Speyside Winter Wonderland

[Yorjick]

20 years ago, I was very fit and confident about long days on the hill, even in winter. I knew that I had the speed and level of fitness to get out of trouble. I am still in reasonably good shape and can walk long routes but at a slightly slower pace, so the safety margins are reduced. I wanted a hill that I knew I could do comfortably in a short day and still drive some of the miles back home in in the daylight. Is Corryhabbie Hill the most exciting hill I have ever climbed? Well no, but it was beautiful in its winter plumage and simply perfect under the circumstances.

While I am confident on Scotlands mountains in full winter conditions, I am always a little uneasy about driving along winter roads, especially ones I do not know and, following a couple of occasions where I have (temporarily) been stuck in a parking place, I am a bit anxious about finding somewhere suitable to park.

I was a bit anxious about driving back down this icy lane.

I had considered approaching from Glenfiddich and also via Suit, combining Corry cabbie Hill with Cook's Cairn, but after reading The Rodmeister's report on Walkhighlands https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=64469, I decided to approach from the north - less driving distance and a more direct, shorter route.

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

I really appreciated The Rodmiester's descriptions regarding parking (though I parked in front of the bins rather than behind to avoid getting stuck. He emotions some plastic over the barbed wire at the top of a fence. I think I took a slightly different line as I encountered a gate at every fence, though on at least one occasion, including the kissing gate, it was tied up with stiff wire. Clearly, we will not have any of that soppy kissing around here!

It struck me regarding to the number of footprints in the snow. I may have only spotted the one hare but I assume that it was not responsible for all of the tracks in the snow.

The snow did get a little bit deeper higher up from ankle deep to knee deep in places but in due course, I made it to the top. The cairn around the trig point was full of snow and did not provide the shelter I had hoped for but set up my tripod for a summit selfie, rank some of my coffee and ate my sandwiches. I made a couple of out and back explorations to obtain better photos including one of Cook's Cairn, as my focus will soon turn to the Grahams/Fionas.

I probably remained on the summit for around 30 minutes. It was cold and there was a breeze but it was reasonably comfortable.

On my way down, I saw a group of 5 and waved to them with a walking pole.

I have never understood the appeal of diamonds but I love the sparkle of ice crystals in the sunshine.

After walking up in the shadows, it was nice to descend in the sunshine, though the sun never got very high.

Back at the car, I was struck by the yellow glow of the sun on the trees. Looking towards Ben Rinnes with the modern Glenrinnes distillery, opened in 2019, visible in the middle distance.

[Colin1951]

Loved your report.

Re winter driving I run a BMW which is notoriously bad on snow & ice (no I’m not posh or wealthy, it’s 10 years old!) but knowing I’d be doing distances in winter I bought a set of winter tyres & wheels when I got the car. It was a bit of an outlay but they’ve lasted eight years (3 months each year) and driven steadily it makes the car sure footed and safe. Its party trick was chugging out of a foot-deep snowdrift and down a steep icy lane with never a hint of wheel spin or locking brakes, when all my friends’ hatchbacks were skiting about helplessly.
Over the piece, I think they’ve saved me money as well, since the ruinously expensive “summer” tyres only work 9 months a year instead of 12.

[Yorjick]

Loved your report.

Re winter driving I run a BMW which is notoriously bad on snow & ice (no I’m not posh or wealthy, it’s 10 years old!) but knowing I’d be doing distances in winter I bought a set of winter tyres & wheels when I got the car. It was a bit of an outlay but they’ve lasted eight years (3 months each year) and driven steadily it makes the car sure footed and safe. Its party trick was chugging out of a foot-deep snowdrift and down a steep icy lane with never a hint of wheel spin or locking brakes, when all my friends’ hatchbacks were skiting about helplessly.
Over the piece, I think they’ve saved me money as well, since the ruinously expensive “summer” tyres only work 9 months a year instead of 12.

I had winter tyres (or were they all-weather tyres?) for my Ford Focus. I lived in Germany for a year and it is a requirement there. You have to change your tyres for the winter. I suppose there is the expense of getting them changed. I do not know how. I always wondered if it made more sense to buy a separate set of wheels as I know how to change a wheel and they could probably be picked up cheap from a write-off.