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Another Sgdo - Ben Macdui


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Posted (edited)

Last August on the very first SGDO we climbed Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, so it seemed fitting for us to climb the second highest mountain this summer. Come to Scotland for what promises to be another highly enjoyable SGDO on August 13th.

 

Ben Macdui is in the Cairngorms, near Aviemore. There is a virtual cache by Highland Nick at the top, and another new cache will be placed along the route for the event. There is a webcam cache at the parking coordinates. There are many other wonderful caches around the Aviemore area.

 

Highland Nick will be our very own qualified mountain leader on the day. The event page can be seen here

Edited by Firth of Forth
Posted

BUG*ER.................... Just when I've got my car mileage and caching expenditure back to something approaching normal(?) you have to go and chuck another spanner in the works... Thanks, Sally <_<

Posted (edited)

Good news is I'll be home for a SGDO and would like to make it but let's see how Ben Nevis treats me this weekend first before committing myself. The kids look very doubtful though as there is a skateboard/music festival on in Hexham on the day.

Edited by G Force
Posted

Much as I would love to, I can't make it this year I'm afraid. If it had been on Cathy's birthday again though.... hehe....

 

Hope you all have fun!

Posted
Much as I would love to, I can't make it this year I'm afraid. If it had been on Cathy's birthday again though.... hehe....

It's only 2 days short of her birthday, i'm sure with travelling and some planning, you could arrange to be back just in time for the end of her birthday :P

Posted
Much as I would love to, I can't make it this year I'm afraid. If it had been on Cathy's birthday again though.... hehe....

It's only 2 days short of her birthday, i'm sure with travelling and some planning, you could arrange to be back just in time for the end of her birthday :P

Hey, what with some of you folks remembering the date of my wife's birthday, she's going to expect a birthday card B):P

Posted
We are in Peebles on holiday that week.... just checking the terrain etc may be able to make it......

Just checked the map 110 miles may just have to miss out on this one. I assume an early start which may be a bit to much for us all. Anyone got a topo they can post here to see the route on?

Posted

Would really like to come to this, as I really enjoyed the CITO event a few months ago but we will be in The Vende in France on a family holiday.

 

And there's NO CACHES any where near where we're going..........

LK

Posted

I suppose I had better commit myself to attending!

If anyone wants a Memory-Map overlay and route card, email me via my profile with your email address and I'll send them along.

Posted
But there aren't any trolleys stuck in the mud in the Cairngorms, Kev! :D

But if you do happen to find one........ there may be one ol' cacher who'll be needing a lift in it before he's halfway up the hill :lol::lol::(

Posted
Six definites already - that's great. Even if noone else comes, the day will certainly be worthwhile. :anicute:

I've pencilled this one in as a "probable". The plaster cast should be coming off my arm around a week ahead of the SGDO date - but it depends what the physios say, at that time.

 

-Wlw.

Posted

How unfortunate that this 'clashes' the Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival... I was so looking forward to going ;):D

Good job I hadn't already bought my ticket :D

Posted
How unfortunate that this 'clashes' the Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival... I was so looking forward to going ;):D

Good job I hadn't already bought my ticket B)

You old folkie.... :D

Posted

now that sounds like fun. only challenge is to get there... looking at cheap flights now. might be a couple of us if i can talk a m8 into it. if we got to inverness could we get a lift over?

Posted
now that sounds like fun. only challenge is to get there... looking at cheap flights now. might be a couple of us if i can talk a m8 into it. if we got to inverness could we get a lift over?

Not sure about that...most people are coming from the South. However, I will post your request on the Scottish forum just in case anyone from up North could help you out.

Posted

well i can probably get just as cheap a flight to edinburgh if that would be easier. Although having said that i have friends in the area who might like to come play. ill ring them and ask them.

Posted
well i can probably get just as cheap a flight to edinburgh if that would be easier. Although having said that i have friends in the area who might like to come play. ill ring them and ask them.

Did you get sorted out with a lift?

I'll be driving north from Stanhope, Co. Durham, on the Friday and will be passing by Edinburgh probably sometime mid/late morning. I'll have a couple of empty seats. I'll be driving back to Stanhope on the Sunday. E-mail me if that's of any help to you.

Posted

I've spent all morning emailing Hotels and B&B's for Saturday night boarding :D

 

Angela and I will be driving up on Satuday morning (caching on the way) and will attend the meet-up at 5.00 pm and driving back (caching on the way also) on Sunday back home to Glasgow.

 

If anyone wanted a lift either way ... just email us :(

 

Right...now I need to check if there is a ski lift we could take to the top of Ben Macdui ???

 

:D:D:D:D:D

 

Team Ullium.

Posted
Right...now I need to check if there is a ski lift we could take to the top of Ben Macdui ???

 

:(:D:D:D:D

 

Team Ullium.

Don't think there's a ski lift, Bill, but I do hear tell that Highland Nick has a big ruck sack.... :D:D

Posted

As much as I would love to attend unfortunately I will not be able to make it. I've tried to justify coming up but have been unable to do so with family commitments and our holiday coming up just don't have enough time. :laughing:

I'm sure you will all have a great time and hope to be able to make the next Scottish event. :)

Posted

Two weeks to go.

 

Option 1: Several Munros, a trigpoint, 2 caches and 11 miles of walking. Followed by drinks and food at The Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore.

 

Option 2: Glorious Speyside caching, followed by food and drink at The Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore.

Posted

I've just returned from a nice warm, sunny holiday in Spain and a few hours after getting off the plane, I was on the top of Cairngorm - what a contrast!! Swapping temps of 34C to about 3.4C!!!

Anyway, the purpose of this missive is to let you know that the Great British Summer is still to arrive - make sure you are fully equipped with complete waterproofs and plenty of warm clothing. A flask with a hot drink is not out of the question. Obviously, we are all hoping for good weather, but please be prepared for cold and wet conditions.

Yesterday I experienced hail and sleet....

By the time we have done the first cache on Cairngorm, there will be plenty of opportunity for those who do not wish to continue onto MacDui to make a safe return back down the mountain.

Looking forward to seeing you all.

Posted (edited)

Definites for the walk to Ben Macdui are:

Haggis Hunter

roolku

Jack Aubrey

Highland Nick

Pharisee

Firth of Forth

 

A small select group! If anyone else is planning to come for the walk, please post a 'will attend' note on the cache page so that we don't leave without you!

 

Weather forecast here: not too bad, but likely to be cloudy and somewhat windy. What's new?

Edited by Firth of Forth
Posted

wahaay, my reward for surviving the summer without killing the kids, dogs, cat, husband or fish [well ok there are a few less of them] is that I can attend this meet. Trying to get accomodation is proving to be tricky but we'll see how it goes. Won't manage to climb the Ben but plan to do a few of the local caches instead.

Posted

I had to go up MacDui today to make sure it was still there. Good news, it still is - well in fact they both are, cache and mountain. Quite cool, light winds, sunny spells on the way up, drizzle on the way down. Just great for caching....

I also was on Cairngorm yesterday to check the new cache site with the rangers - all OK. One of the rangers, Ewan, will be coming with us on the day to see what caching is all about. Keep all your wildlife questions for him.

The new cache on Cairngorm has been approved and should go live on Friday. However, even if it doesn't, I have the coords (just as well) and a couple of printouts from GC.com so show you all on Saturday am.

If anybody is late and we have gone, I will leave the coords at the Ranger Base. Just ask or look on the notice board inside in case the rangers are all out to lunch.

There are few, if any, midges on Cairngorm and MacDui, so you needn't worry too much about this.

See you all soon.

Posted
I had to go up MacDui today to make sure it was still there. Good news, it still is - well in fact they both are, cache and mountain. Quite cool, light winds, sunny spells on the way up, drizzle on the way down. Just great for caching....

So.....let's see....on Saturday you will have climbed Ben Macdui 3 times in as many weeks??

 

I can see that there are going to be two subgroups within the group: the superfit HH, roolku, Highland Nick and Jack Aubrey (and presumably Ewan, the Ranger) tearing across the mountains; and me and Pharisee taking up the rear. :D

 

Reminiscent of Ben Nevis last year somehow.

Posted
Reminiscent of Ben Nevis last year somehow.

I seem to remember Pooter and I were at the back last year... ;):huh:

Anyway, I am tired out already so I will be at the back again.

 

Enough of all this banter, the new Cairngorm cache is now "published" to use the new jargon and it is here: new cache on Cairngorm

Posted

Thanks to all who turned up, both on the mountain and afterwards in the pub. Congrats to FoF (700) today and Jack Aubrey (100 today) and a complete newbie, Highland Moose who collected 4 today.

I worked out that our small select group at the summit had over 2504 caches between them!

Posted

No, no, thanks to Highland Nick, our mountain leader, and Highland Moose, the local ranger, for making a long hike as good as it gets.

 

: complimentary coffee/tea and toilet break just below the Cairngorm summit (how many Munros can you climb and have this laid on?)

: stop-off to gain an inside view of Britain's highest building (the weather station on Cairngorm)

: entertainment watching Highland Moose patiently explain responsibility to an aggressive wildcamper

: the most impressive lunchbreak spot ever

: learning everything I need to know about artic charn and glacier erosion

: heart-stopping stories of the avalanches in Coire an Lochan

 

3rd and 4th highest mountains in the UK next summer, then, Nick?

Posted (edited)

Just like to add my thanks to Nick and Ewan for a truly splendid 'Guided Tour' of the mountains. Without their knowledge and willingness to share it, it would have been a slightly less memorable occasion.

 

If anyone is interested, our Track Log (as a MemoryMap overlay) can be downloaded HERE. The total distance hiked was 12.5 miles.

Edited by Pharisee

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