Exploring the Lairig Ghru

One area of the Cairngorms I was keen to visit on our trip, was the iconic Lairig Ghru. Despite feeling a little under the weather, I was keen to hike a section and lose myself in some of Scotland’s famous wilderness for a short while. The Lairig Ghru is a famous mountain pass in the Cairngorms which gains height of up to 835 metres, it a must see if you are heading this way.

Starting off from Loch Morlich, we weaved our way, yet again, through the ancient Caledonian woodlands following the sign posting for the Lairig Ghru. Yet again, we found ourselves alone for a lot of the hike, this meant the air was filled with bird song and the soft patter of rain as it fell on the leaves. The walk is pretty easy with easy to follow paths and sign posts here and there to remind you that you are on the right path.

As we started to gain some ascent, we were rewarded with glimpses of the hills, Castle Hill, Airgopd-Meall and Creag a Charlamain through and above the trees. Unfortunately, it was midge central, so we tried not to stop too often for fear of being eaten alive. It was a dank, dull, misty day which only added to the atmosphere and intrigue of this place.

With the River Dee thundering below us, we continue our ascent through the woodland and finally broke out into the heather strewn moorland. Ahead of us the Lairig Ghru path wound its way through the landscape and above us, the towering mountains stood in the mist, ready to welcome us in.

It was quite boggy after a deluge of rain in the days previously and boulders and rocks made it a fun, yet very easy scrambly walk as we headed further and further along. The path was lost in these boulders, so you do have to take some care. As someone who loves moody photography, I made sure to snap as many photos as I could, as the mountains came in and out of view.

Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the Corrour Bothy which was where I wanted to get to but feeling unwell and the cloud coming in thick, we decided to head back the way we came. All in all, I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. We had been in some of the wildest conditions, with rain, wind and fog and seen some of the highest mountains that guard this old pass. It really did feel wild out there, the lack of people made it feel as if you were alone, and the silence was so good for the soul.

As I wandered along, I was in awe, as I had been so many times on this trip. I wondered about all the hikers and walkers who had taken this path in the past, what were their stories and how far had they gone? I looked up in awe at the mountains, they looked malevolent in the mist and fog. How many people had climbed them and could the climbers on them now see us? Hemmed in on either side by these towering giants, made you feel very small and insignificant.

Bird song filled the air and we hopped over many frogs and toads who were loving the wet conditions. It was one of those walks I had wanted to do for a long time and it didn’t disappoint, for a good six hours we were alone in one of the wildest parts of the Cairngorms and I loved every single second.

I am planning to head back at some point and complete the Lairig Ghru in full, hopefully stopping off at the iconic Corrour Bothy for the night. I can think of nothing better than hunkering down in a  bothy with a brew or dram to ward off the cold. Sounds liked bliss.