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Wednesday 30th March 2011 – Journey and arrivalWith my all my fingers and toes crossed in the hope for the weather we’d seen the week before, I packed my caravan and headed on up to my lovely Braemar. I’d hummed and harred over which route to take as I’d never driven up the Devil’s elbow towing a caravan before but feeling that holiday high that one gets when fleeing the stifling craziness of work, I decided to combat that hairy joint.
The journey so far was going well with music blaring and me singing along like a banshee in full gusto mode (poor Mez hiding in the back) until I suddenly felt the car slowing down
With teeth gritted, I went down the gears....
Was about to bottle it just before the car’s engine reached maximum revving point, with my knuckles turning white and all available sphincters clamped so tightly shut that my ears nearly exploded, when at last, my little car had chuffed its way up the hairy side of that gorilla’s smelly armpit
Reached the Invercauld Camp site a couple of hours after leaving home and, parking the rig up I went inside to pay my fees. The woman didn’t look very amused as I interrupted her totting up my camp fees when I suddenly blurted out in exclamation of how excited I was to be back in Braemar. She looked even more disinterested when I began prattling on and on like an imbecile about the last time I was here with all the snow.
She quietly gave handed over my key fob without making eye contact, and I left to get my favourite pitch...
Thursday 31st March 2011 – Moron on Morrone...Woke to what sounded like birds tap dancing on the caravan roof. Swear they must’ve been wearing hob nail boots, they were so loud. It was the rain coming down strong. Got soaked dashing with Mez to the dog walk in my pyjamas (I refuse to get dressed just because I’m in public and the P.J’s were a decent red tartan and thankfully, for my neighbours, not my snoopy one’s)
The good thing about holidays is that one can change minds on which walk to do in light of current weather and feelings of not wanting to get a drowning for the whole of a 30 km walk. So, instead of my over exuberant desires of doing Ben Avon (hark at me and my bright ideas) I left a note telling my other half (hence forth known as Ronnie) who was to drive up later in the day to join me, and took a trundle down to the Ski centre (Mez starring wildly out the back window with that crazed look in her eyeballs) to reckie what the Cairnwell might look like.
Visibility was next to zero here so I drove back to the camp site to scout my maps again and revise the note I had just written. The rain was coming down a bit lighter now and time was ticking on. It hit me that I have been to Braemar a few times but never visited Morrone so, leaving yet another note, I grabbed a confused Mez again and headed out into the rain.
Now, I know I haven’t done a lot of walking but what I have done has had the usual mix of weather. THIS walk however had the gale force winds the like of which I have never experienced and would shrink away at the merest hint of again. Ascent wasn’t too bad until I reached the long bend up to the right and here, it was the scariest experience I have had up a hill. I could barely walk with every step being an effort against the wind that blew across me and poor Mez. After a hard hour’s walk, I could see the summit which looked another 30 minutes away and all I was thinking was “You stupeeed womaaaaaannnn”.....!!!!!
Being of stubborn mind, I trudged onward until at last, we reached that god forsaken place – the top !!
Took a breather here and made some footage for this report. I did not want to hang about as the sky looked really dodgy now and I could hardly stand up in the exposed areas without threatening to do a Mental Mary Poppins but without the stupid grin.
Mez didn’t actually seem too bothered until we started heading back down and I got out my camera to take pictures of the horizontal rain (Mez hates the camera you see). I took a video shot but abandoned it half way for a humungous gust suddenly gripped my hat and blew it clean off
(how I managed to grab it before it scarpered I’ll never know) but all my hair nearly went with it in the struggle.
I couldn’t physically take a lot of pictures because I couldn’t stand still enough in the wind, but here are some views on the way down (the video shows it better).
Near the top (just coming down)
Half way down
Nearing the bottom
A short video of Morrone summit and descent
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAeFULav_2I[/youtube]
Got back to the car knackered and wind-blown. Ronnie hadn’t arrived by the time I’d reached the camp site which was maybe just as well as my hair had become so wild that I looked like Hair Bear from the Hair Bear bunch and I probably whiffed just as bad....
After a scorching hot shower, fry up and later, a hug I felt more human....
Complete set of pictures
here (of my walk – not of the shower or food
)
Friday 1st April 2011 – Heading for Carn a’ MhaimThis day was to be the main reason for coming to Braemar. To walk a Munro on behalf of the troops in Afghanistan (The White Hackle Challenge). Having not had the best night’s sleep as the wind rattled the caravan about all night like a ping-pong lottery ball hovering in an air mix machine ready to be shot through a tube. I was still feeling stiff and sore from the walk the day before and I had to literally tear myself out my pit to make a start on breakfast. With Mez leaping at the caravan door needing out, off I trudged, zombified across to the dog walk again in my P.J’s.
For the walk, I already knew the route inside out so it was just a case of kit check then offski...
The wind had died down to a subtle gale now and the sky looked slightly less grey as Mez and I reached the Linn Of Dee in good time. We started at 09.20.
Walked this wonderful route of Glen Lui as described on Walk Highlands with no problems and can honestly say that this must be one of the most beautifullest places I have walked. Maybe it’s because of the memories it holds for me, I don’t know. I just felt comfortable here, walking along
(all be it a bit windy
).
Some views
Poor old tree...
Stopped at the Bob Scott Memorial Hut for a bite to eat where I met a young lad that had been stopping over on his travels. A bit further up, I saw the odd bike partially hidden behind trees, awaiting their owner’s return that was away hiking the hills.
Glen Luibeg (looking back down)
Glen Luibeg (looking up the way)
Not long before Carn a’ Mhaim came into view (peak furthest away – what a sight for sore eyes.
Reached Luibeg foot bridge and the water was really heaving.
Photo taken once I’d crossed
The wind was still blowy but it wasn’t until reaching the other side and wading across bog did I start to get that icky feeling that sometimes you get when things just aren’t right. Weird how you get that feeling (unless it’s just me bottling it again ha ha ha). After crossing the foot bridge and walking south, the bog was unbelievable. Mez was gaily flying through it happy and without a care in the world until she suddenly hit a patch that totally engulfed her. She came out coughing and spluttering and kaching up muddy water
. (Note to self – keep Mez closer).
Start of deer fence
Start of the bog
After following the deer fence then going through the gate, the path became more solid. Along the path, there was the odd patch of snow with what looked like old foot prints about 2 foot deep
I trod very gingerly over these patches of snow, hardly breathing, in the hopes that it made me weigh less thus not fall through. (Why oh why did I eat that steak pie?)...
The wind on this side was screaming at me now. Got as far as 008 941 and I was on my hands and knees, crawling up that damn hill like a woolly slug as the wind was howling at my body from the side. Even Mez was behind me.
I stopped and sat low down to think as my heart was thumping... What do I do?
It didn’t take me more than about half a minute to decide that this was going to be the most stupidest idea not to mention the most riskiest. My legs were already sore with having walked this far and I estimated there to be about another hour of walking/crawling to the top and back in the gusts before the long walk home (and I have been in this position before and not listened to myself).
Descended back down...
Back towards the bridge I felt so disappointed but at the same time relieved with having come away. Hand on heart, I was a bit scared (I’m such a big girl’s blouse I know...)
Sorry I couldn’t get up there for the White Hackle Challenge.
Carn a’ Mhaim
The video footage I shot was taken during the journey back home.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHXJWg_wp5E[/youtube]
Complete set of pictures
hereThe slug has had enough...
Saturday 2nd April 2011 – Meeting a fellow walkerHaving eaten a tonne of food Ronnie had cooked specially the night before, and having had a sound sleep, I got up more refreshed. Mez had less of a crazed look in her eye balls this time but still required the obligatory morning scamper in the camp site’s dog walk (and yes, I still refuse to get dressed – P.J’s are more than adequate for a dog’s morning pee).
I wasn’t worried about meeting a fellow Walk Highlander... He seemed an original guy with a normal looking picture and not some numpty that had only 3 posts on the forum with having only just joined the week before
I crammed some toast down my neck and Ronnie was yet again hoicked out of bed (a bit too easily actually....secretly think he didn’t want the job of re-arranging the bed back into its allotted place thus turning them into neat little settees again)
Had arranged to meet up with Kevsbald who I know wanted to join up in Braemar last December. We had said we would climb Carn Liath and Cullardoch and although I was looking forward to this, the weather had different ideas.
Leaving Mez behind this time to be looked after by Ronnie (or made into stew)
I turned up at the meeting place, Keiloch (a bit late) and I parked next to a hairy looking guy puffing on a fag
(There was another car on his other side but the light made it look as though no one was in the car). I trembled a bit at the sight afore me, thinking that Kevsbald may not be quite as bald after all.....
I asked the man if he was waiting for someone (hoping he wouldn’t detect the horror in my face). Was so relieved when the hairy manny said
"No, but there is another guy in the other car who was waiting for someone" ......
Finally met Mr Kevsbald (who later admitted that he thought Merry-Walker might have been this hairy man too
and we decided that the two Corbetts might not be best for the day and so we headed on over to Carn na Drochaide situated over at the Linn of Quoich (not far past the Linn of Dee).
Kevsbald has already done a great report for our walk so you all know what we did. Definitely feel the way we ascended was the better one but either way, this hill was pretty and for once, I wasn’t getting battered in the wind or crawling about like Gollum. The more we climbed, the more the views opened up and we could see for miles and miles (and beyond).
Views from the summit
Kev’s been looking for his view finder
Heading back down
Strike a pose Kev...
It was really great to meet up with a fellow walker from the site, especially one with experience and knowledge, plus has the kind of sense of humour to enjoy a good day out and make a lass feel comfortable. Thanks for not being a raving hairy lunatic ha ha ha...
Hope to meet up with you again.
Short video of our day out on Carn na Drochaide
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej-_ULS34F0[/youtube]
Complete set of pictures
hereSunday 3rd April 2011. End of the holiday...Had such a great time in Braemar.
Pity the weather was a bit on the blowy side
but we had a brilliant time. As it was such a non-windy day, I dragged Ronnie on my traditional walk up to the Lion’s face for one last walk. In keeping with traditional Braemar weather, we got soaked to the skin when we were on our way back to the caravan
Me
Mez
Time for home.... One last stop
Love Braemar... Be back soon.