Thirty-five thoroughbreds raced out of the Linn of Dee car park, heading north towards Corrie Cas and the Sugar Bowl car parks. They were briefly corralled at Derry Lodge before stampeding in various directions.

 John Henderson, Drummond Beattie, Ella Grant, Ray Newell, Craig Coull and John Leonard made their way to the junction of Glen Luibeg and the Lairig Ghru. They continued on over the Munro, Carn a’ Mhaim, and then up the rocky southern approach to Ben Macdui.　 Great weather for the first part of the walk deteriorated to light rain as they made their way down the tourist path to the car park – a smidgen before 6pm.　 Timing judged to perfection!!　 A great traverse in decent weather and mostly good visibility.　

The two fillies Lydia Davis and Natacha Mihajlovic trotted off over Devil’s Point, Cairn Toul, Angel’s Peak and the far, far away Braeriach. Having great weather conditions until reaching Braeriach, and also the privilege of watching an eagle soar overhead, the day was going well. With only two hours left to reach the Sugar Bowl they cantered off, delighted to have made it back in eight hours fifteen minutes.

Heading off into the Lairig Ghru were some never-to-be-seen-again drovers, Louise Jones, Colin Cowie, Fiona Duncan, Deirdre Ferguson, Fiona Cuninghame, Natasha Lilly, Jenny Smith, Donna Nash, Sue Horth and Ray Harron.

Emerging on time to collect their rosettes and a well-deserved pub visit were Natasha, Jenny, Louise, Fiona C, Colin and Ray. Wanted posters, were placed for the return dead or alive, of fugitives Fiona D, Deirdre, Donna and Sue, plus some other desperate characters yet to be mentioned in despatches.

Graeme Bartlett saddled up and moseyed over Beinn A’ Bhuird south and north tops, Beinn a’ Chaorainn Beag and Beinn a’ Chaorainn, to the Fords of Avon. He then rode off into the sunset over Cairngorm summit.

Making for the pass (Glen Luibeg), George Herraghty and Bob Weeks packed Sorn Riach, Ben Macdui and Carn Etchachan into their saddlebags before heading them up and moving out back down to the car park. I believe a frog had a very lucky escape, as George had no bread and butter left.

Dave & Kate Whitelock, Andrew Taylor Andy Brooks, Bob Mcdonald, Dan Moysey, Lisa Taylor, Jonas Linturn, Nigel Burkin, Bob Laughton, Bob Litster and three members of the no-pub-for-us gang, Illona Morrice, Kath Taylor and Corrine Ferguson, took the mule train up Derry Cairngorm. From the summit the no-pub-for-us gang headed down into the canyon via the Hutchison memorial hut. The rest headed off for Ben Macdui, with Bob Mcdonald taking in Creagan a’ Choire Etchachan en route. He teamed up with Andy Brooks on Ben Macdui but then a navigational error meant they only just caught the stagecoach to the pub.

The remainder of the mule train carried on to the Goat Track where Dan, Lisa, Jonas and Andrew made their way down the Fiacaill Ridge. Kate, Dave, the two Bobs and Nigel continued up onto Cairngorm summit then down the tourist path.

Meanwhile the no-pub-for-us gang were hiding out at the Fords of Avon. Making their way up the saddle on Cairngorm the three desperadoes found it difficult in the mist to locate Fiacaill Choire Cas, eventually finding the cairn and heading off the mountain.

A posse was formed and Dan, Ella and John, our stagecoach driver, set out to bring the no-pub-for-us gang finally to justice.

Dave Whitelock