Another reluctant to do hill proves to be a goodie.....Sgur Mor

Hill: Sgor Mor (Big Peak)

Type: Corbett

Height: 813m

After an emotional and draining day yesterday at the funeral I had always planned to be on this summit today, weather permitting and it was. For this time of the year it was a very cold but blue sky start to the day.

I had missed out bagging Sgor Mor for quite a few years entirely due to the reports about the poor walking conditions. It is a huge baseline hill with no regular way up so for the most part it will be pathless walking, through deep heather before hitting a peat hagged, bog soaked moor. You get the picture now for delaying this ramble.

I had read reviews but looking at the map there looked a better route (in theory) that I had not seen any reports about. there was only one way to find out but it does increase the pre walk nerves.

Start

I cycled to the start from Braemar, but you can walk the 2 miles or so from Linn of Dee, until I reached a small quarry, just where the river turns away from the track. I hid the bike just in case any bad characters around, it does happen. Although the initial slopes have a good covering of heather there were enough grassy sections to make the ascent easier. As it turned out I mainly followed a small burn up to the highest point I could see from the track.

From there my plan was to take a 90deg westerly and head for the named summit of Carn Mor. I think whoever named these hills had a dram or two too many, rounded but not big. The going was good, more dry ground than wet and the heather shorter than earlier.

Now I could see the top I was heading for. Sgor Mor, its name suggests a big peak, maybe from other viewpoints but not from here. From Carn Mor it was a long moor crossing to a rocky outcrop which led to a craggy summit but not a peak!

See how dry some sections are before the bog section

The satellite view shows this ground as a huge peat hagged moor, which had made me think twice, but the reality was that the hags were few and far between. The ground alternated between crunchy dried grass, wet boggy patches and heather but nothing to cause any worries, just concentration. At a few odd bright green pools of small water I stuck the pole in and it did not touch hard ground, so take care.

Now sandstone

A couple of red deer had spotted/smelt me and were running to the ridge disappearing over and gone. At first I thought two stags but looking at the snaps probably a hind with its youngster, a stag.

This moorland crossing would probably be better with someone to talk to as it is a bit of a plod. There were glimpses of snow topped hills just behind the ridge to keep me interested with mind games, what hills was I seeing?

Meadow pipits aplenty and the odd Skylark rose regularly but apart from the deer nothing else up here.

Track appears just before the rocks

Over the moor and onto the ridge and there was actually a faint track for the last few hundred metres. The views were now taking a lot of my attention.

Beinn a' Ghlo in distance

Some biggies, Braeriach, MacDui, Carn a'Mhain and more

Beinn Bhrotain

Then summit reached after 1hr 40min, surprised and pleased with that, justified my decision. The views are spectacular as this is a genuine stand alone hill. The closest tops are the Eastern Cairngorm giants along with the Lairig Gruh absolutely spectacular and my favourite hill pass.

In the distance the Beinn A Ghlo mountains dominated that horizon. It was proper silence until the fighter jet that flew up the Dee before turning and heading down Glen Tilt, noisy but I enjoyed the spectacle.

Throw in the distant peaks of the Lohnagar and the Cairnwell Munros, not too shabby a view.

Broad plateau with Lochnagar range in distance

I'm heading right of lochan Carn Mhor behind

These hills were forrested, wood emerging from peat hag

However the northerly wind was not a spring one, more associated with winter so time to head back the same route. No issues just the same careful plod in reverse.

Make a right turn soon

River Dee with Glen Feshie ahead

Back down to find the bike still as left. I was looking at the river and saw a grey wagtail rise for a fly and fall back to the rocks. Oddly I could see three of them rising and falling until one came close and it was a Pied interloper.

I enjoyed the cycle back, using the bike saved at least an hour if walking from Linn of Dee.

Ascent: 503m

Distance: 8.8km

Time: 2.58

Wildlife: Meadow Pipit; Skylark; Pied Wagtail; Grey Wagtail; Red Deer (Stags)