My Camps in 2025

On the Moine Mor, Cairngorms, August. Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar.

It's the time to start looking back on the year that's ending and at the trips and camps I've done. This year again I stayed in the Highlands, mostly in the Cairngorms in fact. As I've said before, there is so much to do here! There were no long trips this year, for various reasons. I am determined to rectify this in 2026. Four days in Glen Affric was the longest.

Loch nan Cnapan, Moine Mhor, Cairngorms, May. Mountain Laurel Designs SoloMid XL.

I camped at least once every month except for June and, so far, December - I am planning a trip before New Year. Overall I had some great camps and splendid walks. Here's some pictures from each month. Eleven different tents were used, though three of them were the same model - this was the Hilleberg Akto, which was 30 this year so I decided to use it a fair bit. I've given links to my posts about the trips if you'd like to read more about any of them.

Rothiemurchus Forest, Cairngorms, January. Hilleberg Soulo.

My first camp was with Tony Hobbs. We camped in the forest after a late start and stayed there a second night as the clouds were low on the mountains. It was a pleasant site and there seemed no sense in moving. We walked up the Lairig Ghru path to the edge of the mist and then back to camp. The Hilleberg Soulo was overkill for this trip but I'd thought we might have a high camp and the forecast was for stormy weather.

Coire Ruadh, Carn Ban Mor, Cairngorms, February. Mountain Laurel Designs DuoMid XL.

February saw a higher, colder, camp above Glen Feshie. The overnight temperature was -5.5C. I was camped on a frozen bog. In the morning the cloud was down over the higher hills so I made my way back to Glen Feshie via the lower tops west of Carn Ban Mor.

Water of Caiplich, Cairngorms, March. Hilleberg Niak.

March saw two camps. The first was by the Water of Caiplich in the Northern Cairngorms which I reached by way of the Corbett Geal Charn. The following day I had an excellent walk along the edge of the Ailnack gorge before enjoying a glorious sunset as I returned over Geal Charn. 

Feith Buidhe, Cairngorm Plateau, March. Hilleberg Akto.

The second March camp was on the Cairngorm Plateau and the only one of the year on snow. It was also the coldest 2025 camp, with a low of -9C. I broke the pole of my tent (the second Hilleberg Akto I'd had) but managed to still pitch it okay. The day following the camp I climbed Ben Macdui.

The Lairig Ghru, Cairngorms, April. Original Hilleberg Akto.

April also saw two camps in the Cairngorms. The first was in the Lairig Ghru in beautiful sunny weather. On this trip I had my almost 30-year old Hilleberg Akto that I'd used on my walk over all the Munros and Tops in 1996. It's still fine.

Beside the Beanaidh Bheag, Cairngorms, April. Hilleberg Akto.

The second April trip was in stormier weather. I camped beside the Beanaidh Bheag below Braeriach and then went over Sron na Lairig in slippery wet snow and a cold wind. The views into the Lairig Ghru were spectacular. I was using the third Hilleberg Akto of the year, this one a replacement for the one with the broken pole.

Feith Buidhe, Cairngorm Plateau, May. Hilleberg Akto.

The new Akto was out again for the first trip in May. I again camped on the Cairngorm Plateau but there was no snow now. I had spectacular views as I wandered the edge of the Loch Avon basin to Carn Etchachan. 

In Glen Feshie, Cairngorms, May. Mountain Laurel Designs SoloMid XL. 

The second May trip was a two-night one with very different camps, the first in the forest in Glen Feshie, the second by Loch nan Cnapan high on the Moine Mhor followed by an ascent of Sgor Gaoith.

Loch a' Bhealaich Leamhain, July. MSR Hubba Hubba HD 1P.

In July I finally ventured out of the Cairngorms with a visit to Lochan na h-Earba and the Munro Geal Charn. I had a lovely camp looking down on Loch a' Bhealaich Leamhain.

On the Moine Mhor, Cairngorms, August. Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar.

I was back in the Cairngorms for two trips in August. On the first I had two camps on the Moine Mhor, the second on the summit of Tom Dubh from where I climbed the Munro Monadh Mor in beautiful summer weather.

On the slopes of Bynack Mor, Cairngorms, August. Hilleberg Akto.

The second August trip was the windiest of the year on the slopes of Bynack Mor. There was a fine sunset. And the wind kept the midges away.

In Glen Feshie, Cairngorms, September. Hilleberg Akto.

In September I was back camping in the forest in Glen Feshie, from where I climbed to the Argyll Stone and Creag Dhubh on another windy day.

Near the Allt Mullach, Cairngorms, September. Bach Wickiup 3.

A second September trip took me to the tough, boggy terrain to the north of Meall a' Bhuachaille. The going was hard but the light lovely.

Site of the first and third camps in Glen Affric. Mountain Laurel Designs DuoMid XL.

October saw the longest trip of the year, four days and three nights in the Glen Affric area with Tony Hobbs. We had three camps though the first and third were on the same site.

Camp by the Allt Garbh, Glen Affric.

In between the two nights in Glen Affric we had a camp beside the Allt Garbh to the south then crossed a high ridge and descended to Loch Affric in superb weather.

By the Allt Fionnaich, Burma Road, Monadh Liath. Highlander Refuge 1. 

In November I had a stormy trip on the Burma Road in the Monadh Liath with a camp by the Allt Fionnaich. It was a good test for the tent I was trying. I am glad to say it was fine.