At the top of Ben Macdui is one of Highland Nick's Summit to the Sea virtual caches - The Summit. There will also be a new traditional cache along the route, released on the day of the event. If like me, you prefer to find mountain caches in the company of others, this is your chance to bag a difficult cache as well as a couple of Munros, and a trigpoint for those of you who collect them. There is also a webcam cache at the parking coordinates called Cairn Gorm1 which you can bag before or after the walk. (Remember to make arrangements with someone at home with access to a PC!) There is also a relatively easy 10 minute cache at Glenmore - Balmenach Cache.
Here are the details you need to know:
Date: Saturday August 13th
Meet at : 9.30am at the Ranger Base at funicular railway on Cairngorm; the coordinates are given on the cache page
Likely time to walk: 7-9 hours
Ascent: 3500ft
Length of walk: 11 miles
It goes without saying that you must be reasonably fit; and bring the usual clothing and equipment suitable for walking in the Scottish mountains. Although Highland Nick will be our very own qualified mountain leader for this caching sortie, he cannot take responsibility for anyone who comes ill-prepared, and indeed is likely to advise them to give it a miss! The very minimum includes the following:
Worn in sturdy waterproof walking boots & walking socks
Waterproof jacket and over trousers
Sufficient food and water (at least 2 litres)
Warm hat
Gloves
Warm Jacket and trousers (Jeans are not suitable)
Sunglasses / Suncream / Sunhat
Map and compass
Change of clothes to leave in your car
Also a very good idea:
Gaiters
Walking poles
After we collapse in a heap at the end of the walk, there will be a chance to have a drink and a bite to eat at The Old Bridge Inn in Aviemore, before heading for home. For those who do not wish to do the walk, please come and meet us at around 5pm. Please post a note of your intention to attend either to do the walk, or to meet afterwards. We will arrange appropriate mobile phone numbers to coordinate the two parts of the event.
There is plenty of accomodation in the area such as traditional Youth Hostels in Aviemore and Glenmore, plus dozens of B & B type places upwards to posh hotels.
Contact Aviemore Tourist Information Centre for more info:
http://www.visithighlands.com/avie/ or The Bunkhouse (www.aviemore-bunkhouse.com) for cheap accommodation. This is at the Old Bridge Inn, where the apres-hike meet will take place.