Cairngorm Munros
Updates: Oli Johnson 17:13:09, 18th June 2021, and Finlay Wild 16:40:14, 24th July 2021 (pending incorporation into main text below).
Also known as the "Rigby Round", this seems like a classic 24-hour challenge to rival anything in the west. A round of the 17 Cairngorm Munros (this is the pre-1997 figure, with Sgor an Lochain Uaine now adding an 18th Munro) was recorded by Mark Rigby on 24th/25th July 1988. Starting and finishing at Cairngorm Youth Hostel, he went round in a anti-clockwise circuit with Braeriach first and Cairngorm last. The route is approximately 75 miles (19,500 feet of ascent). This was an onsight, solo, unsupported round, and Mark endured some pretty horrendous weather in the latter stages (2 hours of the night was spent sheltering from driving rain in Faindouran Bothy and Fords of Avon Refuge) [Ref. FR 12/88]. The schedule was as follows:
Mark Rigby — 24-25 July 1988
| Location | Time | Split |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Hostel | — | — |
| Braeriach | 1:48 | 1:48 |
| Cairn Toul | 2:28 | 0:40 |
| Sgor Gaoith | 3:42 | 1:14 |
| Mullach Clach a' Bhlair | 4:31 | 0:49 |
| Beinn Bhrotain | 5:48 | 1:17 |
| Monadh Mor | 6:12 | 0:24 |
| Devil's Point | 7:18 | 1:06 |
| Carn a' Mhaim | 8:13 | 0:55 |
| Ben Macdui | 9:15 | 1:02 |
| Derry Cairngorm | 9:51 | 0:36 |
| Beinn Mheadhoin | 10:41 | 0:50 |
| Beinn a' Chaorainn | 11:41 | 1:00 |
| Beinn Bhreac | 12:30* | 0:49 |
| Beinn a' Bhuird | 13:55* | 1:25 |
| Ben Avon | 14:50* | 0:55 |
| Bynack More | 21:00* | 6:10 |
| Cairngorm | 22:05* | 1:05 |
| Youth Hostel | 22:44 | 0:39 |
*These times are approximate.
The second completion of this route in under 24 hours was by Bob Berzins on 1st June 1999, again solo and unsupported. He took 23 hours 19 mins [Ref: SHR 8/99, FR 10/99].
The third known completion of the Rigby Round was by Phil Clark on 8th/9th July 2004. He went round the (original?) 17 Munros (with one support point) in 22 hours 4 mins [Ref: FR10/04], which was probably the quickest time recorded for another seven years though Rob Woodall also managed an impressive solo/unsupported 22 hours 56 mins (including Sgor an Lochain Uaine) on 31st May 2008. Then no sooner had word belatedly reached us [Ref: email from Stephen Pyke + FR ?/11] in July 2012 of a solo/unsupported 20 hours 49 minutes by Digby Harris of Macclesfield Harriers on 3rd August 2011 than Paul Raistrick sent us the splits for his clockwise 19 hours 33 mins 50 secs (again solo/unsupported in the spirit of Rigby's original) on 21st July 2012, quoting a distance of 72.95 miles and ascent of 6974m 'from Anquet maps' and suggesting that these splits including Sgor an Lochain Uaine ('which changes the route and order for the Western tops quite a bit') would provide a useful guide for future attempts in either direction:
Paul Raistrick — 21 July 2012
| Location | Time | Split |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Hostel | — | — |
| Cairngorm | 01:16 | 01:16 |
| Bynack More | 02:18 | 01:02 |
| Beinn a' Chaorainn | 03:18 | 01:00 |
| Beinn a' Bhuird | 04:17 | 00:59 |
| Ben Avon | 04:54 | 00:37 |
| Beinn Bhreac | 06:31 | 01:37 |
| Beinn Mheadhoin | 07:55 | 01:24 |
| Derry Cairngorm | 08:51 | 00:56 |
| Ben Macdui | 09:42 | 00:51 |
| Carn a' Mhaim | 10:29 | 00:47 |
| Devil's Point | 11:21 | 00:52 |
| Cairn Toul | 12:12 | 00:51 |
| Sgor an Lochain Uaine | 12:29 | 00:17 |
| Monadh Mor | 13:17 | 00:48 |
| Beinn Bhrotain | 13:46 | 00:29 |
| Mullach Clach a' Bhlair | 15:13 | 01:27 |
| Sgor Gaoith | 16:10 | 00:57 |
| Braeriach | 17:38 | 01:28 |
| Rothiemurchus Lodge | 19:01 | — |
| Youth Hostel | 19:33:50 | 01:55 |
Page updated 27th March 2013