All in a day's climb to a rolling Cairngorms plateau

Published on Friday 31 October 2008 10:49

Bynack More is a typical, though slightly detached, Cairngorms hill, often climbed as a single-hill day outing.

Indeed, with fewer daylight hours allied to a long walk to the summit, Drew, Jimbo and I had little time to spare for much more. Drew was keen to reach the Munro summit and Jimbo was there to give his two springer spaniels good exercise. However, with good weather, walkers and dogs were easily persuaded to traverse the rolling, high-level plateau to the two subsidiary tops, A' Choinneach to the south-west and Bynack Beg to the north-west.

You will need Ordnance Survey map 36, Cairngorm Mountains. Start from the small car park at map ref 991097 (passing Glenmore Lodge, the National Outdoor Training Centre) that lies on a minor road 1 1/2 miles east of Loch Morlich, branching off just past the visitor centre.

From the car park, the track goes north-east, with the first mandatory stopping place being beside Lochan Uaine, the green lochan. It is small, beautiful, hemmed in by scree slopes, and the water is more emerald than green – a delightful photo-stop and in complete contrast to the wide-open area around Loch Morlich. The track to the lochan has been improved such that disabled ramblers now have easy access.

A short distance later, take the right fork at a junction (straight ahead is the way to Ryvoan bothy). It was a short distance after the fork that we came across two returning walkers who advised that the track was impassable due to thigh-high flooding from a side stream. Certainly, as expected at this time of year with early snow-melt, the hillsides were awash, but, with big Drew being volunteered to piggy-back Jimbo and I across if needs be, we continued. In fact, only a very minor detour was required, leading us to conclude that we had spoken to a couple of wimps.

Continue to the site of the old Bynack Stable shelter beside the River Nethy at map ref 021105. It is relatively easy to cycle this distance, if so desired, albeit the track is rough in places past the Ryvoan junction.

Bynack Stable was a wooden and corrugated iron building in a poor state of repair. Having become an overused toilet area, the RSPB, owner of the Abernethy Estate, decided to dismantle it for health reasons. But Nethybridge Community Council argued that it provided a vital refuge for walkers so the RSPB agreed not to remove the shelter after all. Then nature took a hand. The January gales of 2005 blew down the shelter, scattering debris far and wide. The RSPB has no plans to replace it and the site of the building, of fond memory to many, is now hard to detect.

Cross the River Nethy by the bridge. A renovated path climbs south-east for some distance. Higher up, that path reverts to a broadening bouldery and eroded mess. At a junction, at some 770m, the Lairig an Laoigh path goes down to the Fords of Avon stepping stones, but the path to the hill goes due south for the top. The path on the final 250m of ascent is showing signs of wear and tear, with the fragile granite grit suffering from erosion.

Bynack More has its share of granite tors, locally called barns, notably the Barns of Bynack, wart-like outcrops that have been scoured by the elements. Bynack More's name might have its origin in binneag, a chimney pot, referring to the barns.

From the summit, head south past the barns, then south-west over the by now mossy wet slopes for A' Choinneach. At one time A' Choinneach, the mossy hill, was classified as a Munro, but its demotion in 1981 caused no stir. With a gentle ascent of under 80m from the plateau, it always seemed more like what it now is, namely just a subsidiary top, yet it makes a pleasant stroll. From the south-west end of A' Choinneach the views to Beinn Mheadhoin and the crags above Loch Avon are among the finest in the area.

Bynack Beg lies to the NNE but on a clear day, take a more curving north-east route to avoid lower, rougher ground by the Allt a' Choire Dheirg. From Bynack Beg return south- east a short distance then descend NNE on an obvious path above the Allt a' Choire Dhuibh to return to the ascent path.Factfile

Map Ordnance Survey map 36, Cairngorm Mountains

Distance 12 miles

Height 800m

Terrain Track, mostly good path, then plateau walk

Start point Car park past Glenmore Lodge, at map ref 991097

Time 6 to 7 hours

Nearest town Aviemore

Nearest refreshment spot

A good choice around Aviemore