NEW ROUTE CARD: Cairngorm 4000ers

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Feet may be an anachronistic measure, but 4000 of them is still a figure with a nice ring. Five of Scotland's nine 4000-footers are found in the Cairngorms, and while they are conveniently split into two neat areas by the trench of the Lairig Ghru, a round of the lot is one of the greatest hillwalking challenges in the country. Comprising the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth highest mountains in Scotland, and huge areas of plateau above 1100m (using more sensible Metric money), this is country on a grand scale - and at over 35 newfangled kilometres, it's a walk to match. While frequently backpacked over two days, the 4000ers are achievable in a day for fit and determined walkers (and of course runners). Summer daylight helps.

22 miles, 35.40 km, 2,352m ascent, 10 – 13 hours. Aviemore

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 J72 18 Aug 2022
In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Good route (and quite a popular one) - two suggestions would be the possible inclusion of Devil’s point (adding less than 40 mins to this) once up the bealach before Cairn Toul, though noting it’s far from a 4000er but probably wouldn’t justify the tramp up from linn of dee alone.

also to break this up a less midgy infested spot is the same bealach (above coire odhar) which is breezier and though not as busy as corrour bothy and it’s surrounding area, is not usually completely empty in the summer months.  Lots of space to separate oneself from others there though and water sources W/SW. 

 paul-1970 19 Aug 2022
In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

An excellent, if energetic, one day route. I did this many years ago, but as it was early March and snow covered, I split it over two days. Using two days means you can descend Ben Macdui and take in Carn a'Mhaim before descending to Corrour. Then next day, take in Devil's Point before heading toward Cairn Toul, et al.

A pity that the massifs of Beinn a'Bhuird and Ben Avon are just a little too far to extend the trip into a logical traverse over these monsters too, though I suppose making the trip a three day expedition would allow this. Wouldn't fancy three days of food and fuel on my back while climbing circa 3500m though!

Post edited at 11:20
 rif 19 Aug 2022
In reply to paul-1970: "... to extend the trip..."

Adding B a'B and B Avon gives what's sometimes called the Six Tops, which has been done in 24h several times by xc skiers (including me long ago), and presumably also by runners.

In reply to rif:

I did the Rigby Round last week, which includes the ground you've mentioned, plus a load more (see pic attached).

It could definitely be done as a multi-day walk, although I think I'd adjust the lines taken in a few places, as some are definitely at the mountain marathon end of the spectrum (i.e. very direct and very rough). Logical stop-off points, were you to do it over three days, would be the Corrour Bothy and the Fords of Avon Refuge, but it would still be three pretty big days!!


 Doug 19 Aug 2022
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

As far as I know, most (all ?) of the xc ski traverses of the 6 tops have started in Feshie & ended either on Deeside or Donside - the first traverse was by Adam Watson many years ago (early 1960s ?) & there's an article by him (Cairngorm langlauf ?)  which I thought was on line but I can't find with a quick Google, probably in the SMCJ.

In reply to Doug:

I'm not particularly well versed in skimo/xc ski traverses, but did listen to a podcast on this topic the only day. It's on Finlay Wild's Go Mountain Goats podcast, where he interviews his father - Roger Wild.

Here's a couple of links to it on the various platforms available, if you're interested:

https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast/episode-11-scottish-haute-route-with-...

https://open.spotify.com/show/0tGVDDUH05cOykJJKlHj4k

 rif 19 Aug 2022
In reply to Doug:

Adam Watson's 1962 E-W traverse started at Invercauld and ended at Linn of Dee, according to his SMCJ account. I know of at least one Deeside to Feshie traverse in the early 1980s, and I and a friend did a selfcontained clockwise circuit from Linn of Dee in 1984. I know of at least two traverses later in the 80s, as well as the Wilds' amazing 8 tops circuit in the early 2010s.

The necessary combination of day length and snow cover must be extremely rare these days. Back in April 1984 there was good cover from 700m up, allowing us to cross the Avon just below the loch by a snow bridge.     

 Garethza 19 Aug 2022
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Bloody good effort.. what was your total distance and elevation? 

 Doug 19 Aug 2022
In reply to rif:

sounds like I mis-remembered Adam Watson's route, it was a long time ago that he described it to me over morning coffee at ITE Banchory.

In reply to Garethza:

Depending on whether you're new or old school, it was either:

70 miles / 23,000ft
112km / 7000m 

Neither particularly convey the horrors of the terrain you're crossing throughout. What it lacks in paths/trods it makes up for in an unfathomable (and unrunnable) quantity of heather, grass and peat hag!


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