A BIVVY ON BEN MACDUI

 

Temperature inversion in the Lairig Ghru

The purist form of camping out is a bivvy (bivouac). This is a very simple shelter which you can make  luxurious or as basic has you wish. It's a fabulous way of sleeping out, especially high up and on mountain summits. The wonderful thing about bivvying is a real connection to ground, sky and the weather, unlike a tent which you are cocooned in and normally zipped up, divorcing yourself from the open air and views. Over the course of decades in the mountains I've slept out, bivving on high mountains all over the planet. They are either very memorable (when the weather is beautiful) or a bad, soggy experience when the weather isn't so nice! 

My bivvy on Ben Macdui

The Highland Heatwave continues so with this huge high pressure system over  Scotland it was ideal for a bivvy out on the tops. I was also hopeful for a temperature inversion. The Cairngorms and Strathspey regularly get this amazing weather phenomenon. The key ingredients are high pressure, light winds and colder nights.

Setting out at 6pm on a beautiful warm evening, Coire an Lochain

I set out on Thursday evening. This time of year we have daylight right through till 10pm at least. I made a leisurely start and walked over the plateau towards Ben Macdui, my planned bivvy for tonight. The skies were clear, the temperatures warm with just a t-shirt, even up above 1000m or more.

After passing the last 10 folk on their way down, I saw no one after 7pm. 

Moon rising over Ben Macdui

With the sun setting across Strathspey

Looking through the Lairig Ghru from Ben Macdui summit at 10.30pm

Ben Macdui is a very rocky mountain, especially on its summit area. The actual summit doesn't offer the best views and I also didn't want any neighbours during the  night. So I went to my favourite spot overlooking the Lairig Ghru and superb views of the Braeriach plateau, which you don't get from the trig point.

4am. Friday 2nd June. 

It was light right through the night with a full moon. Even without moonlight there is always a glimmer of light on the Western horizon and slowly to the Eastern horizon by the very early hours. I was hoping for some cloud to drift into the lower glens for some magic photography. My camera kit actually weighed more than my bivvy gear on this overnighter. These two days were aimed at landscape photography and some wildlife photography. So I had 2 camera bodies, a 16-80mm lens on one camera and a 100-400mm lens on the other camera body.

Looking south over a cloud filled  Liarig Ghru towards Beinn a' Ghlo

I was up at 2.30am, as no too miss anything! The cloud had indeed sunk into the Lairig Ghru, a temperature inversion! The top of the cloud was at 700m with clear, warm skies above. It was then 4 hours of photography on the summit. 

First light on Sgurr an Lochain Uaine & Garbh Coire Mor on Braeriach

Strathspey under a blanket of cloud

In these conditions I just love watching the light slowly change has the sun rises higher. The inversion south  of Ben Macdui was beautiful. Bod an Deamhoin lly good from this angle. Anyone staying in Corrour Bothy would have been in cold, thick cloud but only a 200m ascent from the bothy and they would have enjoyed some spectacular views.

Bod An Deamhain  and the Lairing Ghru

Carn a' Maim, Lairig Ghru &  Bod An Deamhain

The sun rose higher and eventually that magic light on the mountains transformed them. It was still only 7am. I went back to my bivvy spot and breakfasted with wonderful fresh coffee and food. No wind today. I sat and pondered at all the wild conditions that these Cairngorm mountains receive thought a typical year, especially in winter when it can be completely impossible to get to the summits with 100+mph winds. Not today!

I eventually tore myself away from the splendour and headed down another beautiful unfrequented, pathless coire and glen near Macdui. From the summit area down to about 1100m on the plateau I was in constant company of Male Snow buntings, at least 20 of them counted. All of them singing their wee hearts out. There is no better sound in the Scottish mountains than the call of the snow bunting.

The beautiful male snow bunting in full song

The female snow bunting in summer is not has strikingly white and black like the male. Both beautiful of course. In the winter they transform into a dull and sandy colour and usually drift to lower altitudes in high winds and deep snow. In summer they will inevitably be found very high up. The Cairngorm mountains are the best place to see ( and hear) them.

Taking off

For the last 3 years I have attained my Schedule 1 Bird Photography licence issued by Nature Scot. Unfortunately these delightful wee birds are on the Red List of endangered species. My licence gives me an official notification to observe, monitor and photograph Snow Buntings, Ring Ouzel, Dotterel, Ptarmigan and Osprey. The information I collate throughout every Spring and Summer gives NatureScot and the RSPB invaluable information on numbers and locations of these birds.

Showing off

Found a tasty morsel on one of the remaining snow patches

Last one! There were many more!

I made my way back across the plateau, now in searing heat again. Despite walking at over 1000m it was very warm. So no hurry to get down today.

The cool waters of Loch A'an

Beautiful Moss Campion all over the plateau

One last visit to an area where I've seen Ptarmigan on a regular basis this last couple of weeks. Only one male seen today. Maybe his partner is (hopefully) sitting on her eggs.

The male Ptarmigan in late Spring/summer plumage

Reindeer cooling off up high on the plateau

An absolutely brilliant 24 hours on the high Cairngorms. The heat and sun looks like continuing for the next few days. Apparently in Englandshire's deep south they've had a drop of rain. Poor things :)