Silver Mount (Aviemore) with reindeer!

[KatTai]

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Yesterday I treated my mum (and myself!) to a trek with the Cairngorm Reindeer herd! After being introduced to our reindeer (I had Topi and my mum had Spider, my nephews adopted reindeer) we started on our trek heading up Silver Mount (Airgiod-meall, 644m above sea level). There were some boggy bits but it wasn't too bad, though the going was a little bit more difficult when a reindeer (i.e. Spider) kept prodding me in the back with his antler especially when I'm a trying to jump across water! The walk was at a leisurely place - reindeer really don't walk fast - with plenty of stops as the reindeer decided to take a drink whenever they felt like it - and they could drink for a long time! We stopped for the reindeer to have a bite to eat and a snack for us on the far side of the Mount before heading up to the summit where Abby the reindeer herder took summit photos (which I will need to get a copy of!). The views were amazing but understandably the main attraction was the lovely reindeer who were accompanying us! After the summit photos we headed back down to join the main herd - a great walk with great company (not just the reindeer, Abby the herder was great as well!). It makes a change from walking up a hill with my dog anyway!

Me and my reindeer, Topi



Heading up Silver Mount



Topi at the summit (makes a change getting a summit photo of a reindeer instead of one of my dogs!)



Heading down the boardwalk to join the main herd

[Sunset tripper]

Good pictures and a different day out. I met a lone reindeer not too far from there high up on Braeriach recently.
In your 3rd picture the deer has something on its back i was wondering if that was for carrying a pack or was it some kind of saddle

[ancancha]

Guess the Reindeer have a sense of humour giving you a nudge as you are crossing the streams.
I know those feet are big for getting around in snow and perhaps Scottish bogs, but they really do look quite strange
Glad you had a nice day out

[KatTai]

Good pictures and a different day out. I met a lone reindeer not too far from there high up on Braeriach recently.
In your 3rd picture the deer has something on its back i was wondering if that was for carrying a pack or was it some kind of saddle

It's for carrying a pack, in our case the reindeer's lunch was carried up but in the tundra the reindeer herders can have the reindeers carry a lot of gear on their backs. This one was made by Utsi who started the Cairngorm reindeer herd.

Guess the Reindeer have a sense of humour giving you a nudge as you are crossing the streams.
I know those feet are big for getting around in snow and perhaps Scottish bogs, but they really do look quite strange
Glad you had a nice day out

Well in the summer there is plenty of bog to cross in the tundra so I'm sure they are very useful, they certainly could cross the boggy bits with ease. I'm just gad Spiders antlers were still covered in velvet otherwise being prodded could have been a lot more painful!