NAVIGATION COURSE, CAIRNGORMS

Chris navigating across the Cairngorm plateau

Castlegates Gully

Hells Lum Crag

Cloud clearing across the Cairngorm plateau

The gem of the Cairngorms, Loch Avon basin

Remaining snow patches, Feith Buidhe area

Hells Lum

Love this view

Cairngorm plateau across to Derry Cairngorm

Male Ptarmigan changing into Spring plumage

 It was another lovely Spring sunshine day in The Cairngorms. The cloud cleared and burned off by mid day, leaving warm sun, hardly and wind and great views. Chris was out with me today, brushing up on some navigation skills in preparation for his Hill and Moorland Leader Award assessment at the end of this month. This relatively new award was 'invented' for D of E trainers and assessors. We headed onto the Cairngorm plateau and soon got off the paths, into some good areas east of Ben Macdui where the features are more of a challenge. The only features in this area are contours and burns with the odd tiny lochain. This standard of navigation is above the standard of the Hill and Moorland Award, so he should find his assessment a walk in the park! We got fabulous views, contouring around the Feith Buidhe slabs area. Beautiful and wild place and guaranteed to see no one. The views from here of Loch Avon and the Shelterstone crag is just stunning. Good luck to Chris on his assessment.