the weekend had seen Cairngorms plateau and Lairig Ghru clear of a cloud inversion, but after pitching the tent the cloud burst through and I was enveloped in mist. Visibility remained low for the descent until I came out below the cloud in the Lairig Ghru as I desceded via Sron na Lairige. I returned to Aviemore via Rothiemurchus to catch my train home.
