Missing walker sheltered under boulder in 100mph winds
- Published
The woman found refuge at a howff, a rough shelter under a large boulder called the Shelter Stone
A missing walker was forced to shelter under a huge boulder in 100mph winds while on a walk to Britain's second highest mountain.
The 32-year-old woman from Edinburgh set out from the Cairngorm ski centre, near Aviemore, on Wednesday to make the 11-mile (17km) trek to Ben Macdui.
In freezing temperatures and 100mph winds, she sought the safety of the Shelter Stone near Loch Avon.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, external found her safe and well on Thursday morning.
Members of Aberdeen, Braemar and RAF Lossiemouth mountain rescue teams and Inverness Coastguard helicopter were also involved in the search.
The walker was reported missing after failing to contact family on Wednesday afternoon.
Volunteers from Cairngorm MRT, pictured, and Braemar, Aberdeen and RAF Lossiemouth rescue teams searched for the walker
The Shelter Stone, at the west end of Loch Avon, is well-known to hillwalkers as a rough shelter called a howff and it is possible to crawl under for shelter.
The woman found a survival blanket and other bedding left for an emergency.
She walked out on Thursday morning and was found by mountain rescuers who had set on their search in the early hours of Thursday.
Cairngorm MRT said there had been a wind chill of -15C overnight.