Navigation Course, Tue 23rd Sept 08

Climbed by year and month

Climbed by year and month

After some faffing we got a minibus to the Coire Cas car park. And headed into Coire an t'Sneachta, past the two lochans and up the head wall onto the Cairngorm plateau. We then picked up the path to Lochan Buidhe. We were now into pacing and timing everything. This was no exception.

Our destination was Ben Macdui which we got to in mist, so no views. On the way up I tripped over a rock and fell. I felt my back being stressed and had the sense to shift my weight a bit and roll over onto my side rather than be speadeagled face down into the sand and gravel of the track. Not sure if it helped, but my back ached the rest of the week.

We took a roundabout route back, taking some open, boggy and boulder ridden ground. As well as some rivers. It was certainly an experience. Most of my previous walking has been on well marked or constructed paths.

Eventually we found ourselves above Shelter Stone Crag. The way back to the Cas was to contour round westwards and head back to Coire an t' Sneachta.

We were all tired and achy. Our illustrious leader, Nathan, described it as a 'beast of a day'. With all that bog and boulder hopping it certainly was.