Wednesday 30 September 2015

ANGELS RIDGE, THE HOTEST SPOT IN THE UK!

Peter on the top of Angels Ridge
The long walk in to Garbh Corrie with Angels Ridge in the centre
The eternal snow patches in Garbh Corrie Mor
Scrambling above the beautiful Lochain Uaine
The Lairig Ghru & Carn Toul from Braeriach
Angels Ridge in profile
Peter on the top of Braeriach
Blocky scrambling
Ben Macdui, The Lairig Ghru & Angels Ridge in fine Autumn colours
The heatwave continues! Today it was even warmer and The Cairngorms was the hottest spot in the UK, apparently warmer than Barcelona! A fine day indeed for a big day out in The Cairngorms. Angels Ridge on Sgor an Lochain Uaine is one of the finest, remotest and most beautiful easy scrambling in the UK. It's a long walk in from the house but taking the bike up to the Lairig Ghru cuts off a lot of 'walk in' time. I saw no one all the way along the approach until I bumped into a fellow Mountain Leader Peter. He was setting off on a overnight backpacking jaunt and planned to sleep high on the Braeriach plateau. I then talked him into my journey up on Angels Ridge which he hadn't done before. We saw no one the rest of the day until Braeriach summit. Angels Ridge starts at the beautiful Lochain Uaine, one of those lonely lochans up high and remote. This time of year the ridge is virtually all in shade which was a welcome relief as it was in the mid 20's today. After 5 hours or so from setting off we were on the summit of Sgor an Lochain Uaine (Angels Peak for some). We then wandered over to Braeriachs summit. Sitting on the top after 4pm and we were still in base layers and it was still roasting hot with hardly a breath of wind. Amazing. I left Peter for his overnight camp whilst I walked leisurely down to the bike as the sun set on another cloudless, glorious summers day! More tomorrow!!

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