Loch Etchachan & Ben MacDui: A Cairngorms Photo Story
Living by the Spey, most of my walks into the Cairngorms are from the north-western side, such as the one to Angel’s Peak last year. I’ve always wanted to venture in from the Deeside on the south-east, walking up to Loch Etchachan and Ben MacDuie, so on a recent weekend we drove round the top of the mountains to begin a three-day camping trek from the Linn of Dee near Bramar. We were blessed with endless sunshine, but the unusually still air meant we were also cursed by Scotland’s smallest and most infuriating fiends: the midges! Apart from their invasions morning and evening, it was a trip of radiant light and colour, of long days and far views, of rushing water, birdsong and quiet. I’ll let the photos tell the story.
The walk begins. Looking north-west up the Lui Water, Mar Lodge Estate, Aberdeenshire.The pool in the Derry Burn where we stopped for lunch and a swim.
The last of the old Scots pines in Glen Derry, looking north to the Cairngorms, Beinn Mheadhoin on the right.
The last bridge by the last tree on the track up to Coire Etchachan.
Bog pools filled with sky.The Hutchison Memorial Hut with the lip into Coire Etchachan behind.Arriving into Coire Etchachan beside the smaller lochan.
The small lochan in Coire Etchachan, looking east, back the way we came.Late afternoon swim in Loch Etchachan. Cold and crystal clear.Our campsite on the shore of Loch Etchachan. A moment’s peace before the midges arrived!Next morning, view into Loch Avon from Beinn Mheadhoin.Granite tor on Beinn Mheadhoin.Looking back down on Loch Etchachan with our next trail leading up on the left. Ben MacDui is top centre.The view south with our afternoon hill, Derry Cairngorm, top left.The rocky top of Derry Cairngorm. Looking north towards Beinn Mheadhoin with its tors, centre back.Looking south from Derry Cairngorm to the southern Grampian Mountains. Glen Laoigh Bheag, in the centre of the picture, will be our route back tomorrow.On a spur above Coire Sputan Dearg looking south. The ridges on the right are part of tomorrow’s route.Our second campsite, above Coire Sputan Dearg, looking north-east.Sunrise from the tent, the distant valleys sunk in cloud.Early morning, Alistair on the same spur above Coire Sputan Dearg. The lochan is one of four in the Cairngorms called Lochan Uaine – The Small Green Loch. On the walk up Ben MacDui, looking north over our campsite above the small lochan, Derry Cairngorm, Loch Etchachan and Beinn Mheadhion.Top of Ben MacDui, highest mountain in the Cairngorms and second highest in the UK.View west from Ben MacDuie: Cairn Toul in the middle, the pyramid of Angel’s Peak to the right. (An important mountain in my upcoming novel.)Walking south down the Sron Riach ridge.Lochan Uaine from the Sron Riach ridge.Gleann Laoigh Bheag, with regenerating Scots pine trees.The last hour down the sandy track to the Linn of Dee, heather in full blaze. Looking north-west, back the way we came.
We got to Braemar by 5.30 that evening, extremely thankful for hot showers, a pub meal and a huge soft bed. But even more thankful for three days walking, swimming, sleeping, looking and listening in the Cairngorms.
“However much I walk on them, these hills hold astonishment for me.” Nan Shepherd, The Living Mountain
