Winter's last gasp
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THE last throw of winter? It certainly felt and looked like it when I traversed Creag Dubh. With lots of snow on the Cairngorms, well into May, I carried an ice axe and crampons not wanting to take any chances.
In the event I needed neither, but a bitter wind from the north made it feel more like January than May.
I cast my mind back to the last time I’d done the traverse on a lovely sunny day. The contrast couldn’t have been more stark.
Starting from the climbers’ car park under the crags I wandered south-west, but got tempted by the paths to go a bit too high and ended up clambering over boulders.
Before I thought better of it and descended again to easier ground, I came across the Creag Dubh goats, which seemed not to be too bothered by me being there.
An easier start to the walk is through a gate near the "Sentry Box" a little further along the road towards Laggan, where a mock soldier stands inside his box in a garden.
In any event the aim is to ascend the grassy slope beyond the crags to reach the southern end of the hill. Expansive views across Strathspey open up as you gain height.
The cliffs are well known for their steep climbs on mica schist, with more than 100 routes on offer, mostly in the harder grades. And there’s an ice climb called Oui Oui up a waterfall when the winters are cold enough to freeze it.
I followed the path used by climbers as a descent route, making for the profile of the ridge ahead.
The path enters a dip, where I crossed a stile under the first craggy eminence. A short scramble gains the top but this was a little more testing than usual with snow on the rocks and grass so I was watching my footwork.
Once up, the biting wind blasted me and the Monadhliath across Glen Banchor were clothed in a white blanket, adding to the wintry feel.
Further on the path reaches a ladder stile over a fence, its rungs now covered in snow. I crossed and pushed on up another rocky scramble to the summit, where the further of two cairns is the highest point and there’s a superb view over Newtonmore to the Cairngorms.
From here the path continues along the broken ridge towards Newtonmore. It’s pretty boggy in places and was especially so today given melting snow. I descended on the west side of the hill where steep ground prevented direct forward passage and entered a gully. The path crosses this and contours round the east side of the final bump on the ridge before dropping sharply into a birchwood.
It continues on level ground to reach a track leading to Biallaid and a riding for the disabled centre. I followed the track round this to tarmac and the junction with the A86 leading into Newtonmore. I was staying with friends in Kingussie so walked back along the cycle path.
But if you’re doing the traverse and don’t have transport at either end I’d leave a bike near the riding centre for the return trip along the road to the car. Out of politeness it’s best to ask at the centre but there’s plenty of room.
