Ascent of Lochangar from Spittal of Glenmuick

We knew that the weather would be atrocious today around the Cairngorms, but better in the East. When Tim and Ian suggested Lochnagar, I probably didn’t know that it was THAT far east!!!!

Arriving at the Spittal of Glenmuick car park approximately 11:30 we knew when we started walking that we would be hard pushed to return by daylight. Tim didn’t last long due to a blister, and regrettably had to spend most of the afternoon in my car. Ian and I pushed up the landrover track besides Conachraig, and followed the subsequent track up to below Meikle Pap, which we did not ascend. Pausing briefly for a bite to eat, we had a view of the Great Cliffs as we topped the col, but then ascended immediately into the cloud on a steep boulder field leading up onto Lochnagar.

When we hit this ridge, we knew that the climbing was pretty much done for the day, but finding the summit may be more problematic, as neither of us generally use a GPS for routefinding, and visibility was poor. As it turned out we needn’t have worried, following the cliffs from above, the top of Cac Carn More was easily visible, and a bearing took us without difficulty to the summit of Cac Carn Beag. We were disappointed not to obtain a good view, however we were grateful to be in a cloud that was essentially dry. Ian had his eye on a few of the gullies, but it was obvious that they were pretty bare on the tops on t’other side, and there were large unstable cornice’ on our side.

Rather than return the same way, we opted to descend via Glas Allt, and past a rather nice waterfall. Hitting the landrover track beside Loch Muick, we returned to the car just as the light was failing.