Glenshee and Lochnagar Hills: Lochnagar (Cac Carn Beag) (21)

Walk date: August 2005
My Munro #s: 9/284

This was my first Munro of my Scottish residency and was a guided hike by Dan (from work) and Rebecca (wife of Dan) with myself and Jim (also work) in tow. The usual parking for this hill was the Spittal of Glenmuick at the head of Loch Muick (note: make sure you have change for pay & display - £2!). The path starts steady, only really climbing beyond the small wood and remaining on a landrover track until after Clais Rathadan where it veers west toward the obvious col between Lochnagar and Meikle Pap. At the col, make sure you press on to overlook the magnificent corrie containing the hill's assumed namesake Lochnagar. Continue onto the plateau via the short boulder field. If the wind is bad such as it was on this day, then reaching the top of this field is when you seriously notice it! From here a short climb takes you to the first cairn, Cac Carn Mor, which is often assumed to be the summit by Lochnagar-virgins (this included me). A short dip and rise and the true summit is reached after a brief climb on the rocks. On this day, Dan took us down Black Spout gully into the corrie and back via the shores of the Loch. Although quite safe in good weather, Black Spout is extremely steep and not for the faint-hearted. I would be daunted by it on my own, but it was exhilarating!