free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
So after a year of reading everybody else's reports and chipping in with the occasional question I thought it was only right that I share my walk from the weekend....
Shockingly this is my first winter walk in Scotland and for it we picked the Cairnwell. Due to the forecast it seemed that these (apparently) boring munros might provide some epic scenery and an enjoyable walk for a mixed group. We weren't disappointed!!
Out of Aberdeen at 7.30 we were enjoying a last warm coffee in the cafe at 9.30 and then onto Cairn Aosda for 10.
- summit of K2?
A quick easy trip up this hill and we were soon enjoying the landscape (and posing for some overly pompous photos). Then over to Carn a'Gheoidh past the frozen lake (is that a boat house?) before getting to kick steps up to the summit. A longer stop on top here for some welcome sandwiches and warm drinks, and a scan of the landscape (can anyone confirm the impressive peak we could see NNW in the far distance - 3rd photo down).
- Heading for number 2
- Any ideas what mountain this is?
- Anybody got a sledge?
Then a couple of cheeky (ahem) bum slides back down off the peak and we were soon enjoying the walk around the edge of the plateau on to The Cairnwell.
- Back to Carn a'Gheoidh
Such a shame to come to this as a last peak the mausoleum style cairn really sums up what has been done to this poor hill (along with the empty stella bottles we found and carried off).
- Looks better from this distance
- not what it looks like...
Sun starting to get low now so crampons on for a bit of practice and we were able to hoof it down the ski runs just in time for a well deserved hot chocolate.
Beautifull weather and great company made this one of my most enjoyable days out (quite unexpected from what I had read about these hils)