December 2014 Meet – Muir Cottage, Linn of Dee

A good crowd turned up for December’s meet in the Cairngorm club’s Muir cottage which proved a great hut. Given the location, Southern Cairngorm Munros were the order of the day and so it was a big team went up Beinn Bhreac in a none too promising forecast. First tick dispensed with and the weather not showing its teeth, we headed across the endless bog of Moine Bhealaidh to Beinn a’ Chaorainn. This lump turned out to be a lot smaller, but a lot further away than it initially appeared. After this a quick descent to Glen Derry and then a long but straightforward walk capped a long 28km day.

Chod and Eilidh also went up Beinn a’ Chaorainn, using bikes to take some of the sting out of the walk in and out. Misleading crag markings on the map led them up onto Moine Bhealaidh earlier than necessary and so they endured the same bog tedium as we did. The OS were cursed on the rapid descent past the ‘crags’ which with 20-20 hindsight could easily have been negotiated in ascent.

The pensioner’s peloton (sorry Charlie) cycled up to Derry Lodge where the Aberdeen Mountain Rescue team were preparing for their Christmas dinner. The peloton dismounted and walked up Carn Crom, forgoing Derry Cairngorm due to time constraints. On the return leg Rab took a tumble on his bike, injuring his ankle. Fortunately, though possibly not how they saw it, the rescue team were on hand to offer him a lift out. Not content that the Langie had caused enough disruption, Alastair then proceeded to fall off his bike, almost getting run over by the rescue team’s Land Rover in the process. At this point they were probably wishing they had just gone to the local pub for their dinner!

Alma, Paul and Geoff went up Carn Bhac which avoided the walk into Derry Lodge and marked the start of Geoff’s second ‘round’. Others enjoyed the scenery on valley walks.

After the usual eating, singing and odd light ale on Saturday night, Sunday dawned with heavy snowfall. Most just drove home tentatively over the snowy Glen Shee pass. A few however decided to stretch their legs before joining the Southerly migration. Jude, Simon (up from Englandshire) and Graham walked up the Corbett, Morrone, with the Braemar crowds, whilst Steven and I enjoyed a quiet ascent of Carn na Drochaide from the Linn of Quoich.

#meet