Start: Car Park by Loch Morlich NH 95742 09627
Distance: 24k
Duration: 12 hours
Direction: South through forest tracks then more steeply continuing south along paths; rising steeply and turning W then SW to top. Descending N then NW around base to re-join route up in reverse.
Description: Classic route up Braeriach, one of the 4000 feet+ mountains of Scotland. Beginning on land rover forest tracks then takes tracks alongside stream heading in a gully southbound. There is then a steep turn up Sron na Lairige which is difficult, steep sloping and full of boulders. Very slow going here; this caused difficulty for Mum and Dad (this was there most challenging walk and one which Dad always wanted to do but had never done before); they asked if there was any other way down. With good visibility, I recommended grassy slopes into Coire Beanaidh, which proved a good route tracing the lower edge of Coire Gorm. This was a little boggy but not too bad due to the very dry weather.
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.
