TGOC'24 Day 9 Allt Druidh to Bob Scott Memorial Hut May 18th, 2024

A Big Day

Today I will be covering over 5000 feet of elevation gain, over just 8 miles. 

One last look at the fantastic camping spot from the night before next to the Aultdrue (Allt Druidh- lots of different spellings for features, depending on the map you choose) The day has dawned with blue skies and it finally seems like my curse of 2022 (no views above 550 meters) will be lifted this year. 

I start off with an extensive walk through more of the excellent Rothiemurchus Forest 

It is a wonderful walk and I am alone in the woods

I start to climb a bit higher after a few miles and get a view of where my uphill will start 

I am on the westside of the Lairig Ghru (a prominent path south, running at the bottom of two ridges). I will need to cross over to the eastside, but now I can see some of the other hills to my West and even see a few hikers walking on the Chalamain Gap.

Unfortunately, I have to lose all the elevation I have gained breaking over the treeline, to come down to the river Dee again to ford over and start up the eastside as the Lairig Ghru narrows into the canyon. Below you can see the start of the steep climb up my first hill. I will gain about 1500' here.

looking down the ravine that is the Lairig Ghru

Continuing to climb up toward Sron na Lairige 

A view back from the valley I started in this morning. Right now it is very hot. Way to hot, in the direct sun, for so early in the morning. I drank and filled about a liter and a half at the river crossing just below, but I may not be carrying enough water for up on the ridge

I leap frogged with a family that was being lead on a day hike up the ridge. No switchbacks here, just straight up.

Looking down at the Lairig Ghru path 

Making to the top of Sron na Lairige 3884'

Here again you have to lose a bunch of elevation before starting up again toward the Braeriach Ridge

This photo definitely doesn't do justice to the steepness of this ascent. 

It is just a steady climb straight up to the ridge and the summit cairn 

What a spectacular view you get from standing at the edge, just in front of the Cairn, at 4252'

I was out of water and hungry as it was about lunch time. I have only covered about 7 miles in 5 hours.

There were a few large patches of snow around the summit cairn, so I melted some snow for about a liter of water and had lunch out of the wind, sheltering up against the back of the summit cairn.

After lunch and a sit, I wondered off, but I was drawn to the edge where the views where some of the best I have ever experienced in Scotland. You can see from the map below, my actual route is in solid red and the dashed line was the established route. I walked directly along the rim for a bit. (purple circle area)

This was the bit directly along the edge. spectacular! 

More views from the edge 

It was a pretty zig-zag course for a bit, as I picked my way through the rocky top, until I got water  coming from the Springs of Dee. (you can see that on the map as well). You can see that as the last bit of red line that veers away at the bottom left of the map above 

more cornice snow along the ridge

The next major section was the ridge around Carn na Criche 4150'

Here is the ridge in person starting with Pinnacles Buttress and continuing on from the map above. the peak you see at the top left is Angel's Peak 

I am past the ridge and at the base of the climb to Angel's Peak. Looking back at the my start on the ridge. Here I also started to run into people that were running this section as part of a Challenge. They were running a circular route around both sides of the Lairig Ghru, starting and finishing at the ski center atop Cairn Gorm, one runner was doing it with his dog! - craziness!😲 

Looking up at the boulder field that leads to Angel's Peak. (She was more of a bi*ch than an angel!)  I was not psychologically ready for this terrain. I had assumed that once I was up on the Braeriach Ridge, it would be just easier undulating walking along the entire ridge. I was so wrong! 

Fortunately, it was not the physicality that was the problem. Nine days into the challenge I was not tired due to exertion, but the mental effort not to twist an ankle or fall made it fairly slow going.

Made it to the top of Angel's Peak, (Sgor an Lochain Uaine). It was a view well worth the effort 

Looking out south from Angel's Peak that next top, which is Cairn Toul

Same view but on the map below. The arrow indicates the direction I am facing on the picture above 

What you can't see in the photo from Angel's Peak or from the map, is the boulder field for the entire approach to Cairn Toul (below)

Persistence pays off and in a bit I am on top of Cairn Toul, the highest point of the day at 4235'

Looking down from the summit cairn on Cairn Toul, you can see the River Dee and the Lairig Ghru path far below

At this point, I probably don't have to mention that it was a complete boulder field all the way down the backside of the hill as well 

If you noticed that the path leads right up against the edge and a sheer drop, you would be right. Take note of the size of my shoes 11, versus the rock sizes (below)

Looking back up to Cairn Toul. (below) You can also notice the weather has been threatening all afternoon, but thankfully it just looked dramatic and never amounted to anything. I was thankful that I didn't have to do these boulder fields in the rain or when the rocks were wet.

One more hill- Stob Coire an t-Saighdeir 3979'

On top of Stob Coire, looking back at Cairn Toul 

Coming down from Stob Coire. the last "little" hill, on the left, is Devil Point 3293', hardly seems worth it... 😂

Down to the Bealach, looking back at Stob Coire, finally out of the boulders.

Descending off the ridge through a small notch

Looking back up the bealach. You can see how steep it is. Notice the other hikers going up? Why are they going up so late in the afternoon... 

I am down to Corrour Bothy, you can see its location on the overall map at the end. My feet and ankles are screaming at me from the rocks and the twisting today, but I still have 4.5 miles to go to be at my designated finish spot today. I stand for a minute outside Corrour Bothy and contemplate my choices. There is no reason for me to continue, it is not a race and I can easily make up the 4 miles in the morning... 

corrour bothy 

The bothy is already full and there are lots of tents all around this bothy, so all the good spots are taken for my tent. It is nothing but pride and stubbornness that makes me decide to push on to finish at my proposed destination of Bob Scott's Bothy. 

Just as I press on and descend to the River Dee, it starts to rain, making me rethink my decision but it is short lived and I am going anyway at this point. 

The trail was ridiculously easy compared to the rest of today and I make short work of the first 3 miles, doing it in just an hour. At this point, I was now running on empty. Happily, I ran into Sue and John at the ford, just below Luibeg Bridge. Sue had fallen and bloodied her shin, but was dismissing it as if it was nothing, made me ashamed I was feeling tired! But I was super happy when they said I could walk with them. They were finishing in the same spot and without their delightful company and conversation, I am sure I would have pitched my tent well before my target destination, so I carried on.

The end in sight, crossing the bridge to Derry Lodge 

and with a few more steps, Bob Scott Memorial Hut

John and Sue pitched up.

Today's route. 18-ish miles and 12 full hours of walking

Postscript to today- while melting snow, back on the Braeriach, I set the top to my stove down and that is where it remains. I again needed the kindness of John to boil some of my water for me or I would have been without dinner- Thanks again John and Sue