Wednesday 2 January 2008

Record Navigation

I was reading a news item in the Daily Record about a blind chap rescued by helicopter in the Lairig Ghru. Full story via Outdoors Magic.

Something struck me as odd: "20-mile (32.2 kilometres) Lairig Ghru" - hmm, I walked it in an afternoon in 2006. I don't walk that fast! Even if you project the pass all the way down to the Dee, it still isn't 20 miles.

But is the Lairig the physical pass through the Cairngorms, or is it the whole track from end to end? I must investigate.

Lairig Ghru

5 comments:

John Hee said...

more here
http://www.grough.co.uk/content/view/704/

Robin said...

But he was wearing very stylish shoes

AktoMan said...

Were they lightweight though?

'ere, he was 47 in the Record, and 48 in Grough? Are English years different to Scots years?

Full Northern Constabulary statement here:


About 0800 hours on Tuesday 1st January 2008, a 48 year old male was reported
missing from an address in Aviemore. He was believed to have gone to the area of the
Lairig Ghru in the Cairngorms mountains. He was not believed to be suitably equipped for the hills.

He was subsequently found by walkers in the area, and given assistance until the arrival of members of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team and Northern Constabulary personnel. Because of deteriorating weather conditions, assistance was requested from the Royal Air Force, and the Search and Rescue helicopter, Rescue 137 from RAF Lossiemouth attended, uplifted the male and flew him to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness.

He received treatment at the Hospital but was not detained. His details are not being released.
--
They do not say how long the Lairig Ghru is, or anything about his shoes.

Sounds like a lucky find for the walkers, and the rescued chap. Well done folks.

Fiona-Jane Brown said...

Linn of Dee to Coylumbridge is apparently 20 miles one way according to the Walking Scotland route

Anonymous said...

According to Ronald Turnbull in his book, three peaks, ten tors.

He gives the route as from Braemar to Aviemore 45km/28 miles (full version).

So who knows the real distance :-)