Thirty MMC members and guests, including a healthy contingent from the Long Distance Walkers Association, boarded the bus for the somewhat twisty journey to the Linn of Dee.  At Cock Bridge, Joe Glennie decided he’d had enough – so we left him by the side of the road…more of that story later.

Next off was Graeme Bartlett, who we dropped off just before Invercauld Bridge.  From there, he traversed through to the Glen More Hayfield via Ben Avon, Beinn a Bhuird North Top and Faindouran Bothy.  It sounds a long way, and it is, but so is the length of Graeme’s stride.

Everyone else disembarked at Linn of Dee and made a quick dash to the port-a-loos.  Essential business completed, the loosely bound group made their way to Derry Lodge.  Here the party split.

Bob MacDonald and Fiona Cunninghame traversed Derry Cairngorm and Ben Macdui to the ski centre car park.  The clag was down and so no views.  In fact, it was so thick they couldn’t see their hand (or watch) in front of your face.

Dawn Fraser, Caroline Brewer, Dotttie Wildman, Bill Lindsay, Lianne Murrie, Jenni Coelho, Sue Cave, Leigh Cave, Sue Foster, Lindsey Kendrick, Teresa Berg, Faye Gonzalez, John Henderson, Riki Beck, Julie Cribb, Carrie Patterson, Pete Mitchell, Jan Adamson, Andy Treweeke, Ray Harron, Mick Greenshields and Lucy Haycock formed a large group who all walked through the Lairig Ghru to the Cairngorm Hotel in Aviemore.  A total distance of about 22 miles.  The weather was overcast and a little drizzly around the Pools of Dee, but cleared up for the latter stages through the Rothiemurchus woods.  Some got a pint in the pub, some got to the pub but with insufficient time for a pint, and a few stragglers along the road from Coylum Bridge made little effort to refuse the offer of a lift from the passing MMC bus.

Ray Newell and Stewart Evans traversed to the ski centre car park via Carn a Mhaim and Ben Macdui.  The clag was down most of the way across the high ground and only started to clear in the final stages towards the car park.

Dan followed the group as far as Derry Lodge and then set off on his own.  “Beinn A Mheadhoin was dead ahead and cloud free on the approach up Glen Derry.  However, by the time I arrived at Loch Etchacan everything was in clag.  I stumbled into at least four tors on the summit plateau, one of which was presumably 1182m above sea level.  Whilst clambering up the largest one I heard a call of “is that you Dan?” from the far side of the tor.  For a moment I thought that maybe the Old Grey Man of Macdui was lost in the mist, but it turned out to be Liam, well known to the climbers of the Club”.

Peter Goodwin covered more miles than anyone else…a distance of over 60 miles!  Having travelled to Linn of Dee, Peter then stayed on the bus all the way to the Sugar Bowl car park.  It was a very scenic journey full of wild animals, such as Boy Racers and Idiot Bikers, and included a coffee stop in Tomintoul.  The driver, Willie, was particularly cheery.  Peter eventually commenced his walk through the Chalamain Gap to a grassy patch that is all that remains of the Sinclair Hut.  He noted that the path is much improved since his last visit “tum-te-tum” years ago.

Joe arrived back at the Ski Centre car park with time to spare, which is a noteworthy feat since his traverse from Cock Bridge included Ben Avon Beinn a Bhuird, Beinn a Chaorainn Beag, Beinn a Chaorainn and Cairngrom.  “I consulted with Mr Naismith and he suggested that having set off at 9am I should reach the bus at 6:30pm, the advertised bus departure time.  Well, I can report that when you have a cold, stayed out too late on the Saturday night, it’s rough underfoot and you spend much of the day stumbling around in the clag starring at a map and compass, getting lost and climbing extra summits by accident, Mr Naismith is a surprisingly difficult man to keep up with.  Happily I did manage to beat him, but only just”.

There was no time for a pub stop, but never mind, next time it’s Bob and Fiona’s round.

Words: Daniel Moysey

Photos: Dan and John Henderson