THE LAIRIG GHRU 3 Days in the Wild Cairngorms | Scotland’s Arctic Circle | Corrour Bothy
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- Опубліковано 8 січ 2022
- The LAIRIG GHRU pass in the Cairngorms is a wild and beautiful winter trek, taking in some of the areas most dramatic and spectacular scenery, with river crossings, wild forests, and the odd cosy bothy, it really is one of Scotland’s best mountain trails. Looping round and returning via the eastern flank of Bynack More creates a 50 kilometre loop we christened the ‘Arctic Circle’, and for my money is the best ‘safe’ low level long distance loop you can do in the Cairngorms in winter. We’d originally planned to take in the big mountains like Braeriach, Cairn Toul, and Ben Macdui, but 60 mile per hour winds and -20 celsius temperatures kept as low in the Glens, which still sit between 500 and 700 metres in altitude, so are a wee bit nippy when the wind picks up. Corrour Bothy, Bob Scott’s Bothy and the Hutchison Memorial hut all provide safety and refuge from the brutal Arctic conditions, and a place to warm up and dry the boots out!
- Фільми й анімація
Ah mate... bewdiful 👍👍👍 ... take me back ... truly fantastic 👏
When I do river crossings in those conditions then whenever possible I just grit my teeth, strip off my boots, socks and trousers, and keep everything dry except me. I keep a small, microfibre towel in my bag for emergencies and if I know there's a crossing I tend to keep a pair of flip-flops in there, too, which are super-light and really help with footing. And gravel in 0.01C water is sore!
The coldest one was knee-deep and carrying a collie through the Geldie on my way from Braemar to to Blair Atholl in similar conditions to the video, with slushy ice on the bottom of the burn and water running over it. Fair wakes you up but better than wet socks.
That said, like happened to your companion, I was doing the chest of Dee loop with my Dad five years ago in high winter and his walking pole collapsed, putting his foot right through the ice on a burn into freezing water to the knee. We looked at each other and he says he could see me thinking "-5C, snow, 72-year old, soaking trouser leg, ten km to the car :(((((" in real time.
I certainly learned to take river crossings more seriously when planning a route after this trip. I stupidly assumed they'd either be frozen, or cross-able on stepping stones etc. I might take some wetsuit water shoes with me next time tbh, I was worried I'd fall over in bare feet and then be in serious trouble, so thought I'd just risk my boots getting a bit wet and change socks afterwards...
Ouch Cairngorms in Dec Jan. So well done. Congratulations. JMO
A year late but watched this before heading to the area between Cristmas and New Year. Thoroughly enjoyed. Nw sub from me.
Really enjoyed this.Show's how dangerous it can be even keeping to the low level.Was actually glad u bailed Braeriach as that is a long way to get to that bothy and your conditions were bad enough on the Lairig Ghru never mind up high..Great video.😎❄👍
Cheers! I've never trekked through the Cairngorms before so it was great to get into them for a real walk. Just wish we hadn't left 26KM for the last day...and it taught us a lesson about taking river crossings into consideration when planning a route!
And yeah, we definitely would've been up high on Cairn Toul when darkness fell and temps dropped if we'd attempted the high route...
There are so many beautiful places in this world! I just love watching for the scenery... 😇
Great Cairngorm adventure, and it's certainly a proper wilderness in those conditions. There's a relentless need to concentrate which is so fatiguing.... beautiful sunset colours over Devil's Point - I'll bet those river crossings were fun. Well done lads, cheers for sharing.
I let in 95 from the Corrour and made the Hutchison by headtorch in similar conditions, the day after was nigh-on perfect and I went over Ben Macdui & Cairn Gorm en route to Aviemore & the train home. Your film brought back a lot of memories - enjoyed immensely. Subbed
Cheers! Much appreciated! We'd have loved to have gone over Ben Macdui, and or via Loch Etchacan and Loch Avon, but it was just a bit wild up there unfortunately. Still, I get to go back and do a higher level plateau trek now too!
@@adventurefilmclub2549 Exactly! Best to be safe and make sure there's always a next time.
That was intrepid adventuring into inhospitable terrain, very courageous of ye baith. So pleased you had bothy cover and made it back safe and sound 👌❤
Very good editing the video and sound, congrats all round x
Cheers! It was pretty brutal out there but not too bad all things considered. Glad of a bothy and a hot fire that's for sure!
That’s a very engaging little film, well done for both your trip and the skilful way that you’ve brought to the rest of us.
Cheers, much appreciated! I'm trying to become a better filmmaker with each youtube video I film and edit, so hopefully improving each time. Thanks for watching!
this is one of the best vids on youtube. well done . I love the nav choice and the rationalle for changing. I didnt know there was a loo at the bothy till we left!!
Cheers! I was quite surprised to find such a big toilet block on a wee bothy!
Good trip in difficult conditions and great film. Glad you didn't go to the tops, still impressive achievement though! Well done.
Cheers! It was an epic route, but I'd like to go back and bag Braeriach and Cairn Toul etc! Although not in 60mph winds hopefully!
just seeing that river again gives me the fear
My feet feel cold re watching it....
Wow, challenging environment. However you adjusted your plans and it paid off though not without some tense moments on day 3. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, much appreciated! There was an amber weather warning ⚠️ 😳 so we decided to go bag the Braeriach Cairn Toul Traverse! Thankfully we opted for the still very epic Lairig Ghru instead. I definitely wouldn't leave 26km to the last day if I did it again, and I'd take more socks/plan river crossings better. But it was an epic way to feel the most extreme conditions Scotland has to offer!
Awesome route, but be careful you were close there!!! Good luck Pandrew, perhaps next time you'll graduate to a speaking part :)
Dont Torque to me about safety Mr Woolman!! 🤣
thank you dayofawesomeness, come join the adventuring yourself ! :)
Beautiful, whatever the weather, thanks for sharing :) Didn't expect to hear whatshisname either, forgot his bloody name now, the guy who's knowledgable on eastern mysticism, consciousness etc ...
Cheers! It was a pretty brutal time weather wise but wild and beautiful to be out in those landscapes for 3 days!
God you’re a lot faster walker than me. Did corrour to Loch morlich as part of a multi dayer in the summer over braeriach etc. was a long long day.
Wouldn’t fancy wet feet in them temps. 🥶
We weren't too slow on the first day...but pretty slow by the end of day 3! I'm keen to go do Braeriach etc in the spring, although I might be tempted back this winter...
Dare I say... your best yet?
Are you a bot Mr Maclean?? But yeah, it probably is.
What would otherwise be an excellent video was ruined by the dreadful "music" which kept forcing me to turn down the volume. Please, please, the background sounds are perfectly adequate!!!
Always appreciate feedback, especially critical feedback. Not sure which 'music' you're referring to tbh, it's all mixed so that you can hear speaking segments at roughly the same volume as the music. Some songs are a bit louder than others, but nothing is so loud you need to turn it down rapidly. I'm afraid music is integral to every video and short film I make so if you weren't keen on this, you may not be that keen on pretty much everything else I put out...
Yes, added "noise pollution" is not necessary, especially when filming in the great outdoors. Nature provides its own sounds - & to drown these out with added music is a sin.
Pretty sure Scotland isn't within the Arctic Circle 😅
It definitely is not, but the Cairngorm Plateau is the closest thing to brutal Arctic conditions in Scotland when the weather gets extreme. According to Mikel Utsi, the terrain is quite similar to Arctic Sweden too, that's why he dedicated his life to introducing wild reindeer herds to the area!