Of course, the conditions were beyond perfect for our trek. The story of the first winter ascent of K2. You might imagine a weather-blasted, rock-strewn summit to be devoid of life, but we were soon joined by a couple of snow buntings. The cliffs on the northern face are the highest in the Scottish Highlands and provide classic rock climbs and scrambles for except mountaineers and climbers, and ice climbing surfaces. It reminded me of mountain biking, where you need to pick your line and keep … BEN Macdui holds the title of Britain’s second tallest mountain, just pipped to the post by the better-known Ben Nevis. As the trail steepened into the mountainside, the boulder field thickened until it obliterated any distinct path and we were soon picking our way through, occasionally putting a hand down to steady ourselves. This is a new road which has recently been opened. The weather up there, even at this time of the year, can feature sleety snow storms, but the sun was blazing and there was hardly any wind. The Ben MacDhui Pass is the new record holder of the highest altitude summit in South Africa at 3001m. Length 11.3 mi Elevation gain 3,395 ft Route type Loop Backpacking Camping Hiking Walking Views Wildlife Rocky Scramble Snow The peaks to our right were picked out in bands of white, black and green as the clouds scudded overhead, revealing different vistas as they passed. I agreeI do not agree. The broad summit dome of Ben Macdui ( 1309m ) now rises ahead and after joining another path coming in from the east you soon reach this tremendous viewpoint. The OS Map (or equivalent) should be a necessity and not a bonus. “We have the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and it’s amazing the amount of freedom we have – probably the best in the world,” Heather admitted. The walk from Linn o' Dee, near Braemar, was recently voted as one of the best in Britain. It’s not a sight that the Cairngorms are known for but as we set off from the Coire Cas ski centre car park, the range began to loom out of the golden haze. To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma Part and parcel of this outdoor access is that wild camping is permitted in the Scottish Highlands. Approaching it from Speyside involves crossing the vast and exposed Cairngorm plateau, a rolling arctic wilderness and a popular route but requiring excellent navigation skills. After crossing the Allt Coire an Lochain, we soon left the trail altogether, picking our way past boulders and across a surprisingly boggy patch of thick moss to the Coire an Lochain, a tranquil aqua green pool lined with rocks that have fallen from the half moon of buttresses above. Follow horse racing with Alex Hammond on Sky Sports - get live racing results, racecards, news, videos, photos, stats (horses & jockeys), plus daily tips. It is part of Britain’s highest mass, the central Cairngorm plateau. Author: Matt Ray | Photos: Reuben Tabner, I consent to allow Wired for Adventure to collect my contact information (required). Here, you can simply hire a bike and helmet for the day, or you can embark on guided rides. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, camping, and backpacking. Thanks to Merrell for organising this adventure up Ben Macdui, and for offering the opportunity to try out some footwear from the new MQM Collection. The going underfoot was loose and you had to keep your eyes trained on the trail. The summit of the mountain has a direction indicator erected in 1925 by the Cairngorm Club of Aberdeen in memory of a past president, Mr. Alexander Copland. Ben Macdhui is the biggest mountain in the Cairngorms and the second highest in the UK. The pass comprises three distinct sections: 1. Ben Macdui Ben Macdui takes advantage of a high start at 650m to launch you deep onto the Cairngorm plateau, when you reach its summit you’ll enjoy a fantastic mountain panorama. It looks at the “Big Gray Man” of Ben Macdui, as well as other aspects of this most mysterious, and one of the highest points on Earth. We headed up to the summit via Coire an Lochain, a tiny mountain loch fed by the fresh snowmelt that is still coming down the mountain. Not sure what the route is called-very clearly marked path-obviously a main route [with] Sarah [weather] Complete contrast to Meall a' Bhuachaille the day before! The summit rises from the southern part of a huge sub-arctic upland unique in the British Isles. The second highest mountain in Britain, Ben Macdui is in the centre of the arctic-like Cairngorms plateau - a much wilder place than Ben Nevis. At least bring a snow shovel and bivvy gear. To find out more about what the School of Mountain Biking has to offer, or to find out pricing, head to www.schoolofmtb.co.uk. Located on the western side of the Grampian Mountains in Lochaber, the mountain attracts close to 100,000 ascents a year. A diaphanous mist struggled to hold back the promise of summer sunshine, like tent canvas in the face of an energetic dawn. Wandering over the plateau is an experience that will live with you forever. Ben Macdui, the highest mountain in the massif, with an elevation of 4,296 feet (1,309 metres), is the second highest mountain (after Ben Nevis) in the British Isles. Ben MacDui, walking route, weather, maps and more on all the Munros of Scotland. 2.The maintenance track for the ski-lift. Just how tough is it to climb in the Karakoram Mountain Range during winter? There was no obvious trail that I could see… “That’s OK, we’ll go off-piste and find a route with a burn to refill the water bottles,” said Heather, cheerfully. But we weren’t done for the day. With two Munros and a well-earned night’s sleep in the bag, another day of adventure in the Cairngorms is not something to be missed. The name I have given the name as Ben Macdui. Ben Nevis is the highest peak in Scotland and it’s also the tallest mountain in the British Isles. See our privacy policy for details on how we manage your data. Ben MacDui, Derry Cairngorm and Carn a' Mhaim A long rewarding day which took 11.5 hrs to complete. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/place/Ben-Macdui. Walk up Ben Macdui from Aviemore Route Description I would like to receive competitions, exclusive offers and other promotional emails from Wired for Adventure, I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. Ben Macdui (Beinn Macduibh) is a summit in the region or range in Scotland. Please enter a valid email address. Ben Macdui, Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland. Ben Macdui, Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland. ; second highest peak in Scotland. This route can be done as either a straight out and return from the ski area or as a circular route enjoying some pathless terrain and superb views down Loch Avon. Off the side of the mountaintop we could see a new plain, running down, out and then up again to the summit of Cairn Gorm. A winter-sports industry in the Cairngorm Mountains, centred on the town of Aviemore, has developed and expanded…. Care is required when crossing the bouldery summits of Ben MacDui & Derry Cairngorm. Climbing Ben Macdui, the UK’s second highest mountain, delivers an unexpected blend of summer sun and winter snows for AT contributor Matt Ray…. Ben Macdui is the second highest mountain in Britain. I was again reminded of the access afforded to us all in the Highlands. But the summer here is famously midge-heavy. Accessed by both Deeside and Speyside, the summit is said to be haunted by the wraith-like Old Grey Man. The plateau is largely featureless and it is easy to lose sight of the cairns. If something does lurk on Ben Macdui, we don’t know what it is, where it came from, or what it wants. Height: At a lofty 1309m, Ben Macdui is second only to The Ben Personality: A giant, but a shy, retiring and unapproachable one that hides away in the middle of the Cairngorms. “If  you are in cold temperatures and you’re wet and it’s windy, then within 10 minutes you’re going to be shivering, and within an hour you will start to have the first effects of hypothermia; slurred speech and irrational behaviour.”. By the time we were ascending the trail proper, sunlight had flooded the heather, picking out the white ribbon of path as the sky deepened to a cornflour blue. 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