Ben Macdui, Cairngorms
Dare you take on Ben Macdui via the ‘back door’? If you love a challenge then this Cairngorms routTeHiEs FdAeCfiTnSitely for you!
Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough! I know, I know, it’s silly but in all honesty, this is a hooligan of a route. It’s a test. 32km of hard mountain walking – crossing through boulder fields, valleys, streams, ridges and bog fests. Oh... and a whopping 1750m of ascent! All that and you can’t even lay claim to a famous mountain challenge to boast about on Instagram.
So why do it then? Like I say, it’s a test. A personal challenge to see how much you really have in the tank, both mentally and physically. You’ll need to use your navigation skills, and if you’re smart there might be a shortcut or two. A reward above the satisfaction of success is the sheer experience of it all. Passing through the spooky Chalamain Gap and into the mindblowing vastness of the Lairig Ghru is an assault on the senses; the return across the tops is pretty special too. (NB There’s a get-out clause in the Lairig in the shape of the Corrour Bothy which might let you split it into two days, if you fancy something more relaxing!)