M4 |
1291 m. |
4235 ft.
Pronunciation kaarn towal
Translation Hill of the barn
OS 36 | Gridref NN 963972
Alex, Cord, Frank enjoyed it
2011 Description coming soon
We walked the hill on a two-day outing of 70 kms. It took us two beautiful summer days to walk from Blair Atholl right into the heart of the Cairngorms and then to walk out again to Aviemore. We started from Blair Atholl and hiked through Glen Tilt past Marble Lodge and Beinn a’ Ghlo – a hill to be climbed on another day. Across the bridge at the waterfall of Tarf Water and then onto the boggy plain leading down to the Linn of Dee, where we camped on the far side of the River Dee on a low ridge (32 km). Millions of midges. Two hours of light breeze gave respite from their attention. Up early in the morning and off to the Devil’s Point higher up the Dee Valley where near the Corrour bothy we rested before the climb up Coire Odhar. Watched the eclipse of the sun on the summit of the hill. A sight to remember but much outpassed in beauty by the hills. Over the point 1213m we reached Cairn Toul and rested for a while. Then we bypassed Sgorr an Lochan Uaine (oblivious of the fact that it was promoted to Munro-status in 1997). Over Einich Cairn and onward across the water streaming from the Wells of Dee we reached the summit of Braeriach were again we rested and enjoyed the view across the Lairig Ghru to Ben Macdui, Carn a’ Mhaim and back to Cairn Toul, Sgorr an Lochan Uaine and Lochan Uaine. Marvellous. Then a quick descent over Sron na Lairige to the Lairig Ghru path. We followed the path through beautiful Rothiemurchus forrest – although we did not really have enough energy left to saviour much if the beauty – to reach the road at Coylumbridge (38 km) at about 9 pm. Found a B&B in Inverdruie and had two pints in Aviemore. Exiting, exhilarating, exhausting and extremely satisfying expedition. On the next day Scotrail brought us back to Blair Atholl and to our car which took us to Glen Affric next.
Description
The west side of the Lairig Ghru in its southern half is dominated by Cairn Toul and its two satellites, Sgor an Lochain Uaine and The Devil's Point. This is probably the finest group of mountains in the Cairngorms, and unlike nearly all the others which tend to be plateau-topped, these three all have well-defined pointed summits. Cairn Toul and Sgor an Lochain Uaine share with Braeriach the grandeur of An Garbh Choire, and the narrow ridge of the Sgor which rises steeply from the little green loch to its summit is one of the finest features of the corrie. 4 kilometres to their south-east, The Devil's Point may be a much lower peak, but the continuous bastion of slabs round its south and east sides gives it the appearance of impregnability. Any route to these mountains is very long, whether it is from the south via Glen Lui or the River Dee, from the north via Gleann Einich (with the help of a bicycle) or from the west over the Moine Mhor from Glen Feshie. Of these possibilities, the traditional route is from the south, starting at the foot of Glen Lui and following the right of way via Derry Lodge and Glen Luibeg to reach the southern entrance to the Lairig Ghru opposite Corrour Bothy. Cross the River Dee and climb up Coire Odhar to the col at its head, from where it is a short climb to The Devil's Point. Then go north-west up a long smooth slope and along the edge of Coire an t-Saighdeir to reach Cairn Toul. Descend west and go along the edge of the corrie of the green lochan to reach Sgor an Lochain Uaine.