Cairngorms-devilspoint
“What an interesting mountain,” observes Queen Victoria on her pony trek up the Lairig Ghru. “Bod an Deamhain, you say? And what does that mean?” The ghyllie goes slightly pink, and with quick wit replies: “The Devil’s Point, Ma’am.” In fact Gaelic is a language without circumlocutions. The name actually means the Devil’s Willy. In which case, what exactly would be around the other side? Without getting too direct and Gaelic about it, it’s damp, dark and rather slimy. What you get is the Devil’s back-side… The Devil’s Point Burn offers in the event a little granite gully of stones and heather and small waterfalls, but with one bigger fall that needs a short, earthy scramble. For those who don’t want to penetrate quite so intimately, there’s a grassy spur alongside. The summit itself has scarcely enough drop behind to count as a hill, except that the cragtop situation, the name and the stunning views make it every metre a Munro. With much of the hard slog already done, it makes sense to continue onto Cairn Toul. Then shake the satanic slime off your gaiters by descending the little pinnacle and clean granite slabs of its east ridge. This looks like a short day, especially considering this is the Cairngorms. And it is short, if you start and end at Corrour bothy. So walk in to the bothy in the morning and do this in the afternoon. Or do it in the morning, and walk out to Linn of Dee afterwards. In either case with the satisfaction of having (with nothing worse than slightly worn fingertips and some slimy gaiters) clambered up Satan’s behind and got to the top of the Devil’s Bottom.
Fife Arms, Braemar has hill-walker ambiance and portions – tel. (013397) 41644
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