The school holidays are fast approaching, only 13 more school days up here!, and so my ability to get out on the summits will be considerably impacted. Hopefully a Goat Fell at least though. So with that, I decided I wanted to finish off the last 10 and 8 pointers in GM/ES (in case it changes) and so embarked on two long days to get them. My schedule is always random and fits around everything else, so it’s very convenient to have a retiree, @MM0EFI, to call upon. Although I do need to consider the coffee wine mornings and dentist visits - but the opportunity for two completes usually gets the schedule worked.
Day 1
Monday needed More and Mhor, GM/ES-010 and GM/ES-017, which can be done from Glenmore in the north but that’s a much further drive for me, so Linn of Dee it was. The route is like Beinn Mheadhoin and Beinn a’Chaorainn I did before, except you just keep going over the River Avon and up to Bynack More. This time I cycled on the right side too.
Weather was a bit damp, brief drizzle showers passed through. Although when I could see Bynack More in the distace I was pleased to see the summit.
Whilst there was a downpour over the weekend, it has been dry and so the Fords of Avon was easily crossed, a quick nosey in the shelter and then up to the summit.
On the satellite view there appears to be a path up the side of hill but I never found it, and seems like I started climbing up too soon. It was also annoying traversing the side, so I just went up to where it flattened out and walked along. and along. and along…eventually reaching the summit - after a close encounter.
The cloud remained high but the wind was very strong. A quick selfie on the summit and seemingly acting as a tourist guide as several people approached and asked if it was the summit and what were the other hills and so on. Guess I look the part now.
Some views from the summit plus the rock structures:
Station was setup behind some of the rocks, although the wind still whipped around. I’d just setup for HF when Fraser said he was ready with 2m from a strategic high point, and so I put out a call and Jack, GM4COX, was right there! A quick run of 4 on 2m, and then back to HF. 40m was a struggle but 20m was okay. I hung about for Denis @MW0CBC to setup on GW/NW-009 for a S2S. Then off to the next summit, Creag Mhor.
From the top and start of the descent of Bynack More, Creag Mhor looks tiny! A tiny 895m summit! Can also see the remains from the Multi-Troop Transport during the filming of the Clone Wars.
By this time Fraser was on GM/ES-080, and we managed another 2m S2S. Being a little hill surrounded by big ones, I wasn’t sure how well 2m would do to the south. Turns out remarkably well, with another S2S with Carol, as GM6TFL (@K5TFL), on GM/SS-198. I had four, and a long walk home, so I skipped HF and set off.
Phew! What a long walk back… 41km that outing was. The final 8-pointer done, plus this remote 4 pointer!
Day 2
Tuesday, today, was the big day (at least that’s what I told myself when planning, even though yesterday was quite a big day 
) Cairn Toul and Braeriach, mountains #3 and #4 in the UK, GM/ES-003 and GM/ES-002. Plus I should bag those two other munros as I’m passing - The Devil’s Point and Angel’s Peak (more commonly known as Sgòr an Lochain Uaine). Fraser needed these for a complete but also was keen to walk it too, or maybe pick a new route as part of it, however, in the end he decided to activate GM/ES-005, Beinn Mheadhoin, and GM/ES-011, Beinn a’Chaorinn - then we’d both get two completes, and get some VHF excitement going.
Timings between our pairs of summits looked ideal, but I needed a headstart to make sure we arrived at similar times. An early start, setting off on the bike at 06:40 BST. The weather was damp and windy and, again, I thought it might be a miserable trip with no views and wet stuff. However, I was pleased to see the Devil’s Point in the sun when I rounded Carn M’haim.
Lots of tents around the bothy, but no-one was heading up the hill, mostly walking south in search of better weather.
Now the easy part of the walk was done, it was time to start climbing up.
The clouds were clearing and things were looking better. A quick stop on Devil’s Point to admire Ben Macdui, before moving on.
The cloud had lifted, but it was still lingering on the top of Cairn Toul, I hoped it might’ve moved on by the time I got there but it wasn’t the case.
The cairn was very comfy at the top, a nice wind break and two big slabs for seats. I was a couple of minutes ahead of Fraser, and so setup HF to have it all ready. An easy 2m S2, and then I left Fraser to 2m whilst I tried HF. Bands were quiet, and so I gave 2m a try once Fraser was done. He’d clearly warmed up the locals as I had a run of 5 and a little chat with everyone. With a 2 hour walk around the ridge it was time to move on to Angel’s peak.
Once past all the boulders and on the plateau, it’s a nice walk around, passing the start of The Dee (of Aberdeen name), which of course you have to straddle.
In good time, I come to my last 10-pointer of GM/ES. The views are amazing all around, the wind has dropped and the cloud has completely lifted. I can see Aviemore and hills beyond, all the central Cairngorm summits, Lochnagar and many many more in the distance. Plus the view right down the Lairig Ghru. Certainly my favourite spot of the past two days.
Again, arriving a little before Fraser meant I started on HF. Another chase of Denis down in Wales and a few others on 40m. I heard Alan @MM0VPM on GM/SS-287, and switched to 2m - a complete for Alan(?), being the last person up here. Jack was quick off the mark again and good to chat again. Jace, @MM7VXJ, was running up a hill with his dog to join the S2S activities, and we had another chat when he was on the top of GM/SS-169. To complete the day, Fraser and I had our S2S. What a great day!
Oh, but now I have to walk back, and I can see how far it is! 
Another long one… 44 km today. I was pleased to get on the bike at Luibeg and cycle the rest of the way (even if it’s a big rough between Luibeg and Derry Lodge).
Fraser and I didn’t meet, his route of a mere 35 km meant he was back at Linn of Dee before me. Although some mysterious Land Rover enthusiast left this!
I will book the time off work, and come up to help give out some completes 