MIDGE & CLOUD IN TORRIDON

 

At last, a view

Liathach, well some of it

The pines

I've been over in Torridon, guiding on Beinn Damph for Torridon Outdoors. On Thursday I was joined by Alan & Audrey were out with me and wanting an easy hill day with great views. 

More Butterwort please

...and more Sundews

Plenty of Scotch Argus around

Unfortunately  we were walking in thick cloud most of the time. We did get to see at least 8 adult Ptarmigan and 4 chicks in 3 different locations up high on the ridge, as we walked in thick cloud to the summit.

A view less summit

I was camping for two nights amongst the midges. No pic-nicking outside the porch for me!

Now you know why July & August are my least favourite months of the year!

A wet Beinn Eighe on Wednesday evening 

Good midge protection 

A walk back over the Coulin Pass this morning. Very low cloud to 200m or less and I can safely say no temperature inversions just now. Midges so bad I had the midge net on even when walking. At least the flora and fauna made up for the lack of mountain vistas.

Coulin Pass

Damn midges

Achnashellach,  the start to great adventures,  or an escape from midges

BIVVY ON BEN MACDUI

 

Fabulous sunset Friday evening 

The heatwave continues! More very hot conditions on the hills with clear skies, no wind and blazing sun. Temperatures in the high teens, even at Munro level. Walking sensibly in these conditions is a sure way to enjoy the hills. If you're into doing your finest PB over 10 Munros and winning cups on Strava then maybe you're not taking it seriously? With great conditions set to continue over the weekend we decided to have a high bivvy on Ben Macdui. 

7.30pm start and still very warm

We set out at 7.30pmon Fridayevening, beating the heat of the day. It's only a 3 hour walk up to Ben Macdui so plenty of daylight and we were hoping for a fine sunset. We were not disappointed!

Nice grassy bivvy and nearby water

I did a lot of bivvying a few years ago. It's the simplist form of 'camping. You can make it as light as possible. I sometimes don't take a sleeping bag and stove. Tonight we had more luxury with both these items plus thermarests, 2 camera bodies and lenses plus fresh coffee & croissants for the morning! I still got all this into a 45L rucsack.

Sunset over the Fannichs

There were a few midges about but nothing biting. It was a warm night. It's light at 4.30am these days. We were soon enjoying the sunrise from the summit of Ben Macdui. 

First light on Braeriach plateau  from Macdui

Temperature inversion in the Lairig Ghru 

The last few days there have been temperature inversions in the mornings. This morning the cloud 'top' was at about 500m. By 7am it was already very warm. Lovely to see Snow Bunting and 3 Juveniles near the top of Macdui. 

 

Hazy skies behind Beinn Mheadhoin 

Cairn Toul well above the inversion 

A distant Lochnagar

The waters of Loch Etchachan were tempting on such a hot day. The path from Macdui down to Loch Etchachan is a wonderful bit of country. Not a breeze out again, the Loch was looking stunning with the reflections of the mountains.

Loch Etchachan 

Morning swim

The only sound around was the call of Wheatear and Meadow Pipits keeping us company. We continued down towards Loch A'an not before a quick walk up to Stacan Dubha, a fine viewpoint of the Loch A'an basin.

Stunning light on Carn Etchachan & Shelterstone Crag 

Shelterstone Crag & Loch A'an

At the top of this fine Crag we spotted a pair of Ptarmigan, brilliant. After soaking in the grand panorama of crag and loch, we slowly wandered down to the lochside. Wonderfully pathless, walking on beautiful carpets of grasses, mosses and crowberry. There was much Juniper around the final steep descent to the loch, never seen it so much in one area. We finally strolled beside a flower filled meadow where Bog Asphodal was abundant beside the beautiful, cool flowing water at the burn. A welcome spot where we could refill the water bottles. What a sight. What a wild and gorgeous place to linger.

Flower filled meadow

Loch A'an

Stunning

Loch A'an & Cairn Gorm

Another loch, another wee swim for someone. What a fine place for it, too. Even I rolled up my trousers, took off my boots and had a Paddle.

Heading home

Cooling off

We walked out from the most beautiful and scenic place in the Cairngorms by heading over The Saddle and back up to the Cairngorm plateau. A lovely end to a super weekend was the privelage of seeing a Ptarmigan with her 4 chicks. Beautiful. Glad I brought the big glass and extra camera after all. 

Ptarmigan Chicks

4 of these cuties

Perfect end

HEATWAVE, BIG MUNRO DAYS, NAVIGATION & WILDLIFE

 

A very hot period all across the Highlands the last week or so. With very little wind on the summits it has been a t-shirt job most days up high. A busy wee work period for me with big, adventures on the Munros taking in superb scenery away from trade routes, Navigation Courses and Wildlife photography days out with clients. A catch up on where I've been with groups recently. 

TUESDAY 13 JULY

A fab day with the Mountain Hares. This wee fella I had the privilege to spend 2 hours with in the sunshine. He gave the full works. Stretching, yawning and 'high 4's. 

Yawning and smiling 

High 4

Cool and relaxed

Time for food

Adorable 

Another yawn

Licking toes

WEDNESDAY 14 JULY

Lynne enjoying Angel's Ridge

I was guiding Lynne for a couple of days in the Cairngorms. I have guided her on many Munros, Corbetts and Graham's over the years. She has completed 3 rounds of Munros, 2 rounds of Corbetts and all the Graham's! So she has a heap load of experience. She was keen to gain the Braeriach plateau via Angel's Ridge,  a route she has never done to the third highest mountain in the UK.

Lairig Ghru 

Angel's Ridge is a very easy scramble, you can avoid virtually all of it by walking around the harder bits. It finishes right at the summit of Sgor an Lochain Uaine. A perfect way to bag this Munro. Lynne is also a very keen botanist. On the route up from the An Garbh shelter to the lochan we found many wonderful plants including Arctic Mouse ear and possibly the highest recorded Red Campion growing at an altitude of over 1050m! 

Mossy Saxifrage 

Red Campion at 1050m!

Arctic Mouse ear

Ben Macdui from high up

Garbh Choire Mor 

On Angel's Ridge 

Lochain Uaine 

The snow patches in the Garbh Choire Mor 

It's a long walk in to the Garbh Choire Mor. Made easier and quicker with a bike up to the start of the Lairig Ghru which is what we did. A stunning day, warm sunshine and very little wind. 

The top of Angel's Ridge 

On the Braeriach plateau 

Angel's Ridge in profile

Lots of Moss Campion on the plateau 

Garbh Coire Mor & Macdui

Cairn Toul & Lairig Ghru 

Gorgeous evening 

It was a glorious early evening. We extended the day by descending off Braeriach and down into Loch Coire an Lochain. A top day out.

Loch Coire an Lochain

THURSDAY 15 JULY

The summit tors of Ben Avon

Another big day out on the hill with Lynne. Ben Avon is one of the remotest of the Cairngorm Munros, most folk gaining its summit from the South, the easiest and fastest route. A finer way of reaching this mountain is from the Tomintoul and following the River Avon to gain the huge plateau. There is an excellent 4 WD track all the way to the foot of the hill. A great bike ride in. It was a glorious morning. 

Excellent track on the bike in

River Avon

Beautiful low level scenery 

Empty trail

Beautiful pools, and no Fairy Pool crowds

The bike ride in is very easy with excellent tracks, half of it on tarmach. After dumping the bikes it's an excellent trail up to the huge Ben Avon plateau. It's a long way across to the main summit, passing by lots of granite tors with some being Muro Tops.

Lots of granite tors

The 2 hour walk across the high plateau gives a real taste of space. It's also the largest area of high ground in the British Isles. Many km's of Arctic Tundra above 900m or more. We spotted 6 Ptarmigan and 1 human. The only human we saw all.day!

The summit tor

Playing around on the rocks

The summit

Place to ourselves 

Eventually you see the highest point of the mountain. To gain the summit tors requires some short and very easy scrambling. 

Wild corries

Another excellent day, excellent company and stunning weather. 

Heading home, Alpine trails and weather 

FRIDAY 16 JULY

Goat Track

Final day with Lynne this week. A very knowledgable botanist so she was keen to get into some of the Cairngorms corries to seek out some rareties,  top of her list Highland Saxifrage. Unfortunately we didn't see it but had a brilliant day seeing many other wonderful plants and flowers.

Pyrenian Scurvey Grass

Best view in The Cairngorms 

Snow lingering 

Starry Saxifrage 

It was another hot day. 

Cairngorm plateau 

Dwarf Cornel 

SATURDAY 17 JULY

Rachel, her sister and friends were on a 2 day Navigation Course. Unfortunately it was another clear skies day. When you want oud you don't get it! We went into the more featureless areas of the Northern Cairngorms. 

Pathless terrain 

Map and compass 

Navigation to the snow

It was actually a very windy day on the tips with winds of over 40mph. Unusual for Summer.

Not a Google map app in sight

Route selection 

SUNDAY 18 JULY

Day 2 for Rachel and family/ friends on their bespoke Navigation Course. We headed to the Glenfeshie mountains. Lots more pathless terrain. 

Pathless at 500m

Featureless 

The ladies, top navigators 

Sgor Gaoithe 

MONDAY 20 JULY

Very hot weather. Far nicer in the late afternoon and early evening.  A great time to head our and the crowds have gone.

Glorious evening 

TUESDAY 21 JULY

More clear skies and hot sun

Yet another day of very hot weather. No breeze on the summits and temperatures properly high teens at 1000m. A day of Ptarmigan Photography for Geoff. We went into an area were there was a good opportunity to see and photograph these wonderful birds. We were not disappointed. 

Our route over to the South side of Cairn Gorm

Hot

Enough water for these to flourish

WEDNESDAY 22 JULY

More hot weather 

Another hot day, another late afternoon wander to photograph the Mountain Hare. Its certainly been a hot period but strangely not many butterflies around this summer. Maybe its too do with the cold and snowy late Spring? Nice to see some today and Dragonflies. 

Golden-ringed Dragonfly 

Small Tortoiseshell 

Harebells

Another evening with the Mountain Hares 

Cooler by 8pm

THURSDAY 23 JULY

Another late afternoon with the Mountain Hares. 

Heatwave continues!