This walk in 1997 took us from Aviemore through to Braemar
In the Cairngorms an area of high plateaux, deep corries, remote lochs, swift-flowing rivers, ancient forests and Artic-like tundra is a wilderness where it is still possible to be truely alone. The Lair Ghru is the most celebrated mountain pass in Scotland and its scale just has to be seen to be appreciated
This walk took us from an area of magestic pinewoods in Speyside to the picturesque glens of Deeside, covering a distance of around thirty miles. It threads its way between the highest mountins in Scotland outwith the Ben Nevis group. For grandeur and variety of scenery this pass is without equal. At its highest point it reaches 833m, and yet it is a deep cutting with the great mountains of Braeriach (1,296m) to the west and Ben Macdui (1,309m) to the east.
The Lairigh Ghru is a dangerious route due to its length, height, and lack of escape routes which can mean that a change in the weather can easily have the traveller fighting for survival. Cold winds funnel through this great pass, making it always necessary to be properly prepared and protected against exposure. In foul weather when the mist races across the hilside, wild winds whip through the pass and driving rain and sleet batter every inch of exposed flesh. Though in good conditions the route is a magnificent expedition for thoes who are fit and experienced enough to to try this classic hillwalking challenge.
From Coylumbridge at 220m there is a steady but ever increasing climb through the Rothimurchus Forest, past Piccadilly and the site of the Sinclair Hut before easing down past the pools of Dee to the Corrour Bothy.
Although the rocks are grey in colour, broken granite boulders show the granite to be red in colour and as you walk it is easy to identify sites of rock movement. The Lairig is rough passage and my old anckel break was really complaining, but when it was used as a drove road, each spring, the people from Rothiemurchus would clear the route of bolders that had been brough down by the winter storms.
We arrived, late evening, by train in Aviemore. About 23:00hrs headed south from the station, turned left on to the Loch Morlich road to cross the railway line, past Inverdruie and on to Coylumbridge. From here take the path south into the forest following the Am Beanaidh. With the forest closing round you, civilisation is soon left behind an in our case light levels dropped. In fact we were not going to see another person for almost 12 hours.
The sandy forest path is in good condition and well marked which allowed good progress to be achieved. After 700m a signposted fork directs you to the Cairngorm Club footbridge across the Am Beanaidh.
Leaving the burn the path comes to a crossroads in the forest known as Piccadilly and we turned right to follow the Allt Druidh. The path climbs high above the stream through dense forest and becomes more rough. The trees begin to thin out eventually leaving only a few gnarled Scots pines who's roots can easily trip you up.
By now it was quite dark, and the dew was dripping from the trees thus we decided to have a couple of hours break while we were still being sheltered by the trees. The light soon returned again allowing us to continue.
Leaving the trees we reached the brow of a hill which provided superb views back over the forest to the Spey valley. We were disapointed that the morning was rather grey and misty which only allowed us a short glimpse of sun rise. As the world slumbered on we has the countryside to ourselves and strolled contentedly on to the pass.We pass the area of Lurchers Gully and on to the foot of Sron na Lairige whigh was the site of the Sinclair Hut. The path is more eroded here and much restoration work has been undertaken.
The Hut was built in 1957 as a memorial to Angus Sinclair, an Edinburgh philosphy lecture who died on the slopes of Cairn Gorm in 1954. It was demoloshed in 1991 to prevent it tempting hillwalkers to cross the pass in poor weather.The path climbs into the stony jaws of the pass and the start of the rough terrain. Only the serious and well prepared walkers venture in here. There is a surprising ascent until it finally flattens out in a boulder field with red granite scree at each side.
The streams, which are the start of the Dee, have all disappeared under the boulders leaving you feeling exposed in the jaws of the pass. The four clear Pools of Dee lie in depresions in the boulders and are said never to freeze although this can only be determined by the extraction from deep winter snow of a soggy wet boot.
The path undulates and twists over the uneven ground which had my anckle complaining even more. We decended into the great U-shaped valley of Glen Dee. To our left is the massive slopes of Ben Macdui and to the right, the great corrie An Garbh Choire. The scale grandure and wildness is impressive and even in the height of summer snow fields still exist there. To the right is Coire Bhrochain with Braeriach. Further on is the corried Cairn Toul followed by the unmistakable Devil's Point which has been sectioned by the old glaciers.
The corrie on the northern side of the Devil's Point, Corie Odhar, gives its name to the bothy at its base; the well known Corrour Bothy. After the bothy there are a group of rocks to the left of the path, with the largest being known as Clach nan Taillear (Tailors Stone). The name comes from an old story concering three tailors who died sheltering from a storm. They had drunkenly boasted that on a single winter's day they could dance in Abernethy, Rothiemurchus and Mar but their attempt was terminated by bad weather.
We move on around Carn a' Mhaim into Glen Luibeg and the path becomes and even sandy track down to Derry lodge as the rain poured down on our journey. There where Glen Luibeg and Glen Derry meet to form Glen Lui we rested in the dryness of some fine Scots pines. We also too advantage of the phone there to check on the time of our collection
From Derry Lodge a fine Land-Rover track speeds us down Glen Lui following then crossing the Lui Water, through the trees to the car park at the Linn of Dee to finish at 15:00hrs.
After the 1715 Jacobite rebellion, the Earl of Mar's estates were forfited. Then the clearences of 1726 saw many local people evicted. The Highlands used to support many a small community but today they are areas of true wilderness and beauty which few of UK population have ever seen or enjoyed.
Right, now to dry out, catch some sleep - err thought about the next mid-summer night walk?
Author: Colin Auld
Remember - leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photographs.