Mountaineering in Scotland, Cairngorms and Ben Nevis

After three fabulous winter trips to The Cairngorms with Sheffield Mountaineering, it’s now time to leave the axes and crampons at home and enjoy everything these magnificent mountains have to offer in summer conditions. As an added bonus there will also be the option of a trip to Ben Nevis to scale the mountain by the North Face Ledge Route.

The Cairngorms (Aviemore)

Meet at: Outside the Nevisport shop, 100 Grampian Road, Aviemore PH22 1RH. The plan is to travel up on Saturday 12th then meet socially for an hour or two in the evening before the week’s activities begin the following morning. We will be leaving to travel back home on the morning of Saturday 19th. As an environmentally conscious group, we actively encourage car sharing. Further details of car sharing arrangements from Sheffield, Manchester and elsewhere will appear in the comments section nearer the time.

While Ben Nevis is Britain’s highest individual mountain, The Cairngorms are undisputedly our highest mountain range. As well as boasting the largest concentration of towering peaks, it is the only place in the country where you can walk for miles in a straight line without ever dropping below 1000 metres in altitude. The range contains five of the six highest peaks in the UK namely Ben Macdui (the second highest at 1309 metres), the mighty Braeriach (1296 metres), Cairn Toul (1291 metres), Sgor An Lochain Uaine (1258 metres) and the eponymous Cairn Gorm (1245 metres).

If all that isn’t enough, The Cairngorms also offer a plethora of classic scrambles and high quality, easy grade, multi pitch rock climbs. Superb routes such as Fiacaill Ridge, Angel’s Ridge, Ptarmigan Ridge, Afterthought Arete, Pygmy Ridge and Lairig Ridge can all be found here along with many more rocky delights. The area also boasts some of the finest scenery in the British Isles along with a myriad of flora and fauna. Even in poor weather, lower level walks in the vicinity still provide plenty entertainment.

All activities will be on offer, peak bagging hikes, scrambling, rock climbing and anything else you might prefer.

As the aforementioned highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis needs no introduction. Tens of thousands of pilgrims reach its 1345 metre summit every year and virtually all of them do so by the Pony Track (the main tourist path). Very few venture round to the other side of the mountain and on to its imposing North Face but that is exactly what we plan to do. Our route of ascent will be via The Ledge Route, which follows an implausibly amenable line up that towering North Face. It is a long and sustained scramble with some dramatic positions but is never overly technical. (This one will be weather dependent and will require a 7am departure from our base in Aviemore).

Feel free to do what ever you want on any given day. It is common practice on these trips to split into smaller groups/pairs so everybody gets the chance to do something they are happy with.

Difficulty: Strenuous but non technical Hiking, Scrambling of mostly Grade 1 and Grade 2 (Fiacaill Ridge/Ledge Route), possibly some Grade 3. Rock climbing of Moderate and Diff grades, possibly harder if people fancy it.

For more information on scrambling grades see:

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/understanding-scrambling-grades

Experience Required: Some previous climbing or mountain scrambling experience with our group is essential.

Ordnance Survey Map: OS Explorer OL57 Cairn Gorm and Aviemore, 1:25,000 scale.

Guidebooks: Scotland’s Mountain Ridges published by Cicerone Press, Highland Scrambles South published by the Scottish Mountaineering Council.

Accommodation: A few of us have already booked a holiday cottage just outside Aviemore. If you haven't already paid for a place in this cottage you will need to arrange your own accommodation.
There are also many other options in the Aviemore area. As well as cottages there are youth hostels, bunkhouses, B&B's and campsites. If you need any help or advice finding something just let me know.

If everybody wants to contribute £12.00 (£7.00 for Premium Members) towards our Meet Up site fees and other costs of organising this trip that will be great, thanks.