Sunday, 18th December
Distance: 20 km
Ascent: 638 m
Time: ~7 hours
We overslept slightly and barely squeezed in a shower before breakfast at 7:30. I’m sure this is a side effect of so many consecutive days on the hill, plus all the planning. If I do something similar again, it would be nice to schedule a rest day in a nearby village, drink tea, catch up on my diary, and wander around a bit. No such luck this trip! Still, it was great having Ben join me for the weekend.
After packing up, we drove to the Linn of Dee SNT car park and headed up Glen Lui. The idea was for me to carry all my kit, bag a Munro, and then drop down into the valley for the night, while Ben would head back down the track to the car and drive home.
A short distance along, we took the path up toward Meall an Lundain (777 m). The path quickly disappeared, so we trudged through heather and mist, enduring a few false summits. After a quick break, we reached the top, then took a bearing on to Beinn Bhreac (931 m). We emerged above the clouds to stunning views and spent a few moments taking them in. Moving on, we crossed the tops and descended the ridge at Coire an Fhir Bhogha, using the steep change in slope as a handy “handrail” in the mist.
We hustled along Glen Derry, with Ben’s Strava GPS notifying us of our kilometer times. Soon, we arrived at Derry Lodge, which is slated to be converted into a hostel. At that point, I decided to walk with Ben an extra 1.5 km to refill our water from a small stream we’d noticed. We said our goodbyes, and he headed back while I returned to Derry Lodge in the darkness, feeling a bit lonely and missing my kids.
I made my way to Bob Scott’s Bothy, cooked dinner, and settled in for the evening. There were a few candles already there, which I lit, very grateful for their light when my Alpkit head torch batteries died unexpectedly. As I planned the next couple of days, I looked over an area of the map that brought back happy memories of past Munro walks. I’m really missing my kids right now and hoping we can explore the mountains together again soon.
Breakfast: Cooked at the B&B
Lunch: Corn cakes and hummus, plus a banana and some of Ben’s hot chocolate
Dinner: Quinoa with stock and onions, followed by custard
Monday, 19th December
Distance: 15 km
Ascent: 850 m
Time: ~6 hours
I had a much-needed good night’s sleep and woke in the dark around 7:45. While I was collecting water for the bothy toilet, I caught a glimpse of a stunning sunrise. It looked like at least the morning would be good weather, so I quickly packed up and started walking at 9:10.
From Derry Lodge, I took the path on the east side of the river and continued up Glen Derry to the Glas Allt Mòr. There, I veered off toward the 856 m spot height. The going was slow, but the views made it worthwhile, and I listened to podcasts as I walked. From the spot height, I looked across to Beinn a’ Chaorainn (1083 m). Crossing boggy peat hags and then climbing the mountainside, I finally reached the summit cairn.
My usual routine is to send a message home, which I’d drafted earlier, then check for any replies. I had a message from Ben confirming he’d gotten home safely, and another from a friend asking for my address. By now, the wind had picked up and the rain started, so I was getting cold and decided to move on.
I took a slightly different descent, angling directly toward the bothy until I joined the valley path. Cutting the corner to cross a bridge, I climbed up to the Hutchison Memorial Hut. Arriving in good time, I swept it out, propped open the window and door to clear the dust, and used the last of the daylight to write in my diary. Just as the wind picked up, I retreated inside. It’s a simple bothy, sleeping about six if you squeeze in. I made dinner with the water I’d collected earlier and finalized my plan for the next day.
Breakfast: 1 pack of rice noodles + miso soup, hot chocolate
Lunch: Oat biscuit, 9Bar, raisins, corn cakes (three-quarters), hummus, half an apple, a carrot
Dinner: Quinoa, stock, dried onion, plus custard and dried apricots, and an oat biscuit with cheese
As evening fell, I spotted a head torch outside. Since my gear was spread over the sleeping platform, I quickly tidied up for the first new arrival, a walker coming from Corrour via Derry Lodge on a multi-day trip (bivvying along the way). Later, two more lights appeared: two fifth-year university students planning to sleep in the bothy before watching the sunrise from Ben Macdui.
While I ate my custard, we all chatted. Then one of the students suggested we step outside to see the stars. It turned out to be one of the clearest, brightest night skies I’ve ever witnessed, with the Milky Way in full view. For a while, we simply gazed up at the universe, remembering how incredibly vast it is. But time and weather wait for no one, so by 9:30, we all turned in for an early night.
Tuesday, 20th December
Distance: 22 km
Ascent: 1,100 m
Time: ~9 hours
The student couple set off at first light, aiming to catch sunrise on Ben Macdui. I took my time with a good breakfast, unsure of how tough the day might be. Just before dawn, I started up to Loch Etchachan alongside my hut companion. At the loch, he headed toward Ben Macdui, and I went across an icy stream to climb Beinn Mheadhoin.
After an initial steep scramble, the terrain leveled out, and I walked between pink granite tors toward the summit (1182 m). Clouds rolling in from the south reduced visibility, and by the time I reached the top around 9:30, the wind was really picking up. I carefully clambered onto the summit tor in the strong gusts before making a quick descent to Loch Etchachan, aiming next for Ben Macdui.
I met a solo walker going from Derry Lodge to Ryvoan Bothy. The wind grew fiercer as I ascended, so I decided to angle toward Loch Avon instead. Passing Loch Etchachan again, it really felt like winter: a thin glaze of ice coated the rocks, and the streams and puddles were beginning to freeze. I pulled out my ice axe for stability against the wind and to handle the icy patches.
Dropping into the valley, I briefly escaped the wind and grabbed some food. Feeling re-energized, I pressed on to the Shelter Stone, where I met two walkers struggling uphill to the Hutchison Hut. We swapped well-wishes, and I continued, crossing the river via a small island. From there, I climbed Coire Raibeirt, an icy, hands-on section where I tore a small hole in my gloves.
Eventually, the slope leveled, and I reached a col, right into what I later found out were 100 mph winds, with even stronger gusts. I was thrown off my feet several times, forced to crouch or sit to avoid being blown over. Picking my way carefully over the frozen ground, I moved toward the Coire Cas ski runs. The wind remained intense, and I was knocked over again while descending the grassy slope near the ski area.
Around 3:30 p.m., I arrived at Coire Cas. Grateful for the shelter, I refolded my maps and quickly checked emails about an upcoming work trip to Las Vegas. I also spoke briefly with my director. Given the extreme weather forecast, I decided it would be wise to wrap up the trip a day early, so I changed my hostel booking. After confirming bus times, I didn’t feel like waiting in the cold for 50 minutes, so I jogged down to Glenmore to catch it there. By 5:12 p.m., after nine challenging hours on the hill, my adventure ended with a short bus ride to the SYHA hostel in Aviemore.
Breakfast: 1 pack of rice noodles + miso soup, half a pint of hot chocolate
Lunch: Chocolate oat biscuits, a 9Bar, a Naked Bar flapjack, raisins, dried mango, oat cakes, and Primula
Dinner: Chips, ginger beer, plus some corn cakes, hummus, and bananas
I spent the evening chatting with the warden, exploring the town, and catching up on my tablet. It felt like the right time to head home sooner rather than later.
Wednesday, 21st December
I caught the train from Aviemore and made my way back home, bringing this adventure to a close. Missing my kids more than ever, but grateful for the experiences along the way.
Part one of this trip here:
What I took and what I learnt along the way: