The whole route runs on fine mountain road and path.
Parking and trail head by Glenmore Lodge.
Fork right 450 metres after Lochan Uaine.
| Bynack More from
Glenmore Lodge Bynack More |
| Estimated net time | 5-6 hours | ||
| Difficulty |
No difficulties. The whole route runs on fine mountain road and path. |
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| Drinking water | Access to running water from a stream early on the route, and when you cross River Nethy. | ||
| GSM coverage | No coverage from trail head and through the first valley, else OK (May 2010). | ||
| Parking | Room for several cars around trail head. | ||
| Start height | 348 metres | ||
| Vertical metres | 825 metres for the roundtrip. | ||
| Trip distance | 19.8 km | ||
| GPS-file | X | ||
| Map |
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| Route photo |
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From Aviemore village centre drive south on road B9152 a little more than 600 metres from the Cairngorm Hotel to the roundabout. Turn left here onto road B970, signed for Coylumbridge and Cairngorms. After 9.7 km turn left where signed for "Glenmore Lodge". Drive another 1.0 km, and you pass Glenmore Lodge on your right hand side. Find parking along the road 100 metres later, before a gate.
Start walking by following the fine mountain road through the forest. After 1.8 km you pass Lochan Uaine on your right. Continue past the lake, and 450 metres after the lake fork right. This mountain road will take you all the way to River Nethy. Cross the river on the bridge and proceed on the path for 2.8 km. You are now directly north of Bynack More and should fork right from the main path and head south up to the north ridge of Bynack More. The path is a bit vague in places, but the terrain allows for easy hiking. Follow the ridge, sometimes on the left side, sometimes on the right, all the way to the summit. The summit is marked by a cone shaped pile of stones.
Descend by reversing your ascent route.
After a late night in the bar the previous night, this Friday (our first full day of this year's annual trip to Scotland) was set aside for a long hike. I had decided to do Bynack More, located on the outskirts of the Cairngorms.
It was a nice and warm day, but with some dark clouds threatening to give some rain later in the day. The relatively flat start of the hike allowed me to warm up properly, and recover from any hangover from the previous night, while at the same time keeping a steady pace. I met a few people, some cycling and some on their way to Montrose for the semi-organised hike across Scotland. But in general it was quite and very enjoyable.
By the time I got to the summit I had run out of water, so the summit stop wasn't very long since I was almost desperate to get back down to River Nethy and fresh supplies of water.
The rain never materialised before late in the afternoon, and by then I was
safely seated in the bar at the nice Cairngorm Hotel, enjoying drinks together
with the other six guys in this year's group.
Photos 21.05.2010