My ascents of the peaks in the Cairngorms started when I was fourteen years old. The Fell Walking Club of the Boteler Grammar School in Warrington, with Dave Shade and Brian Ogden leading, organised an expedition that covered both sides of the Lairig Ghru and took in the 4000ft peaks. I have been back to the Cairngorms on many occasions since that time and I always look back to those initial feelings of awe from that first expedition when confronted with mountains of such vastness as Ben Macdui and Braeriach. I still get those feelings when walking in these mountains and that is why they are so special to me. So in effect, I have been up a number of these peaks before but I wanted to include them in my current Munro journey in order that I have record of their ascent.

I split the peaks into three areas - East of Lairig Ghru, West of Lairig Ghru and the area around Derry Lodge. In this way I was able to cover all the Munros in three big days in these wonderful hills.

During my August 2014 visit to the area I was blessed with some good weather and so I had the opportunity to really enjoy the walk in these hills.