Cairngorms
1NH916087 Get an early start, and consider using a mountain bike. From the car park just before the house at Whitewell take a footpath east, soon meeting a forest track at right angles. Turn right onto this, heading south through scattered pine woods. Rothiemurchus Forest is one of Scotland’s largest surviving native pine woods, and the first few kilometres of the approach are a delight. In the distance ahead, the northern corries and spurs of Braeriach can be glimpsed through the trees. Pass the tiny pool of Lochan Deo. After another 2km the track splits.
2NH928066 Stick with the lower left fork, following a woodland path above the west bank of the winding Am Beanaidh burn. Soon the pines begin to thin as you pass out of the woods into the open ground of Gleann Einich. Pass a junction where the other higher track rejoins you from the right, then cross a ford over a side burn. Shortly after this the track crosses a bridge onto the east bank of Am Beanaidh. Ahead, the vast rampart of the Sgor Gaoith range dominates the view. About 1.5km beyond the bridge, the track reaches the ford of the Beanaidh Beag.
3NH924029 Cyclists should stash their bikes here, then look for a path on the left. At first this is clear, climbing east up a heathery slope above the north side of the burn; but after about 1km the trail begins to dwindle, and you’ll soon be
forging your own route. Follow the north bank of the burn for about 1km more, then strike south up boulder-scattered slopes, directly towards Coire an Lochain, rightmost of the three corries scooped into Braeriach’s north flank. It is hard going all the way to Loch Coire an Lochain, a large loch cupped in the base of the corrie at a cool 1000m above sea-level.
4NH945005 From the shore, climb almost due east to the crest of the spur dividing Coire an Lochain from Coire Ruadh. Taking care of the edge to your left, which may hold cornices (snow overhangs), pick a line up the rocks and snow of the spur. The ground is steep enough here to feel exciting, without being graded mountaineering; however sound axe and crampon skills are certainly called for, and the isolation of your surroundings adds to the seriousness. The spur soon broadens as the bouldery slope lays back into the smoother ground of Braeriach’s summit plateau. The main top is a few hundred metres east-south-east across rolling ground. As the summit cairn sits at the lip of the mountain’s southern cliffs, there are times when the high point is actually a cornice overhanging empty space: if in any doubt, stay well clear of the edge.
5NN952999 To descend, follow the standard Munro path, first east-north-east along the corrie rim then east onto a narrowing ridge overlooking the Lairig Ghru. Cornices can be vast along the edge here too, so stay alert. Before reaching the end of the ridge the trail cuts left, descending roughly north-east into a wide saddle. Stay with the path as it climbs over the broad slopes of Sron na Lairige. As you pass the cairn at the north end of this summit (point 1180m) break off left to descend a wide gently-angled slope which leads back down to the trail beside the Beanaidh Beag. Now just retrace your steps all the way back to Whitewell.