A Last Taste Of Winter In The Cairngorms?

Ben Macdui from Sron na Lairig

The warm dry weather of early April has given to colder conditions with snow on the hills. A wander up into the snow had me thinking it now felt more like December than July. But then, the Scottish weather is notoriously changeable.

Leaving the forest

My two-day walk took me through Rothiemurchus Forest into Gleann Einich and then up beside the roaring Beanaidh Bheag. The forecast was for a few showers at first and then a dry afternoon and evening. A little rain fell a few times as I walked through the pines but never enough to have me putting on waterproofs. So when a shower became a little heavier I assumed it too would quickly fade away so I just kept walking. It didn’t fade away and I was getting wet. On went the waterproof jacket though not yet overtrousers as the rain was coming straight down and my legs were still dry.

Rain!

The sky was grey and mist shrouded the tops of the hills. I could see snow below the ragged edges of the clouds. Leaving the trees I followed the track beside the rushing Am Beanaidh as the rain grew stronger. Reaching the Beanaidh Bheag I turned up beside this burn. There’s no path and I was soon walking though deep heather, sodden deep heather that quickly soaked my trousers. On with the overtrousers, not for dryness, it was too late for that, but for warmth as a cold breeze was chilling my legs.

Am Beanaidh

Above me steep slopes faded into a fringe of snow and mist. I had thought of heading up that way and camping in one of the magnificent northern corries of Braeriach. It didn’t seem an appealing idea now. I’d camp down here I decided. If I could find a dryish site. The tussocky ground oozed water everywhere. Two weeks before in the hot dry spell I’d camped in the Lairig Ghru, just two kilometres or so from here in a straight line, on a site that I thought would usually be sodden. It would be today.  

Camp in the morning

The tussocky ground oozed water everywhere. Eventually I spotted a flattish area not far from the burn. There were pools of water nearby but it seemed the best I was likely to find so I stopped and pitched the tent. This was the third trip in a row on which I was using a Hilleberg Akto and this was the third different Akto, a replacement for the one that suffered a broken pole on a trip back in March (see this post) and which had gone back to Hilleberg.

Morning view

Once I was in my sleeping bag in the tent the world looked a lot friendlier. A few hot drinks and it seemed positively benign. The rain ceased sometime during the night and I woke to see sunshine on Sgoran Dubh Mor and Sgor Gaoith on the far side of Gleann Einich. It would be a while before that sun reached camp, if it did at all, as big clouds were piling up to the east. I could see more of the hills though. To the north-west mist was rising from Rothiemurchus Forest.

Mist & cloud

There was no frost, the overnight low being 1.5°C. There was much condensation, the flysheet soaked inside, the outside covered in rain, and I had to be careful not to push the inner tent against the damp walls. It was a pleasant camp though and I was happy to stay a while, drinking coffee and mulling over which way to go. Although cloud still covered Braeriach it had risen quite a way and I could see more of the snow, which came down lower than I’d expected.

Drying time

The sun did reach camp but not for long as the clouds were thickening. I draped damp gear over guylines and trekking poles. Briefly, as light rain soon began.  I wondered how easy it would be to climb the slopes to Braeriach. I thought the snow was probably soft but I didn’t know that. I hadn’t brought an ice or crampons. If they were needed I’d have to turn back. Above camp a gentler broad ridge led up to Sron na Lairig, a subsidiary top of Braeriach. If I went that way I could then join the main route up Braeriach and take that to the summit or else just descend into the Lairig Ghru and then Rothiemurchus Forest. It seemed sensible to go that way so I did.

Coire Beanaidh

The snow was soft but higher up it was ankle to shin deep and progress was slow, especially as it was slippery in places, the wet snow sliding off wet rocks. An ice axe would have been no use but I was glad of my trekking poles. I’d probably have fallen over a few times without them.

Braeriach ridges

I’d never been up this ridge before – there’s no path and I doubt many come this way - and I enjoyed the excellent views across Coire Beanaidh to Braeriach. The clouds were dramatic now, towering up above the mountains. Just before the flat top of Sron na Lairig boot prints appeared. I was joining the popular way to Braeriach. A rough track had been made through the snow by a half dozen walkers or so. I could see no-one. There was a cold wind here and I donned my insulated jacket as I wandered round admiring the views to Ben Macdui and Braeriach. Up here it was wild and wintry. It felt wonderful!

Braeriach from Sron na Lairig

I was content enough with Sron na Lairig not to go further. I realised that if I went up Braeriach I wouldn’t be back down until well after dark. Heavy rain was forecast for later too. I hopes to be down before that arrived.

Across the Lairig Ghru to Cairn Lochan

The walk down the long Sron na Lairig north ridge above steep crags dropping into the Lairig Ghru was superb, the views breath-taking and spectacular. I hadn’t been this way for several years and I’d forgotten what it was like. I paused often to look down at the tiny narrow thread of the Lairig Ghru path far below. Walking, I had to keep an eye on the ground in front, as the snow was more slippery here as the terrain was rockier than the ridge I’d ascended. I skidded quite a few times.

Creag an Leth-choin

The snow faded away lower down the ridge. Two runners passed me. Soon I was down in the Lairig Ghru and walking out to Rothiemurchus Forest. On cue the rain began and I finished the walk back in waterproofs. I didn’t mind. I’d enjoyed this taste of winter, maybe the last until the first snows of the autumn.

Camp & Braeriach