Heading North: Three days in the Cairngorms

18th November 2011

What a stunning weekend !

My camera was still on macro setting for the first day until I grew a brain and realised, lots of iffy piccies and a camera that's on it's last trip.

Heading up the first glen in the last of the weekends drizzle, Teepee was along for this one

We found a nice looking camp site in no time and got set up, we spent the rest of the evening catching up and generally relaxing. I was knackered after an early start, 349 mile drive and didn't see much past 10pm. Some piccies around camp 1 ..

Warbonnet Superfly and Teepee DIY

Clean water only a few yards away

My Superfly tarp and Blackbird hammock, Unsponsored 3/4 underblanket and Pipedream 400 as a quilt

Pete's brew kit on the right, my one pot solution on the left

This was our soundtrack for the night

Packing up around mid morning we set off up the glen to explore the hills, looking back to camp ..

A well deserved break, we must have done at least half a mile

Stunning vistas

Up the hill and into a mini Lairig Ghru

Back down the other side and a glimpse of the next glen

We're heading this way

Bypassing the likely spot for the cold weather hang this winter

Disused Victorian hunting lodge

We mooched through the woods for a while, passing a tent we pushed on further up, another hammock nirvana

Another night was spent huddled round various stoves consuming food and a fine malt, the next morning blessed us with a sunrise to remember

All too soon it was time to pack up

A better look at Pete's mothership

Time to make tracks again, looking back to camp

A rest in the sun

At this point Pete announced he couldn't find his camera, out came the contents of his pack but it wasn't there. I had to be home at a decent hour or she'd go mental, with 7.5hrs of driving ahead we decided to split, Pete stashed his pack under a dead tree and I headed off for the car.

The trail back down the glen

The last couple of miles were on tarmac and my feet were shot, I managed to make it back though, I brewed up, changed my feet and sat down for five in the car. By the time I'd loaded my car and sorted my head out, I'd driven up the road to meet Pete coming the other way. He jumped in and we headed for his van for caramel coffees and butter wafers, om nom nom.

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