Ben Macdui
| Ben Macdui | |
|---|---|
| Beinn MacDuibh | |
| Naming | |
| English translation | MacDuff's mountain |
| Pronunciation | Scottish Gaelic: [ˈpeiɲ maxk ˈt̪ɯj] |
| Geography | |
  Ben Macdui | |
| Parent range | Cairngorms |
| OS grid | NN989989 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 36, 43, Explorer OL57 |
Ben Macdui (
Before the production of accurate maps of Scotland in the 19th century, it was not known for certain that
Snow patches have been known to persist at various locations on Ben Macdui, most notably Garbh Uisge Beag. The mountain is said to be haunted by the legendary Am Fear Liath Mòr (Big Grey Man).
History
After the defeat of Domnall mac Uilliam in 1187,
In 1810 a Rev Dr Keith surveyed the heights of several Cairngorm summits using a barometer, estimating the height of Ben Macdui to be 4,300 ft (1,300 m). This sparked interest in whether it, or Ben Nevis, was the highest summit in Scotland. The
Queen Victoria hiked to the summit on 7 October 1859, aged forty.[5] About her experience, she wrote: "It had a sublime and solemn effect, so wild, so solitary – no one but ourselves and our little party there ... I had a little whisky and water, as the people declared pure water would be too chilling."[citation needed]
During the
Climbing
Probably the easiest route of ascent is from the Coire Cas car park at the foot of Cairngorm Ski Centre by a path that leads up over slowly rising moorland. This route is about 7 km (4 mi) long; a somewhat longer route allows one also to climb Cairn Gorm. One possible alternative route follows the path coming up from Loch Etchachan. This loch may be reached from Loch Avon to the north or by coming up from Glen Derry to the south. Other routes include coming over Derry Cairngorm, or via the Lairig Ghru pass, which lies to the west of Ben Macdui.[9][10]
Nearly all these routes are long days by Scottish standards.[
Am Fear Liath Mòr
The area of Ben Macdui is said to be haunted by the legendary Am Fear Liath Mòr ('the Big Grey Man') or 'Greyman'.[11] There have been several accounts of an unnatural presence, with mountaineer Norman Collie claiming to have heard footsteps before fleeing from the summit in terror.[5]
Gallery
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References
Citations
- ^ "Ben Macdui (Beinn Macduibh)". Hill Bagging – the online version of the Database of British and Irish Hills (DoBIH). 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ "Ben Macdui isolation".
- ^ "Ben Macdui". Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba: Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland.
- ^ a b Mitchell 2004, p. 31.
- ^ a b c d e Watson, pp. 66-70.
- ^ Cairngorm Club Journal 1911.
- ^ Barrow 1980, p. 86.
- ^ Aberdeenshire OS Name Books, 1865-1871. Ordnance Survey. 1871. p. OS1/1/17/5.
- ^ a b McNeish, pp. 129–130.
- ^ Bennett, Donald, et al., p. 132.
- ^ Dunning, Brian (10 January 2012). "Skeptoid #292: The Gray Man of MacDhui". Skeptoid.
Bibliography
- ISBN 0-19-822473-7
- Bennett, Donald, et al., The Munros, SMC Hillwalkers' Guide (Scottish Mountaineering Trust, 1985). ISBN 0-907521-13-4
- "Excursions and Notes – Ben Muich Dhu" (PDF). Cairngorm Club Journal. 37: 60. 1911. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2022.
- McNeish, Cameron (1998), The Munros: Scotland's Highest Mountains, 2nd ed., Lomond Books, ISBN 0-947782-50-8
- Mitchell, Ian (2004). Scotland's Mountains Before the Mountaineers. Luath Press. ISBN 0946487391.
- Watson, Adam (1998). The Cairngorm (SMC District Guide). Scottish Mountaineering Trust. ISBN 0-907521-39-8.
External links
- Ben Macdui is at coordinates 57°04′14″N 3°40′01″W / 57.070651°N 3.66685°W
- Computer-generated virtual panorama from Ben Macdui
- Short documentary film about The Big Grey Man of Ben Macdui
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