Ben Macdui
Scotland
26 October 2007 14:48
Scotland’s second highest mountain, Ben Macdui was until the survey of 1847 believed by many to be higher than Ben Nevis. The difference is only 35m. The summit is marked by a substantial trig point, which is often almost buried in winter.
To the uninitiated, Ben Macdui is the big tick, and its popularity with its steady stream of visitors each day through the milder months only serves to underline this. A fine summit though it is, it’s really only part of the story. The true showstopper is Loch Avon, and particularly its upper reaches that cut deeply into the plateau between Cairn Gorm and Ben Macdui. It forms a crucible of fresh-cut crags and high hanging corries enlivened by the flash of burns and the sparkle of long-lasting snow beds. Memories of summits will come and go but the experience of spending a night in this hauntingly beautiful spot will stay with you forever.
