Loch Etchachan

Loch Etchachan, Cairngorms

We awoke unexpectedly to blue skies, and Simon suggested reversing the planned itinerary of the big mountain walk today to take advantage of the good weather while it lasted.

From the pinewoods of Glen Derry we ascended to the top of Carn Crom and walked north from there along the ridge towards the main target for the day, Derry Cairngorm (1156 metres). We picked up our first ptarmigan (106 in the year list for me) in the snow fields as we were going up. Snow conditions were good all the way and we didn't need the crampons and ice axes we were carrying.

On the top, there was low cloud and spindrift and we quickly descended. On the next rise, we came across a flock of about 20 snow buntings (107) and finally dropped down to Loch Etchachan. The loch was entirely frozen except at the eastern end. The photograph is a wide angle accentuating the foreground water with pebbles and shrinking the back wall of the corrie which is more than 100 metres high. Two skiers descended the steep slope between the crags when we were there.

From Etchachan, we went on to Loch Avon and the Shelter Stone stopping for a bite to eat by the loch. We followed the southern shore of the loch and round the flanks of Beinn Mheadhoin (picking up our first red grouse of the the trip - 108 in the year list) into the Lairig an Laoigh going south to the coll with Glen Derry. Then the long trudge back along the glen to the saucepan tree campsite. Maybe 14 miles in total, a long and exciting winter expedition, that left us all in need of an extremely generous curry back at camp.