Panamas and dog leads on Bynack More

[Huff_n_Puff]

The alarm went off, we got up and opened the curtains on what MWIS had forecast would be a good day - and couldn't see across the road for the haar.

To be fair to MWIS their forecast was for the Cairngorms and we were about 60 miles north east - so the tempting voice singing the praises of the warm bed we'd just left was ignored and the team (2 black spaniels and their 2 humans) set off for the Glenmore Lodge start to this walk. ( I later saw a satellite photo of Scotland for this day – beautifully clear everywhere except our patch of the Moray Firth, which was smothered in low cloud.)

At Glenmore Lodge the weather was great - 9am and cool, clear and sunny - just right for walking.

Start of the walk

with the sun glancing through the pines.

Very soon the panama hat made an appearance, a formal declaration that summer had arrived even - if only for the day).

Loch Uaine was beautifully green,

The green loch

but the canines were obviously not impressed by me being impressed by green lochs.

Long suffering spaniels

The route up Ryvoan Pass and on to Bynack More is straight forward and a relatively gentle ascent for most of the way – which was exactly what I was looking for since its been a while since we've been on the hills and I was recovering from a broken arm (a result of foolish confidence in the face of a small patch of ice on Cairngorm!)


The RSPB made it clear what was expected of dogs

Bad news for dogs

and although it wasn't yet April eventually we realised the good behaviour seen here

Under control

was becoming harder to maintain in the face of severe temptation, so the leads came out and the nesting grouse were left in peace.

(We were really glad when we came across a family of Ptarmigan who delighted in teasing the dogs by just sitting on the path.)

Lovely new bridge across the Nethy, obviously part of a much bigger path upgrade.

New bridge

River Nethy

Path upgrade

Yellow grit road

The final stretch up to the summit is more challenging but even here it wasn't too steep, nothing to threaten the healing arm.

Panama and leads

By now the day had become hazy and there was a cold wind at the top, so after the regulation photos to record achievement

Made it

View west

we headed down for a sheltered spot for lunch.

Just after lunch we met the first people we'd seen all morning heading up to the top, and after a brief chat – largely about the tameness of Ptarmigans – we headed back along the route we'd taken out.

Looking back

As this was a 'convalescent trip' we didn't go via the Barns of Bynack – they are for a return visit - but this was a great walk - and hopefully a sign of more to come (but you'll only find out if I can master the report writing so that it takes me less than three days to do )

[dogplodder]

Enjoyed your report and that's a good looking pair of dogs you've got there!

[Huff_n_Puff]

Thanks - they're good fun to walk with too - but find the nesting season a sore temptation

[dogplodder]

Thanks - they're good fun to walk with too - but find the nesting season a sore temptation

My lab Jack is the same - can't resist birds!