Carn a'Mhaim from Linn of Dee

Climbed by year and month

Climbed by year and month

Spring has finally sprung, and in the words of John Muir - "The mountains are calling and I must go". I have been meaning to do Carn a' Mhaim since my backpacking trip last autumn. It had been on the plan but I was too exhausted to haul an overnight pack over it and Ben Macdui so escaped via the Lairig Ghu - which was another of my must do's at some point.

After much deliberation and looking at inconsistent and an ever changing weather forecast I gave up my indecision and finished packing the van ready to set off for the Linn of Dee. Decision made, I'd just have to see what happened. It was late. Arriving in the dark was eerie, a good half-dozen cars were parked up. How many contained people doing the same as me - crashing out for the night ready to be up early in the morning. Turned out to be at least 3 vehicles.

In the woodland car park there wasn't much of a view of the morning. After a good breakfast I filled my water bottles, gathered my lunch, and stuffed my fett into lightweight ankle boots - I chose the middle pair. Light enough for a good pace on the tracks, good enough on the rocky steep stuff with the advantage of less chance of snow getting in over the cuff if I end up kicking steps.

As I set off through the woodland there were two guys with a 12yo border collie just behind me. The dog carrying the biggest stick, or branch he could find, or a stone from one of the many burns. One guy carried 2 small bottles of water. The other a well filled large military camo rucksack whom I heard mutter to his mate "I don't understand why all these people carry poles and ice axes and stuff". Mate, not all of are just going to Corrour bothy. They stopped for a while just after Derry Lodge so I overtook them for the last time. It's a shame to see the lodge continuing to crumble, boarded up and unloved. Hopefully the plan to open it as a hostel will go ahead before it's too late to refurbish it.

Dropping down to the Luibeg Burn the noise increased dramatically. I didn't even manage to cross the first stream as it was in spate. The main river would be impossible to cross. I backtracked a few metres and picked up a narrow and boggy path heading upstream. Luibeg Bridge used to cross the burn where I had been, but the buttresses were washed away by a storm in 1956. When rebuilt it was sited 1/2mile upstream over a deep gorge where the buttresses could be on rock. Today it's still there, which is why there are paths either side just before reaching the river leading off to reach it.

Rejoining the path to the Lairig Ghru for couple of hundred metres I soon spotted my path onto Cairn a' Mhaim. Small sections of stone pitched steps with cross drains kept interrupting my rhythm climbing these lower slopes. I often don't see the point of them, particularly here where the slopes aren't particularly steep, these were built as is usual for taller people. Small rough zigzags appeared as the slope steepened considerably and stone pitching mostly abandoned. The long walk in had taken it's toll and I found myself stopping frequently to have a breather. Turning around the view behind me vast but largely anonymous, I couldn't name any of the far off hills.

Steep bit over with the ground eased and the summit ridge came into view. Odd snow patches dotted the scenery. The path continued climbing around the ridge to the left, away from the direct line to climb to the col behind. On this west side I found a large steep snow bank. Despite my ice axe I didn't fancy the steep slushy climb preferring to continue below it before climbing up rock to near the summit. The cairn, a rough jumble of stones looks out over the Lairig Ghru and to the scree slopes of Ben Macdui. Across the Lairig was a good view of The Devil's Point and my campsite on the col last autumn.

The walk back was painful. I returned along the summit ridge and down the 'direct' path which crossed a few boulder fields. The snow patches were fine, although one had a snow bridge over a running burn that was mildly 'interesting'. By the time I got to the stone pitching again I did everything to avoid the steps by going off the path alongside. Kind of defeats the purpose of building a path if it isn't constructed in a way which enables people to use it. Hence we see many paths alongside such 'engineering works' as people find they hurt their knees on every step. Even on the relatively flat track my muscles screamed; they were not used to such activity having had a rest over much of winter.

Reaching the car park I disturbed a bloke looking in other people's vehicles, what for I don't know, I was too tired for arguments and just scowled at him with disapproval.