Christine's walking & birds blog

The Cairnwell & Carn Aosda

The last hill-walk we did got me halfway through the Munros, but put Greger on number 99; he naturally wanted to make it a hundred - preferably with a fairly easy one. These two hills, slap-bang in the middle of the Glenshee ski area, are close to the road with the start at about 650 metres.

I chose a Sunday because you don't have to worry about deer-stalking; but the weather forecast was, unfortunately, accurate - with cloud down over the hills and rain to start with, and strong winds later on. Eventually there was a break and we set off up the wide track. This was taken with Greger's mobile, looking back to the ski-centre buildings and huge car park.

 
A snow cannon standing by the track would no doubt have mountain purists who already object to all the other paraphernalia raising their eyebrows; but I reckon skiers have as much right to be here as walkers - and these aren't the most beautiful hills in Scotland anyway. There's room for everyone.


And some of the wildlife doesn't seem to mind, either. Red grouse were heard and seen all the way up the track; while the manmade pool behind the cannon gave us a dipper.


I managed just one shot before the dipper flew into the pipe and vanished.

By the time we reached the top of the Cairnwell (933m), the wind was unpleasantly strong. A friendly Scotsman took a picture of both of us, but I chose this one of Greger on his 100th Munro.


A picture I took with the self-timer on my old Pentax, when I did these hills alone in 2001, reveals how the shelter has deteriorated over the years. I didn't take the winding track we'd followed today, but bashed straight up the steepish flank under the chairlift. I then dropped to the col and walked west along this nice ridge, past the two little lochans, and on to the summit of Carn a' Gheoidh (left of centre).


We'd planned to do that today but because of the strong wind decided against it, just going on from the col to reach the stony top of Carn Aosda - which at 917m is one of the lowest of the Munros (914 being the defining height in metres).


Looking back to the Cairnwell on his 101st (Munro, not birthday).


The view north towards Braemar, with remote Ben Avon and its tors on the distant skyline.


As we descended, a swallow dashed past and a raven flew over. We had our lunch in the car and then set off on the three-hour journey home, feeling slightly stunned after our shortish, sometimes wet, and always windy walk.