UKC

Camping Ben Avon

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 JamesLamont 02 May 2013
I'm heading to climb Ben Avon and Beinn a'Bhuird at the end of the month. The intention is to camp the night before, climb both the following day then back out. My initial plan was to head up Gleann an t-Slugain, and camp somewhere up by the Glas allt mor however I've seen a lot of trip reports with people suggesting camping on the sides of the River Gairn because there's lots of places to pitch up!

Has anybody camped up Gleann an t-Slugain or higher and what was the terrain like?
In reply to jamesofdeath:

Yes, twice - both times less than a kilometre or so short of the ruin. Bit hemmed in but plenty places to camp off the side of the path.
In reply to jamesofdeath:

I'm guessing registered user Slugain Howff has done!

jcm
In reply to jamesofdeath:

Also have met two folk camping roughly NNE of the ruin when you follow the track round.

One of them said their ear froze to the tent when they were getting out of it. (It was -8 where we were in the glen).
 d_b 02 May 2013
In reply to jamesofdeath:

I went past the ruin, the terrain up there is fine although I guess it could be windy. Looks like this:

http://www.spectral3d.co.uk/Personal/pics/2010/scotland_2010/scotland_2010/...
 More-On 02 May 2013
In reply to jamesofdeath: I've camped just below the The Sneck a couple of times on good level pitches. Can get a bit windy, but that shouldn't really be a surprise...
 Lankyman 02 May 2013
In reply to jamesofdeath: we camped up at the Dubh Lochan then traversed both mountains and back out as a 2-dayer. It has the disadvantage of carrying your full kit over the hills but does mean no backtracking. Our Trisar nearly blew flat but that was the shortcomings of the tent (not the pitch).
 d_b 02 May 2013
In reply to jamesofdeath:

It's a good track so you can save a lot of time on the approach by taking a mountain bike. If you don't have one then you can hire them at Braemar mountain sports. I don't remember it being too expensive.

Track seems to go a bit crap after the ruin, but if you stay with it then it gets better after a couple of hundred m.
 skog 02 May 2013
In reply to jamesofdeath:

Weather permitting, an atmospheric alternative is to make use of the light nights, walk in on an evening, and bivvy near one of the many granite tors on the plateau.

You'd have to carry more water, but it'd save on the tent.

I did this with a friend a few years ago, though the weather wasn't ideal (and I left my raincoat in the car by mistake)! We walked in over Beinn a'Bhuird first and bivvied on Stob an t'Sluichd, toddling over to Ben Avon the next morning, then back out:

http://www.ochils.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=14126

http://www.gaelicplacenames.org/maps/map.html?g=NJ112027

 Jim Braid 02 May 2013
In reply to jamesofdeath: I've camped a few times in Gleann an t-Slugain just after where the path splits at NO 129 950. If you take the left hand branch of the path you come into a superb area for camping which I've always known as the Fairy Glen.

There's also lots of areas to camp higher up by the Glas Allt Mor.

I would second the use of a mountain bike. Easy cycling to the Fairy Glen.

It all depends how far you want to go with a heavy sack. Fairy Glen would be my preference.

 ill_bill 02 May 2013
In reply to jamesofdeath: Start early. Use a mountain bike to top of Gleann an t-Slugain. Then you walk both in a day without any rush and get back for a pint or two.
I descended over Carn Eag to make it more interesting.

I have also bivvied in Garbh Choire before climbing Squareface. A wonderful spot!
 forcan 02 May 2013
Plenty of camping spots beside the ruins of Slugain Lodge, and most of the way up the Glen to the Sneck - camp near the lodge, pick your camping gear up on the way back down! You can bike up with a sense of humour, and think of the quick run back down after...
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