Cairngorm 4000ers
Updates: Katie Henderson 5:48:13, 18th July 2020; Caroline Marwick 5:30:30, 9 August 2020 (pending incorporation into main text below).
The classic Cairngorms outing is the round of the four original 4000ft Munros (Cairngorm, Ben Macdui, Cairn Toul, Braeriach), starting and finishing at Glenmore Lodge (25 miles/7600 feet of ascent). Eric Beard made his mark with an impressive time of 4 hours 41 mins in 1963. This record was beaten by Mel Edwards on 9th July 1979 with a time of 4 hours 34 mins. 8 secs. [Ref. CCJ no.98 1980. MM gives Beard date as 1967.]
Edwards' 22 year old record was broken by Dan Whitehead of Cosmics on 13th October 2001. Dan’s time was 4 hours 31 mins 21 secs [thanks to Dan via Ewen Rennie for this info]. Three years later Alec Keith ran a time of 4 hours 20 mins 53 secs (on his 6th attempt!) on 25th July 2004. He started at 5pm and went solo and unsupported. Previous attempts had taken longer partly due to unnecessarily including the ‘new’ Munro Sgurr an Lochain Uaine (Angel’s Peak). [Ref: pers. comm. AK.]
On 4th November 2007 an in-form Paul Raistrick swept round the circuit in a clockwise direction (contrary to previous record holders), knocking 20 minutes off the record. He set a blistering pace, and even tagged on Sgurr an Lochain Uaine for good measure – 4 hours 0 mins 16 seconds – a superb effort. The four-hour barrier had survived (just!) and did so for nearly another decade, but has gone now…
On 2nd September 2017, Ally Beaven repeated the clockwise circuit including Sgurr an Lochain Uaine in 3 hours 57 mins 52 secs [Ref: personal communication]. Ally says 'Racking my brain for things I may have got wrong. Missed summits, forgotten lifts in helicopters, but I think it's all above board...' and, joking apart, we congratulate him on his splendid new mark!
Which has now been bettered again by Finlay Wild, who ran 3 hours 52 mins 59 secs (also clockwise) on 4 August 2018 with Paul's splits for reference but not knowing exactly how much Ally had taken off his time! [Ref: Finlay's blog.]
The fastest recorded time by a woman is that of Kath Butler, who completed the outing in 6 hours 45 mins some time in the 1980s (?) [Ref: Scots Magazine 9/89, article by Suse Coon].
| Location | Eric Beard | Mel Edwards | Alec Keith | Paul Raistrick | Ally Beaven | Finlay Wild |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenmore Lodge | — | — | — | 4:00:16 | 3:57:52 | 3:52:59 |
| Braeriach | 1:36 | 1:29 | 1:30 | 2:56 | 2:53 | 2:47:55 |
| Sgurr an Lochain Uaine | — | — | — | 2:29 | 2:28 | 2:20:26 |
| Cairn Toul | 2:12 | 2:04 | 2:06 | 2:19 | 2:18 | 2:09:29 |
| Lairig Ghru | — | — | 2:27 | 1:39 | 1:41 | 1:33:57 |
| Ben Macdui | 3:23 | 3:14 | 3:11 | 1:22 | 1:26 | 1:19:22 |
| Cairngorm | 4:03 | 3:58 | 3:49 | 0:49 | 0:51 | 0:47:25 |
| Glenmore Lodge | 4:41 | 4:34:08 | 4:20:53 | — | — | — |
Page updated 12th August 2018