How to double your munro count before lunch

[mrssanta]

We were on our way for a Golden Wedding party in Aboyne and thought it would be a good idea to climb a few hills en route. Thanks to the teachers' strike there was no school on the Friday so this helped. Our daughter is 12 and had already done 3 munros. we left Yorkshire in the late afternoon and parked at the Glenshee ski centre at dusk, well fortified with macdonalds and chocolate tiffin. After using the toilet facilities - thank you - we set off straight up the hillside behind the Cairnwell cafe looking all sad and empty for the summer season. Head torches at the ready, but we didn't need them as it was never really dark. As we slogged up the hill we were aware of little movements in the edge of our vision, and when we looked closer, the place was teeming with tiny frogs! Ducking under the fence at the top, next to a strange wooden platform we reached the cairn at the top just as the sunset was fading.

Then all we had to do was go down the other side a bit till we found a place which looked flat enough to pitch the tent. We finally nodded off at nearly midnight, and woke in the morning to a beautiful day. Nice bit of unobtrusive wild camping here in our well camouflaged tent!

First job to get a brew on for a cup of tea, some breakfast, and pack up the overnight stuff leaving it in a safe place behind a handy rock. Then to head for the first munro which was Carn a Gheoidh, via carn nan Sac.
here's a little viola near our camp

we got to the top at quarter past nine, here's the other half and the lovely daughter on the top

and here we are walking back the way we came across the wide bit of moor labelled on the map as The Coolah.

past a couple of lovely lochans on the ridge

Then we skirted round the east side of Coire Dhirich and up the big scruffy track to the top of the Cairnwell. Fantastic view from the top, but what a scruffy place. we got there just after 11 o'clock, but not really keen to stay long.
here's me and herself at the top.

So after that we just had the long trog along the ridge to carn Aosda, which as you can see is not so big really.

up we went again to the top where we hit the 3rd munro of the day just a couple of minutes after noon - drat, not the morning then, but still before lunch.

So then all that remained was to pick up our tent and sleeping bags from their hiding place, and get ourselves back down to the ski centre for bacon and egg rolls. delicious.

[b-illie]

What a story to tell at the Golden Wedding party ! Well done!

[mrssanta]

Thanks, it was fun. She wants to do Liathach now! I think we might practise on some smaller ones first