Cairngorms

[AlexGlynn]

Hi,
im planning a hike up to the cairngorms with duke of edinburgh gold and having never been there before I would be grateful if anyone could suggest any insites or routes bearing in mind the hike itself is 50 miles over 4 days with no public footpaths allowed. Any comments appreciated,
regards
Alex

 

[seamonkey]

Hi,
im planning a hike up to the cairngorms with duke of edinburgh gold and having never been there before I would be grateful if anyone could suggest any insites or routes bearing in mind the hike itself is 50 miles over 4 days with no public footpaths allowed. Any comments appreciated,
regards
Alex

Hi Alex - what is it you are looking for exactly - are you hiking with an experienced group who have knowledge of the Cairncorms? I'm sure you have heard this before but its a vvvvvvery changable place.

First steps maps , second step learn maps , third step more maps seriously thu let me know , I have a few mates who would help you out with a wealth of local knowledge around these parts and know some superb boothies.

Just don't go calling a Glenn a Valley

whats your proposed route , i.e have you a goal in mind like ben macdui ?

Cheers

G

 

[seamonkey]

cross link to another cairncorms post i made

cheers

 

[troy]

Don't know if I can help, but I only live 1/2 hour from them and they're sort of the place I go to escape/ watch nature/get knackered for no apparent reason in etc.

Took my kid and a few of his friends on a 30 miler only a few weeks ago - if you have ideas about what mountains you wanna climb/walk up, sights you wanna see, lovely fast flowing river crossing you wanna avoid, do tell.

 

[troy]

Got a route for you to consider which avoids river crossing without bridges, means wild camps (pass some bothies around lunch time) but is only about 45 miles maybe more if you include the ups and downs.

look at OS sheet 36
day 1 - start car park 9807 finish at lochan nan stuirteag 9495 via Braeriach (11miles, up 800m)
day 2 - from loch to wods in glen derry (stay on left side of river - nice wild camps about 1 mile above derry lodge) 0494, via devils point and track down to bothy. (13 miles, up 200m)
day 3 - woods to mountain refuge at fords of avon 0403 via loch etchachan, ben macdui, cairngorm down to loch avon. (10 miles, up 1000m)
day 4 - refuge to start car park via bynack stables, green loch (lochan uaine) and just before glenmore lodge you follow track through woods to bridge at 984084, cross road and follow track beside river to bridge you crossed on first day at 984072 and return to carpark. (11 miles, up 100m)

First two days should warm them up to the 3rd big day and end easily. Have camped at all places and are quite nice, except the curry was a bit cold by the time they found us at day 2 - if you have nice weather your see some great views, if its bad you won't care about any views.