Across the Cairngorm plateau to Ben Macdui, Cairngorms, Scotland – September

A clear but windy day. As the weather looked to be best of the next few days, we thought to do a popular Cairngorms high circuit. We started walking form the Ski Centre car park at 9.20am up the ‘windy trail’ to gain the ridge – an apt name for this day, with gusts of up to 55 mph on tops forecast. We passed the new Ptarmigan Centre, which was closed, and chatted to a Scottish man that we passed as we went over Cairn Gorm who said he used to climb in the ’60s, and who had come over from Ben Macdui (having started at 7am).

We went on to Stob Coire an t-Sneachda, then took the path to Ben Macdui. The wind eased off somewhat, and the paths were good, with many cairns marking the way. The visibility was excellent – blue skies, and the sun in our faces as we headed up to Ben Macdui. After having something to eat, we retraced our steps to begin with, then went up a plateau to take in the summit of Cairn Lochan which we had not gone up to on the way. Looking at the tall cliffs below which are famous for climbing, we spotted some people doing just that. Walking along the edge for a while, we eventually headed down towards Miadon Creag an Leth-choin. A good path soon took us back to the car park. It was still sunny!

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The tops of Stob Coire an t-Sneachda and Cairn Lochan, and the slopes of Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais and Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda.

Further to the right (west), Creag an Leth-Choin/Lurcher’s Crag and SrÃ²n na Lairige

Stob Coire an’ t-Sneachda and Cairn Lochan in the near distance

The path ahead is now visible.

Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais summit cairn. Is it just me that thinks it looks like some kind of food piled up on a plate?

Looking back over at Cairn Gorm, the high point in the photo.

Stob Coire an’ t-Sneachda summit cairn. The top of Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais is now visible in the middle distance.

The tops of Cairn Toul and the Angel’s Peak just visible

Looking east to Beinn Mheadhoin and its cairns

Cairn Gorm

The stream of Allt Coire Domhain, with Beinn Mheadhoin beyond

A very good path towards Ben Macdui

Carn Etchachan can be seen in front of Beinn Mheadhoin. I think the bit just below where the strong shadow is might be the Shelter Stone Crag.

The top of Braeriach showing

One of the cairns on way to Ben Macdui. They are very helpful for finding your way on the wide plateaus of the Cairngorms. They would be even more important in unfavourable weather conditions.

Cairn Toul, the Angel’s Peak, Carn na Criche, and a little bit of Braeriach are visible

The Angel’s Peak, Carn na Criche, and Braeriach

Cairn Toul, The Angel's Peak, and Carn na Criche

The flat-topped Cairn Toul, the angular Angel’s Peak, and Carn na Criche

The Angel’s Peak, Carn na Criche and Braeriach. You can see the semi-permanent Michaelmas Fare, Sphinx, and Pinnacles snowpatches in Garbh Choire MÃ²r.

Braeriach and Sron na Lairige

SrÃ²n na Lairige, the gap of the Lairig Ghru, and Creag an Leth-choin/Lurcher’s Crag

On Ben Macdui’s summit

Ben Macdui summit with engraved stone dial and shelter

Further shelters on Ben Macdui summit. Some nice layers of hills in the distance

The engraved stone dial on Ben Macdui

SrÃ²n na Lairige and Lurcher’s Crag

Braeriach

Some interesting-looking lichen

Green lichen (grown heart-shaped!)

A couple of ptarmigan spotted

… before they flew away. Ptarmigan are quite hard to see close-up

Braeriach

The cliffs of Cairn Lochan

Looking down the Vent on Cairn Lochan. Cairn Gorm is visible in the distance on the left.

The view down the Vent on Cairn Lochan

On Cairn Lochan

Looking down to Coire an Lochain

The cliffs below Cairn an Lochan, with climbers visible on the far cliff wall

The cliffs below Cairn an Lochan, with climbers

Coire an Lochain with the gentle slope of Creag an Leth-choin/Lurcher’s Crag behind it

Y Gully on Cairn Lochan

View northwards from Cairn Lochan

Another look at the climbers

Rocks by Cairn Lochan. You can see that people go over to it over the thin strip connecting it to the cliff edge. It was a thought, but it stayed a thought.

Looking back up at Cairn Lochan and its cliffs

Cairn Lochan and its cliff. The shadow looks a bit like a face in profile. The Great Slab is where the nose is.

Looking over at the Ski Centre, where our path was leading. The hill in the left distance looks to be Meall a’ Buachaille, which we went up two days later.

Cairn Lochan, with its cliffs in shadow. The Great Slab can be seen halfway down the cliffs.

Map showing walk route and other peaks seen

View Ben Macdui – Sept 2013 in a larger map