With the upcoming camping meet having no venue I spent the previous saturday & sunday poring over long range weather forecasts and camping websites. By monday things were indicating (shock horror!) 3 days of good weather with a slight preference for an easterly venue. I’d remembered Dalraddy was a pleasant location and they had plenty of space.
Coming up to the campsite on Friday those of us lucky enough to not be working visited various hills in good weather-
Perry & Martha went up the remote but very accessible (by bike) corbett Stob an Aonaich Mhoir.
Steve was also on a bike and bagged the duo of An Dun & A’Chaoirnich.
Fiona & I had a 4th ascent of the Monaliadth 3 in traditionally boggy conditions.
Claire was top bagging above Loch Mullardoch so kind of went up & then back down to the campsite.
And finally David visited the corbett Beinn a’ Bha’ach Ard from Glen Strathfarrar
After watching Sarah skillfully erect her marquee for the weekend (inflatable!) we suffered a moderate midging whilst discussing plans for the Saturday. Weather forecast was very promising!
We all departed to various locations in the Cairngorms, where else would you go in such a good forecast!
Hamish, Martha, Sarah & Claire headed up the ever popular Fiacaill Ridge.They then went their separate ways. Hamish & Sarah went up Beinn Mheadhoin before heading back via Loch Avon. Claire & Martha did a second scramble on the Feith Bhuidhe before ticking off multiple munro tops.
Steve & Perry independently went to Creag Mhor, a very nice corbett near Bynack Mor. (Independently as Steve needed to sit in a virtual queue for a fruitless attempt to buy Oasis tickets.)
David went furtheset afield and after narrowly avoiding a deer on the drive round he combined the two corbetts either side of the Lecht road.(Carn Ealasaid & Carn Mor)
Finally Fiona & I did the long (nearly 3 hours!) walk in to Creagan a’ Choire Etchachan optimistically hoping for some dry rock. There was but not the route we wanted however we had a very enjoyable repeat of the superb Scabbard. We then decided to not look for any more dry rock and nipped up Beinn Mheadhoin enjoying expansive views of the Cairngorms.
Back at the campsite we tried out the pop-up thai takeaway which turned out to be excellent, one to return to for sure.
More plans were hatched for the sunday from Sarah’s marquee fuelled by Steves home made sloe gin.
Sunday was a bit greyer and windier. Most of us enjoyed a very sociable circuit of Creag Ruadh, where we nibbled on plenty of blaeberries and explored the impressive Dun da Lamh hill fort (https://forestryandland.gov.scot/learn/heritage/visit-heritage-sites/dun-da-lamh-fort). We descended down a surprisingly enjoyable black mountain bike trail.
Steve opted for the very very remote corbett of Beinn Bhreac site of many a Sufferfest. A broken man he opted to break up his journey south with another night in the van!
A great combination of weather, location and most importantly good company. Thanks everyone for a great meet.
Mike W
