Carn a’ Mhaim

1037m

Beinn Bhreac

931m

Beinn a'Chaorainn

1083m

date climbed

31/7/2014

time taken

8 hours

distance

30km 19 miles

ascent

1550m (5100ft)

OS Map

Landranger 36

Weather

Fair

Starting point :  Derry Lodge

This trip was to cover three Munros in the Cairngorms that lay outside my East and West grand tours. Carn a’Mhaim could have been included with a massive descent and ascent from Ben Macdui and Beinn Bhreac and Beinn a’Chaorainn with Ben Avon. However, the ascent of these three hills made a pleasant day’s walking on the south and eastern part of the Cairngorm massif.

Thanks to a kind lift to Derry lodge from Martine and David, the super path maintenance crew for the Cairngorms National Park, I did not have to use my bike to cycle the six miles from the Linn of Dee. Derry Lodge and the surrounding meadow appear to be a midge hot spot on evidence from the occupied orange tent camped in the area that had turned black with its coating of the insect. Horrible! The ascent of Carn a’Mhain was a quick and simple affair and it was nice to see another angle on the summits of Derry Cairngorm and Ben Macdui where I had been a couple of days before. Once back at Derry Lodge I walked along the eastern side of Glen Derry until it was possible to climb up towards Beinn Bhreac. The summit was followed by a long section of relatively flat and featureless landscape that would be difficult to navigate in bad weather. The final summit of the day, Beinn a’Chaorainn, was a gentle affair and then it was back for the steep descent into Glen Derry. Martine and David were met as they finished their work of the day and I accompanied them back to the pickup.