EASILY LED to Devils Point

 

 

As I'd just spend 4 days away on the Dales Way, a Wednesday to Friday "weekend" trip to the Cairngorms just fitted in before some weekend guests arrived, although it involved hasty preparations. However I was Easily Led into it by Franks Itinerary of Bob Scott's and Corrour bothies.

In the car with Frank and Matt Diggle - YMC's foremost afficionados of granddad rock - there was a Whole Lotta Led booming from the speakers as we sped north. I was amazed to reflect that its eight years since I last slept at Corrour in 2002, and - gasp - three and a half years have already slipped by since Tenk and I made our somewhat infamous "Ten Years Gone" trip to Monad Mor with its seisimic consequences at Bob Scott's.

The Fife Arms at Braemar was driven straight past, so parking at Linn of Dee we went immediately to Ramble On in the gloaming for a quick 50 minute march to Bob Scotts. The bothy was in darkness, but in fact was occupied by three cyclists with guitars, copious alcohol, and towing a baby trailer to Bring It On Home; they'd arrived at 5pm and crashed out by 11. Anyway we were able to actually sleep inside the Hut this time, which was a first !

Thursday looked like a Misty Mountain day,

but the skies eased as we marched west into the wilderness and the heather was Trampled Under Foot. My right knee began to take notice of the steady tramp. In a couple of hours we approached the Lairig Ghru, and saw the Black Mountain Side of Bod am Fhitich --- the Devil's Penis, as the Gaels called it before Queen Victoria came.

I like the southern end of the Lairig Ghru:- the scenery is massive yet with a simple grandeur, which is somehow both awesome and calming too. Arriving at remote Corrour, we found ourselves sole possessors and laid out spaces. Behind the bothy, a repaired path leads like a Stairway To the plateau and round to the Summit of Bod am Fhitich at 1004 metres.

 

The clouds had retreated above 1200 metres, but my arthritic knee continued its commentary on the day's walking. Anyway, we swung north now up rockier territory to Stob Coire an t-Saigheir at 1213 metres, on the way to Carn Toul, Britain's fourth highest summit.

As I'd been this way before in thick mist, what I really wanted was the views down into the Garbh Corrie, so as the mist was closing in again on this occasion, it wasn't too much of a Heartbreaker for me when the Knee suggested quite strongly that it would prefer to be resting at Corrour. So I went to get the tea on, whilst Frank and Matt went to bag the summits but not the views. Shame, as I can't say How Many More Times i might get back there.

Another bothy evening. Food, tea, wine, a bright fire, convivial conversation, the company of friends, and of course uisge........ not to mention the bothy dominoes !!

We were joined by a couple of Aberdeen students, who kept nipping outside (as it seemed) to smoke something which smelled nice, but they didn't get overly Dazed and Confused and then slumber overtook us all.

Friday was an early morning with a big plan. Matt proposed going back up the "stairway" path and taking high ground to make a circuit of Monadh Mor and Beinn Bhrotain.

As I'd already been there twice before - and with smashing stories attached to each occasion- I felt free to listen to my Knee instead, and chose a leisurely 4 -hour stroll down the infant River Dee via Chest of Dee waterfalls

 

and White Bridge to Linn of Dee car park. As there was a little of What Is And What Should Never Be - ie bothy rubbish - I could happily carry out a couple of bags. So it was "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" for a walk by the river In The Light of the early morning. I saw no-one, heard little but running water, for the first 3 hours, and remembered the various and hilarious Good Times Bad Times which we had hereabouts.

We had made some good estimates of time, and Frank and Matt turned up at the car park in the afternoon, just as expected. No Communication Breakdown, so with all of us well satisfied and the Munros bagged, off we set for Glen Shee and England once more

Thanks for a good couple of days guys. I didn't plan any of that, but I'm Easily Led
ANDREW