09/04/2010 by Paul Carpenter.

With most of the snow now gone, Thought I’d try a hike into an area I had’nt been to before. Starting from loch an Eilein the route basically follows a wide dirt track - so no hope of getting lost! Found it quite dry and all of the major river crossing had a bridge or good set of stepping stones. I did not quite get to the loch but took a hikers path just before it from where I took the panoramic below.

For the first time in ages I have had two days of long walks, the first was not planned - started as a normal dog walk but because the river findhorn had been so high lately I wanted to try and walk upto a stretch of gorge - unfortunatly it was further away then I had thought but still got a few nice photos

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22/09/2009 by Paul Carpenter.

Set off again on another little stroll amongst the highest Scotland has to offer and despite the onset of dark clouds and constant winds, the day did’nt turn out too bad, that and the fact it had been over a year since I’d ascended these sort of amounts.

set off about from the usual spot at the ski centre car park and made my way up the ski runs then over the plateau and down into loch Avon - the steep path down to the loch is very slippery or it was the last time I used it in winter when it was covered in ice, but today even a few dry days had made it slightly more passable.

From there went onto Loch Etchachan - I had planned to walk upto Beinn Mheadhoin but changed my mind and continued to Ben Macdui. from there made my way to the equally steep path down into coire an Sneachda, the same path I used to on my last walk.

Eventually got back to the car park 5 hours after leaving, not feeling too bad at that time - not so the next day when the muscle’s around my knee’s just did’nt want to work.

The only bad thing maybe about the cairngorms on a bonny autunm day is the crowds that gather there; upon reaching the last steep path, it did seem like a shopping spree in piccadilly circus with reindeer added in for amusement - winter is best time here for me. When most visitors are just there for the crags and rock climbs, the slopes and hills are left virtually empty and on a clear snog free day, the sights are great.

For any body who also likes walking in scotland, and the rest of the UK I have found this site to be very useful; http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/

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28/07/2009 by Paul Carpenter.

I don’t know what it is, but these last few years as soon as I mentioned the thought of walking in the cairngorms, days or even weeks of fine to nice weather turn to hell on earth. Maybe it cause I’m getting old but the excitement of walking up into strong wind and driving rain just does’nt excite me as much as it used to, it did not seem to please the dog much either, so ended up cutting the walk short and spending the extra time in caledonian forest instead.

The cairngorn walk started from the bottom of tram station where we walked up a very nice pathed path to just below the cairn gorm summit from where I decided that a detour along the ridge above coire an sneachde was appropriate. Mosty this was after feeling the full force of the wind, but also the really well used path along the ridge was more visible through the cloud not forgetting the fact that I’ve walked it countless time before. Descended the ridge just before the fiacail buttress then made our way back to the car. Along the way we saw a few reindeer which the dog quite nicely took no interest in and another odd plant shown below which I still don’t know the name of, if any body knows I’d be interested in hearing. - just found it - bog asphodel.

Despite what I said about the weather eariler, I do prefer the cairngorms when the weather sets in, not only because it keeps people away but once on top the swirling of the clouds reveal some great scenes sometimes, not counting the fact that a cloudy day on ben macdui could also bring the big grey man - an illussion really but pretty scary the first time you see it or yourself.

Second mini walk was from the west end of loch morlich following a forestry track east in a circular route. There was some great views, especially on the higher track we used to return to the car and I’m sure the dog apprechiated the lack of wind and a flat surface to walk on. The woodland itself is typical of the woodland I walk around the moray area (the large exception being culbin) with the tree’s mainly towering over a field of heather and blaeberry shrubs - at this time of year the berrys are ripe and they make excellent jam but are just as good eaten raw striaght from the plant - saves carrying around a lunch box!

Over all it was a great day and even the climb up did not feel to bad, except for the wind, but if you’ve walked the cairngorms or any mountains - you kinda of get used to that.

paul

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28/06/2009 by Paul Carpenter.

Had another of my fantastic idea’s after my little family gained another member in the form of a boxer collie. The idea was to do alittle tester session in the cairngorms to view the dogs fitness for a longer over night-er. In the end, the dog was fantastic still running and jumping as much at the end as she was at the beginning, I how ever was slightly less energetic especially on the first and only long haul up to Meall a’ Bhuachaille. Granted I have not hiked as much as I have in the past but it’s probably more to do with my BBFC with the occasional S diet that did not help (really embarrassing with two groups of older people hiking faster then me). But less about my short comings, bring on the fabulous photo’s;

  Lochan uaine or better known as the green loch - the color has something to do with some scientific mombo jumbo but I recone the real reason is because of all the local fairies living in caves amongst the scree field on the left who clean their cloths in it every night.

   ryvoan bothy just beyond the loch - very nice and clean, no rats and available fire wood.

    taken from the top of meall a’ bhuachaille. the first being of the ridge we walked along , the second of loch morloch and beyond.

   saw this nice little heath spotted orchid along the way - first I have seen in the cairngorms as far as I know but then I have never been crawling along before!!! Second photo is from the end of the ridge looking north.

From there the path swung left and descended into the caledonian woodland, past badaguish outdoor centre then onto the glenmore park and at last the car.

I was’nt really crawling along the route, apart from the initial climb the rest of the walk was fairly easy on well made paths offering some very different views from those from the cairngorm plateau also seems a well used route by bikes going by the tracks.

 Took this photo near the end. Now it may just be me but does’nt it look like she’s thinking ‘Oh no, not another stop’.

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