Friday night found us in the Rucksacks Hostel in Braemar once more or to be more honest drinking in
the Fife Arms. The weather forecast was poor so we hoped for the best. Saturday did not appear to
be too bad so four of us drove to Glen Muick and headed for Creag an Dubh Loch. The walk alongside
Loch Muick was very pleasant. We checked out the bothy at Glas-alt shiel. Roaring fire at nine am
can't be bad. Even better was the working toilet. Followed the path up to the outflow of the Dubh
Loch and crossed the stream there as we could see that higher up it was a raging torrent. The ice
was building up in frozen waves on the loch making a surprising amount of noise. Walked up to the
cliffs and then got our axes out to make our way up the large easy angled gully that splits the
cliff. For Vicky it was her first 'snow climb' and she thoroughly enjoyed herself. For me to it was
my nearest thing to a climb in four year. From the top we staggered, the wind must have been forty
miles an hour at least, over to Cairn Bannoch, ocassionally having to resort to map and compass to
make sure we got there. It was far too windy for lunch so it was straight off for Broad Cairn and
then over to the wee stable at 257808 where we lunched sitting on wet straw out of the wind,
luxury. A long slow plod out saw us back at the car before dark. A seven hour day, taking it easy.
Enjoyed a curry and a few pints of Tetleys. Sunday morale was as low as the clouds and I went home.
There was a few moments of excitement as the plough had not cleared the Devil's Elbow, but i was
home in time for lunch.
--
Len Trim [email hidden]