Excellent few days out in the main valleys of the central Cairngorms – namely the Lairig Gru, Glen Lui, Glen Derry and Glen Avon as a means of checking out the state of the lower level routes, potential wild camping sites and the general condition of the bothies. Loaded up the pack with 4 days of food and full trekking gear taking the weight up to 15 kilos. This should have been 14 kilos but decided to put in Taiga the Trekking Dog’s sleeping bag which added another kilo. No water carried as I always use a Water-To-Go bottle which means I can scoop directly from any source which is then immediately filtered and drinkable. Lightweight! Also made sure Taiga was well catered for and he had his 3 kilos of food in his RoughWear panniers attached to his back! Just amazed at out how happy he is to be out in the wild despite having to carry his share of the load. Weather was pleasantly warm and thankfully dry. Could this be the sign of the summer to come?
Started off from Cairngorm Mountain after leaving the car there. Also left my general plans at the Ranger station. Headed towards Luchers and crossed and forced a route over the northern shoulder of Creag an Leth-Choin to the Chalamain Gap. Rough going as always through the boulders but it was good to test out Taiga and difficult terrain with his full load. He is still getting used to the width of his panniers, but only got jammed between rocks once. Pleasant walking over to the Pools of Dee and a banter and brew with a couple of guys out for the night from Edinburgh. Ambled down towards Corrour and caught up with Luca [Italian living and working in London] out for a full week trekking and carrying about 20 kilos. Corrour Bothy extremely clean and tidy, and set up the tents at the front. Great evening in the bothy talking with Luca and later Lisa who appeared from Derry Lodge. Young dutch lady studying fashion at Aberdeen University and walking coast to coast on a meandering route that had already taken her over Lochnagar the previous day. Warm but breezy night in the tent which kept the midges at bay. Taiga slept the full night outside and didn’t seem too concerned about nearby grouse. A leisurely start and a steady trek towards Derry Lodge via Glen Luibeg got Luca and me to Bob Scott’s bothy for a lunchtime swim and a short siesta in the heat of the day…at least 25 degrees!
We then strode on gallantly along Glen Derry, up Coire Etchachan and arrived at Hutchinsons for yet another night pitched up outside a bothy and more banter with two graduate marine biologists from Aberdeen who were ambling out before their departure to Darwin, Australia for more intrepid adventures. Another dry night below the cloud level allowed us to wake to an increasingly bright day and a pleasant trek up Glen Derry to the Fords of Avon. Crossing the river gave few difficulties especially as Luca and I had packed sandals. Taiga made his own way across the flow, once he had been debagged and lightened of his panniers. He seems to be enjoying water a little more but have yet to see him swim. Great lunch in the sunshine set us up for the long haul up the Northern edge of Loch Avon.
We set up camp on the western shore of the Loch under the impressive Stag Rocks with its late evening climbers calling out the state of their belays whilst being monitored by soaring eagles. Taiga slightly disgraced himself by finding some human excrement and rubbing his face in it. He then become a flying dog as he was repeatedly flung into the Loch to clean off. He can now swim! A muggy night meant sleeping on top of the sleeping bag. Midges drove Taiga mad…seemed to be attacking his nose and his protestations kept me awake to the extent where he was allowed into the midge proofness of the tent. Day reappeared at 3.00 am and the light across the loch was an true exemplification why trekking in the Cairngorms is so worthwhile. Luca and I decided on an early morning lightweight romp up Ben Macdui and set off through the Shelter Stone area, avoiding a persistent snow slope and making our way to the summit via Loch Etchachan and the northeren edge of the Grey Man’s Crag.
We saw many family groups of ptarmigan with their chicks on the way up and snow buntings on the summit. Not a soul on the top except us, nor a breath of wind, with views right across to the Nevis range in the clarity of the early morning. Once we had sated our yearning for glorious views we retraced our footsteps towards Loch A’an. A swim, clothes washed [dried on the rocks in 30 minutes] and decamp then saw us climbing the steepness of Coire Raibert in the heat of the day. A steady trek over the summit of Cairngorm and down to the car park gave way to a brilliant 4 days out in the hills. I then drove Luca to Glenmore Lodge so he could make his way to the bottom of Strathnethy, camp up and continue his trekking adventure in the area for the next three days. It was wonderful to be out with my two companions although Luca’s conversation was much more erudite than Taiga’s. Dog and I headed home, both enriched by the views and the people we had met.