Lairig Ghru

DAY 1

NH959096 Beginning from the car park, follow a lakeside path to cross a footbridge over the River Luineag at its outflow. A forestry track leads through Lodgepole pine plantation on one side and Scots pine on the other. At a path junction, turn right away from the loch, continuing through trees and ignoring another track junction on the left to reach another junction signposted to Rothiemurchus Lodge (left) and the Lairig Ghru (right). Follow the footpath right to reach a small rise in trees.

NH938075 Here, take a narrower path left (south) and slowly uphill. The thin but clear path winds through heather and Granny Pines, gradually climbing to come alongside the Allt Druidh. Rushing through a steep ravine the water remains largely out of sight.

The higher you get, the more sparse the trees become and you start to get views of remote mountain scenery.

A rather tame-seeming path begins to feel more aweinspiring. Soon the pines become more stunted, you exit the treeline and the enormous, dark flanks of the Lairig Ghru become visible ahead.

NH952054 The path, now a narrow mountain track, continues uphill passing behind a knoll on sometimes wet and muddy ground. Keep ahead, beginning to turn directly south along the edge of the river basin. After 1.5km, the glen walls close in, becoming steeper and more shadowy. Tales of the ghostly Grey

Man of Ben MacDui might not seem so fanciful here. Cross the nascent Allt Druidh about 100m after the path from Chalamain Gap joins from the left and follow a rough but distinct path along its right (west) bank. The path will branch and braid but keep along the glen bottom.

NH972015 At 815m, near the high point of the Lairig Ghru, is a small rock shelter which is a good place for a quick sugar and hot tea break. After this, a boulder field swamps the glen floor and the path turns left, climbing a short way up the west-facing wall to traverse above the rocks. The high point (at NH973013) lies about halfway along this higher path and after this, you’ll start heading consistently downhill. Stay true to the path along the west wall, skirting the worst of the scree and boulders to meet the tip of the first of the Pools of Dee. The path is intermittent and sometimes hard to discern, marked in places by small cairns, so good route-finding skills are helpful.

NH973008 The path skips over to the west wall to pass the pool’s clear waters on the right. After passing the second, larger, heartshaped pool also to the right, cross back to the east wall. The path is easy to lose here and another does continue along the west but leads straight into An Garbh Choire, and crossing back, as the Dee quickly gains pace and depth, is not easy. The path along the east wall becomes increasingly clear and easy to follow, though there are some wet rock steps to negotiate.

NN985954 Carry on past Corrour on the other side to meet a path bending back towards a footbridge. It can be disconcerting but keep the faith. You can leave the path earlier than this but the ground is boggy and often wet. Cross a footbridge to reach Corrour bothy, one of the best equipped in the country with adjoining compost toilet. It’s also the most popular, so be prepared to pitch your tent outside instead.