A FEW weeks ago I headed for Carn a' Mhaim, one of my favourite Cairngorm hills. Though I prefer less-crowded midweeks, circumstance and weather meant I had not been out for some days and Sunday coincided with less buffeting wind forecast for the north-east.
With large patches of the higher slopes already snow-free, crampons were left behind. However, with a clockwise route planned across north facing slopes, undetectable from below, an ice axe was taken, just in case.
I was also influenced by my so
le avalanche experience when descending rather too directly from around 800m on the south-east slopes of Carn a' Mhaim, not realising that the foot-deep snow lay on top of the granite slabs of Coire na Poite. Luckily it was a benign affair and a quick way down.
You will need Ordnance Survey map 43, Braemar to Blair Atholl. Map 36 also covers the hill, but not the approach to Derry Lodge.
From the Linn of Dee car park (National Trust for Scotland request a fee of £2; no charge for members) at map ref 063898, a short path goes through the trees to reach the track that leads up Glen Lui to the mountain rescue post just behind Derry Lodge. However, it is very easy to cycle this distance, reaching the start of the track a few hundred yards east of the car park. Needless to say, it is a delight free-wheeling back home in little more than ten minutes, especially as Glen Lui is not a particularly attractive place.
Cross the Derry Burn by the footbridge and proceed westwards on a grassy path over a flat, often boggy, area on the north side of the Luibeg Burn. The path then joins the track leading into Glen Luibeg and on to Luibeg Bridge. Although marginally faster to cycle this stretch, the glen's charm is best appreciated on foot.
If the bouldery Luibeg Burn cannot be forded, head upstream for Luibeg Bridge then double back to the good path that leads west to the Lairig Ghru. However, at a height of around 550m, look out for a newly constructed path that climbs a long way up the south-east ridge of Carn a' Mhaim. Admittedly, the worn path of old had become more obvious, nevertheless the new path takes away much of that excitement of being in the wild Cairngorms. After a sharp ascent of 250m, gentler ground then leads on to a minor top at 1014m, with the still-to-be-seen summit behind.
The 1014m top has a craggy area, best avoided by keeping to the west. On a misty day, be sure to continue north-west. Near the summit, the terrain changes to more typical granite grit as the ridge narrows.
There is no doubt about the position of the 1037m/3402ft summit cairn, an outstanding viewpoint perched above the Lairig Ghru.
However, the most exciting aspect of Carn a' Mhaim, in my opinion, is not the actual summit, but its long, narrow NNW ridge that gives the hill an appearance of being little more than a pendant-shaped outlying top of the mass of Ben Macdui. The one-mile ridge should be one of those must-do traverses for every hillwalker. With scarcely a minor scramble over a few rocky knobbles, a worn path leads the way to a col at around 805m. The gently sloping traverse from 1037m to 805m is a superb platform from where best to appreciate the mighty gash of the Lairig Ghru, the menace of The Devil's Point, and to wonder at the tiny dot that is Corrour bothy. Yet for all the height of the ridge the surrounding peaks, such as Cairn Toul, still dominate and the col seems a lowly place beneath the broader slopes of Ben Macdui.
From the col, a surprisingly confusing place on a misty day, follow the north bank of the Allt Carn a' Mhaim, keeping higher at first, an almost path-less but easy two-mile approach to the Luibeg Burn where the Sron Riach path from Ben Macdui comes in. Head south on that path to return to Glen Luibeg.
My earlier concerns about the day did not materialise. I met only three people, all from Aberdeen; the wind on the ridge was modest; the dark clouds kept to the west and any patches of snow could have been avoided. I had a glorious time!FactfileMap Ordnance Survey map 43, Braemar to Blair Atholl
Distance 15 miles, of which 5 miles can be cycled
Height 700m
Terrain Mixture of track, path and grassy slopes
Start point Linn of Dee car park, by Braemar
Time 6 to 7 hours
Nearest village Braemar
Nearest refreshment spot Gordon's Tearoom, Braemar
