Carn-a-mhaim

About trip

STAGE 1

Park at the large National Trust car park at the Linn of Dee; there is a charge. Before beginning the walk, it is worth heading back to the road and having a look at the Linn of Dee on the far side, where the River Dee plunges through a narrow rocky defile, spanned by the road bridge. Return to the car park, and this time take the footpath which leaves it to the north. This path through the forest has a 'boardwalk' surface in parts, and soon curves east and passes through a gate to join the main landrover track heading up Glen Lui. Turn left up this track, which soon crosses the Lui Water, leaves the forest and continues up the more empty glen.

STAGE 2

After a couple more kilometres the track passes below a plantation and then enters the beautiful pinewoods around Derry Lodge. This former shooting lodge is boarded up; it is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland following its purchase of the vast Mar Lodge estate. Just south of here is Bob Scott's, an open refuge for walkers; please help to maintain this by carrying out any rubbish when you pass back this way as it has been badly abused by some. Continue past Derry Lodge, forking right past the rescue hut and crossing the Derry Burn via a footbridge. On the far side turn left. Soon a wide clearing in the pinewoods is reached - the going across this section is boggy. Beyond this the path improves greatly, soon leaving the last pines behind.

STAGE 3

When the path forks, take the left branch which soon leads through a chicane into an area of fenced, regenerating woodland. Soon a ford over the Luibeg burn is reached; this is often a substantial river. If the water level is low it may be possible to cross it here; if in spate, a detour of around four hundred metres upstream is required. On the far side, a very wet section of path from the bridge rejoins the main path above the ford.

STAGE 4

After another few hundred metres a clear path, reconstructed in recent years, branches off to the right to begin the ascent proper. The climb continues northwest, pretty directly up the slopes which get steadily steeper, with open ground and stones replacing the heather beside the recently repaired path. Once above the level of the Coire na Poite crags the ground levels off once more and the route bears slightly left to join the south ridge heading up towards Carn a'Mhaim.

STAGE 5

The first summit at 1014 metres is bypassed to the left side; the true summit is around half a kilometre northwest across a shallow col. The views are excellent, particularly of the Devil's Point and Carn Toul across the deep trench of the Dee.

STAGE 6

The finest feature of the mountain is the narrowing ridge that continues NNW, becoming a fine arete; it is well worth making a detour along this ridge even if you are going to return the same way afterwards. From the bealach beyond it is possible to continue onto Ben Macdui, via a long climb of four hundred metres up the bouldery shoulder to the south of the Allt Clach nan Tailleir; another option is to descend from the bealach via the Allt Cam a' Mhaim - but this route is pathless and very wet at first. The easiest return is to simply retrace your steps.