Two Cairngorm Corbetts today, a long trek but a fine walk.

 Hill: Culardoch (900m) (Back of the high place); Creag an Dail Bheag (863m) (Crag of the little meadow)

Type: Corbett x 2

Unlike Munros it is relatively rare to be able to bag a couple of Corbetts together whereas 3, 4 and more Munros are not uncommon. A free day from the good lady let me get a bit more adventurous. This pair are not difficult, just a longer day and rougher terrain than she could manage.

The two hills are at the eastern end of the Cairngorms and are a divider between the upper Gairn and the Dee valley. Initially the walk follows the traditional cross country route from Braemar to Tomintoul albeit now with a modern estate track.

It was not yet the end of September and still I had to clear ice off the car. As I walked from the start I was well clad including gloves and hat, been a while. There was still a grass frost and the leaves were slowly spirally down, lovely but I wonder what winter will bring? Still the forecast was for a crisp day and blue skies.

Autumn Colours

After the long tarmac section it was good to get into the old Caledonian woods and gain height at an easy gradient. The woods were spectacular in their autumn colours. A mixed flock of tits were working there way through the pines, lovely. 

First view Culardoch on right and Carn Liath on left, follow the Tomintoul track

After an hour or so I broke the treeline and now the moor was ahead of me with the first Corbett, Culardoch, in sight. Still looks a long way to go but this section is on a good estate track albeit still hard on the feet. At first I was not sure what I was hearing but it is Autumn and it was the constant sound of roaring stags reverberating near and far. Although I heard plenty of them I was disappointed that I did not spot any, still a magical accompaniment to my ascent.

Experimental research station

Arrived at the experimental ecological science station, climate change on the heather and flora terrain which is at the base of Culardoch. Spoke to 3 mountain bikers who were completing a very long couple of days. Blair Atholl-Aviemore-Tomintoul-Braemar-Blair Atholl, with an overnight bivvy in sub zero temperatures, well done guys. They too had heard plenty of stags but not spotted any either.

Loch Builg from Culardoch

On the way up a good view of the track the bikers had come up from Loch Builg and Tomintoul.

Lochnagar from Culardoch

After leaving them a short climb took me to the trig at Culardoch which had super views over to Lochnagar and Mount Keen, both peaking their tops out of the clouds. Standing here and looking around gave me a great appreciation of how vast a wilderness this is. Simply stunning. I looked over to my next objective with Ben Avon behind and apart from the 3 bikers mentioned earlier, now it was just me and nature, this is what I do it for.

Carn Liath (foreground) from Culardoch

After descending there is a long walk back down the ascent trail before cutting off and heading up the slopes of number two. With the cold start I had put on lined trousers and was now regretting it as the sun had warmed things up. A few peat hags to negotiate but not too bad.

Culardoch from slopes of Carn Liath

Of course the walk so far had been too easy so there were a couple of curve balls coming my way. 

The extra bit from Carn Liath

It did not take long to reach the cairn at Carn Liath which was the original high point of the Corbett but a remeasurement meant that another top, Creag an Dail Bheag, was actually 2 metres higher so that became the Corbett. However my Basecamp map from todays walk had them at the same height of 862m, no doubt the remeasurement is accurate. 

True top Creag an Dail Bheag

But, to tick that new box involved a 40 minute walk out there and back. I was even closer to Ben Avon and felt like I might as well have done that! 

Over to the edge and the tors on ben Avon

One benefit is the stunning views down the glen to Loch Builg. The second climb was very different from Culardoch and up here the going was very rocky and quite hard going.

The second curve ball was the descent back to the ascent trail. Firstly it was along the rocky ridge, then down very rough ground towards a stone dyke. Finally it was over steeply descending heather, without tracks, not the easiest and I was glad when I reached the ascent track without doing any damage. 

The descent across the moor looks benign but rough going 

Red grouse had been bursting out from my feet all day and this was no exception, plenty of heart attack moments. Also a Jack Snipe, I had not seen one for ages and now two in a week.

All that was left was the long, long walk back out and I felt it on my feet. Boots are not made for long walks on this terrain. Also it was not helped by the trail going up quite a bit, I thought I had done all my climbing.

Looking at the distance and time to average 4km per hour, chuffed with that. A good day out with views and isolation to die for.

Wildlife: Red Grouse; Robin; Jay; Raven; Wheatear; Jack Snipe: Meadow Pipit; Long tailed tit; Blue tit; Great Tit; Carrion Crow.

Ascent: 871m

Distance: 24.5km

Time: 6.24