GRAMPIAN GLORIES

October 6th and 7th, 2012

"I'm a little Teapot, short and stout......."

A clear though windy day in early autumn, and a steady pull from Loch Muick up to the summit of Lochnagar at 1155 metres. The last time I was here, had been via the Stuic ridge, seven years before in 2005.

I mentioned Tracey's little act on the summit cairn, so Matt tried it too. (Frank didn't).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lord Byron was not forgotten:-

"England thy beauties are tame and domestic

To one who has roamed over mountains afar

Oh ! for the crags that are wild and majestic

The steep frowning glories of dark Lochnagar"

 

 

This was all too much, so off we bounced over another 4 of them thar Munro thingies, to make a big circuit (nearly 20 miles) of Loch Muick, finally ending at Broad Cairn .

 

 

After a long day (and a fairly long evening's refreshment) on Saturday, Matt had a lesser objective for Sunday; the single Munro of An Socach, by its easiest route up the glen from the A93.

 

It was a peerless morning. The hillsides were thronged with hundreds of Red Deer, all along the 5km of the glen. Being the rutting season, the roaring of stags echoed back and forth down the valley as they competed for this season's privileges.

Under blue cloudless skies, we made our way to the 944 metre summit, which is a 2km long and almost level ridge.

 

 

The views were crystal clear, and with the full Cairngorm panorama spread out to the north, we saw the first snows glittering white on the highest parts of Brieriach and Ben Macdui. To the southeast, Mount Keen, and to the southwest, all the way to Schiehallion.

 

Although I've walked all these hills before, today it was exquisite, and called to mind Queen Victoria:-

"we came upon such a lovely view,

Beinn a' Ghlo straight before us

........ but no description can at all do it justice"............

and no camera could either, unfortunately.

ANDREW