Yeap, I went off to Scotland again. This time was a solo trip into the Cairngorms to get some Quality Mountain Days under my belt in preparation for my Winter Mountain Leader. A good friend of mine (Heavy Whalley) dropped me off at the Sugar Bowl so I could walk through the Charlemagne Gap to access the Lairig Ghru and on to the Corrour Bothy. Conditions were superb - blue skies, no wind, cold temperatures and not a soul about. I took my time and got to the bothy after about 6 hours and it was nice to find the bothy empty. The next day I ventured up onto Cairn Toul and Angels Peak. Strong winds and poor visibility made going slow, but I then returned to the bothy and enjoyed a fine evening with the bothy mice (the little buggers kept me awake for ages). The next day I walked over Ben Macdui and across the plateau in complete whiteout. When this happens, it is very difficult to see any features or the horizon, making travel and visual navigation difficult and one has to rely on walking on compass bearings and timing/pacing. Fortunately I eventually recognised the edge of the Northern Corries and dropped down through the ski area to a well-deserved bath and vegetable stirfry!
No comments:
Post a Comment