Another weekend and another trip to the mountains! It’s Saturday, July 16, 2016 01.00am, not quite the journey by road we faced with Liatach or Conival, Ben More Assynt but what we lost in road miles we most certainly gained on foot with this trip.

I met up with my good friend Petr in Cumbernauld at the unearthly hour of 1 o’clock. At least on the other side of midnight this time. We quickly got organised and hit the M80, drove north on a mainly clear, calm pleasant mid July night. 2 hours after departing Cumbernauld we turned off the A9 at Aviemore, heading east through Glenmore Forest to the familiar Cairn Gorm Ski Centre car park.

Just after 04.00am we head NE around the southeast flank of mighty Cairngorm en-route to Ben Macdui. It was windy as soon as we opened the car door and that wind remained with us.

Ahead of us was a wind swept 11-hour, 25km, 3 munro expedition! Back in February, Bynack More a mere 6-8km to our north, tested my winter endurance with an icy gale and whiteout conditions, this time around, wind of winter strength would soon provide me with a realisation that hurricane-force winds and cold occurs any month of the year in the Scottish Highlands.

Apart from the strengthening wind, clouds blew through quickly and so the sun was shinning often. When reaching the first ridge and entering the open wilderness of the high Cairngorm Plateau, winds we’re blowing firmly at gale-force. Given an air temperature of just 3-5C, for comfort and protection from the wind, gloves and even a face mask was required.

Petr battling the strong wind on the slopes of Ben Macdui

Summit of Ben Macdui, Britain’s second highest point. Tough to take a ‘summit selfie’ due to the strength of wind. While on top of Ben Macdui, winds were gusting 92 mph on nearby Cairngorm!

View finder on the summit erected by the Cairngorm Club in 1925.

Next up, 3,878ft Beinn Mheadhoin, one of the most remote within the heart of the beautiful Cairngorm wilderness.

Nice distance view of Beinn Mheadoin with it’s distinct summit boulders.

One of my goals this year is to stand in snow every month of the year and so on descent of Ben Macdui, I came across one of the many large snow patches remaining on the upper northwest face even in the heart of summertime.

About an hour after summiting Ben Macdui we came across beautiful Loch Etchachan. Located on the southern slope of Beinn Meadhoin and 3,042ft above sea level, Loch Etchachan is said to be the highest freshwater body of it’s size in the UK.

Nice elevated view above Loch Etchachan which shows it’s size and the path we’ve just came.

After passing the windswept surface of Loch Etchachan, we immediately commenced our final ascent up Beinn Mheadhoin’s southern slopes.

With height, beautiful Loch Avon soon came into view, one of Scotland’s wildest and remotest places. This loch is surrounded by the steep mountain face of mighty Cairn Gorm to the west and Beinn Mheadhoin in the east.

Walking the long, flat top of Beinn Mheadhoin to the summit boulders left behind by the ice age.

After summiting Beinn Mheadhoin, we descended the steep grassy slopes to Loch Avon and circled it before re-ascending for a third time. Last but not least, Cairn Gorm.

Close up view of Cairngorm Weather Station from afar.

The views were well worth the pain.

Looking across Loch Avon to the powering face of Cairn Gorm.

Loch Avon

Now on the slopes of Cairngorm and looking back across Loch Avon to Beinn Mheadhoin

After the long, sore slog up from Loch Avon, we arrive on top of a very windy but ice and snow free Cairn Gorm summit. Winds gusting 75 mph!

I say snow and ice free because this was the scene I had up here back in late April.

Tags: beinn mheadoin, ben macdui, cairngorm national park, cairngorm summit