Just a half a ramble today.....Beinn Bhreac Cairngorm

Hill: Beinn Bhreac (Cairngorm) (Speckled Hill)

Type: Munro

Height: 930m

I was still feeling tightness and tenderness with the medial calf that I strained a few weeks ago so I was a bit troubled about what to do today. I had signed up for this walk which I knew should be a straightforward Munro double. The distance was the issue as I was not convinced that the calf would survive a 30k hike so I opted to reduce that by cycling to Derry Lodge. My plan was to decide after Beinn Bhreac whether to continue or not but the tightness/pain had gone up a few notches on the morning of the walk so decision made, just a single Munro.

Derry Cairngorm in the shade, Carn a' Mhain left of centre

At the Linn of Dee start Gillian from ADRC was the only other walker apart from the guide. After I had told the organiser I was cycling part of it it appeared that we all did. We all cycled the almost 4 miles to Derry Lodge which was less than 30 minutes from Linn of Dee, where the walk officially started, time saved. Heard a cuckoo calling, must be about time for the males to start migrating back to Africa.

Start of ATV track

Views opening up Tor of Beinn Mheadhoin

All the reports that I had read described walking a kilometre before cutting up the hill. But after only a couple of minutes the guide surprised me by heading off up an ATV track. His reasoning was that it was less boggy and less populated. Both correct as no-one else was seen on this route until we neared the normal track.

1st view of Beinn Bhreac on left we continue up to the right

This turned out to be a nice gradient and a pleasant walk, the weather good. Views getting better as we rose. We continued on the ATV track almost to the top of Meall an Lundain at 777m.

Full view of Beinn Bhreac 

Just before the top we headed cross country. We dropped about 70m and the terrain involved a lot of dodging the many peat hags. I could see a couple of walkers about half way up the final pull to the coll of Beinn Bhreac. There were other walkers around but I recognised their outfits as being the pair who were just in front of us at Derry Lodge. Although I enjoyed the different route it was a longer walk, added another 70m of ascent and about 30 minutes extra to the top. No issue for me but If I had been doing both it added extra on an already long day.

Ascent track on right, descent on left

Looking at the final climb our route was taking us up via a clear path on the eastern side but slightly further west walkers were using another track, the main one.

A straightforward ascent, losing and re finding the track a few times but no difficulty to the ridge.

The cairn was a short crossing across the boulder field but pretty easy going normally but today the rocky terrain was testing my calf. 

View to Lochnagar

Beinn a' Chaorainn in the centre

Great views all round. A bit hazy over to the Lochnagar group but the main view dominated by Derry Cairngorm and the torr's on Beinn Mheadhoin were spectacular.

With regret I had to leave the others. Disappointed as the other Munro involved no major ascent but as said not for me today.

I wandered across the stony terrain before deciding to just head down where I soon picked up the main track. I could see a small cairn in the distance. Again the track came and went but just headed to the cairn and picked it up again.

From the cairn another good view of the track heading far down but surprisingly nobody ascending. Solo time again.

Quite boggy in parts but once I hit the trees the bog factor went up considerably so 15 minutes of gloop avoiding before I hit the return track.

Azure Hawker

Then walked the kilometre as mentioned earlier back to to Derry Lodge and the bike was still there. It was a good section for birdlife and I had a brilliant bonus, an Azure Hawker. Pretty sure that it was my 1^st sighting of the year.

Bike park

Biked the same track but when I reached the road I extended the cycle by a few more miles to get a bit more out of the day.

Back at the car my leg was throbbing a bit more so the right decision had been made to do just the one hill. A good ramble and an opportunity is there to return one day for the other Munro.

Ascent: 801m

Distance: 21.5km

Time: 5.02

Wildlife: Red Grouse; Red Kite; Common Frog; Vole; Redstart; Willow Warbler; Peacock Butterfly; Meadow Pipit; Coal Tit; Chaffinch; Goldcrest; Azure Hawker; Cuckoo;