Mountain cragging in winter

The final (fun) opportunity for my week off was the chance to go mountain cragging in Scotland in winter! I hooked up with Harpic (Martin Hind) for this mini adventure. It was great to see him again, he's such a cool and interesting fellow (I'm sure he won't read this so I'm safe!).

There she blows... Stac Pollaidh

The joke is that summer or winter, no matter the adventure when you ask what time does he want to meet, the answer is always 9.30am, after he has sorted out his horses! Fine, but a couple of winters ago I couldn't get used to this approach.. but I have to say that it totally works, and he's so fit, that he manages to fit anything into this time period - he likes to finish early too!

So with a sunny forecast we headed west as Martin fancied climbing Vlad the Impaler (HVS) on Stac Pollaidh. The weather started off well, but as we neared the base of the crag it was a wee bit chilly with a gale force wind!

A sheltered snack after the climb

We climbed the route, which is a great route, very gritstoneesque with lots of jamming (which I did in gloves). It was now baltic and I was surprised we weren't blown off the route. We decided not to do another route... and as we decended the top of Stac Pollaidh became enveloped in cloud. Need to go back for Jack the Ripper (E1) now, but maybe when a little less breezy!

The cloud rolls in

Hike a Bike

I should really have been purely bike training, but with last weeks good weather I decided I could maybe combine a mountain bike ride with a munro in the Cairngorms.

I have wanted to visit Beinn a' Chaorainn (Cairngorms) for some time. It sits above the famous Lairig an Laoigh pass and Fords of Avon. In one sense it's a little remote, either a 30km round trip from the Linn of Dee, or around 35km (round trip) from Glenmore Lodge. I know there are much more remote hills, but it takes a little while to get to it!

skein of geese

I decided to bike in from Glenmore Lodge over the shoulder of Bynack More. So off I toddled on my bike on a glorious sunny day. It was mainly rideable over the shoulder, with various bits of pushing to keep me amused.

Looking back to Ryvoan from Bynack More's shoulder

I got to within a km or so of the Fords of Avon, and as the track wasn't rideable in either direction I just left the bike at the side of the path knowing I'd get it on the way back (I hoped..).

bike, you can stay here

Fords of Avon refuge

The ford was fine (it's not rained for a week), but clearly there was a thaw going on so I guess some snow melt was being fed down the water courses. It was slightly more difficult to cross than when I was last here, and I could see that it wouldn't take much to make it impassible.

le top

A quick snack and I shot up Beinn a' Chaorainn after fording the river. I didn't find any path as it's normally approached from the Linn of Dee. Once on it's shoulder it was easy walking in the beautiful sunshine and I saw ptarmigan and hare both out of place still in their white winter coats.

the students start back to Aberdeen

fording...

I didn't expect to see anyone all day, but surprised 3 young folk in jeans with little equipment on the summit who had come across from Aberdeen for the day. After a friendly chat they soon left and I took in the 360 degree vista. Up until this point I'd not taken any real pictures, and thought I'd not bother.... but I started to feel more enthused about trying to capture some of the days highlights so the camera came out on the way back.

you can do it!

Returning to the ford I bumped into a party of hikers walking the Lairig an Laoigh and Lairig Ghru circuit. They were very friendly, but made heavy weather of the river crossing which gave me a focus for some pictures. I left them eating (packaged) omelette (great snack) and skipped back to the bike.

drink and paddle stop (so cold!)

The ride and push back was great, and not at all arduous. It was so sunny and mild that I got through the 2 litres in the platypus and needed an extra litre of burn water.. I took this opportunity for a paddle, which was pretty cold but refreshing. The stretch back from Bynack More's shoulder to Glenmore is so good on a bike, fast as you dare... A gentle 6' 30" hill day.