The walk began at the "benched" layby with a climb almost straightaway that soon required all four limbs.
- Challenging in places (no piccies for those bits- too busy trying to hold on!) but good fun nonetheless
We did fine but doggyboy, Nudge, slipped off a couple of tricky slidey rocks and a helping hand was needed to boost him on his eager way. Really steep and rocky to begin with, with a few creative detours to continue our ascent.
- The dog struggled a bit with these tricky boulders and had to have a bit of help
As we scrambled higher and higher, the boulders gave way to tall bracken (and lovely hungry ticks) . Great views opening up nicely now.
- Views over Strathspey
Not sure what was worse, the steep bracken slopes or the shin splitting boulders. With the ascent came an increasingly strong wind and we struggled to keep our footing in places.
- Not yet at the fence and the bracken has given way to scratchy heather. But it does make for easier going
The fence is reached but a little tricky for our dog.
- A helping hand for the dog. Warning: do not take a dog that can't jump or is too large to be lifted over the fence.
- ....and over he goes as all dog-dignity flies away in the wind
- Made it over the fence...the dog too. Much easier underfoot however a lot windier!
- Looking down to the Spey and towards Badenoch
Once we reached the ridge
- The path on the ridge.....on our way to the final ascent
and began to scramble up the first steep side
- Another steep section as the ridge is approached. Easier underfoot but the strong winds make it difficult to keep upright
disaster struck as the map bag which was in Alice's possession was ripped from her neck by a particularly fierce gust of wind and flew off in a NE direction across the mountain.
- It was here on the last steep climb that the wind ripped the map bag from Alice's neck
We spent 20 mins looking for the map bag but no joy.....and we returned to the rocky ridge path and our ascent to the summit cairn.
- Hubs at the summit cairn with his trusty GPS....but no map bag
- Alice mourning the loss of the map bag
- Me and my furry fella at the summit cairn
Hunkered down out of the wind for a rather cold lunch stop
- "Biscuit" Non nom nom
- If I do the saddest, sad face on National Sad Face day and do my best "beg" I may get ANOTHER biscuit
and then dropped straight down from the ridge to a plateau below which ended 30mins later with David triumphantly clutching the blow-away map bag in a spot not 30metres from where it had been torn from Alice's neck. Result!
- Big smiles now the map bag is found!
Walked back up to the ridge and got back on track to continue our descent as per the WH's route.
- Alice and Nudge ahead on the ridge descent with lovely views over Badenoch and Strathspey once again on our descent
- The two top wires sprung together firmly trapping the back paw which is sat on the wire in this piccie. Camera hurled to the floor and the all on rescue began
Huge trauma as Nudge caught a back paw painfully and firmly between the top two wires (mercifully not barbed) of the fence. He tumbled groundwards being suspended horribly by his one trapped paw and yelping in anguish.
We all rushed in to help him with me and David trying to pick him up to prevent his leg from breaking under his body weight. Alice tried to prise the trapped paw free but our poor dog was firmly trapped. David then took on the task of freeing our sorry boy with me and Alice holding him aloft. David's strength did the trick and our blood-soaked Collie stopped yowling and bounded off free with nary a hobble but not before peeing down my right leg whilst I was helping free him.
With Nudge free and his paw intact we puzzled at where all the blood was coming from. The adrenaline wore off and an incredibly painful puncture wound in the side of my middle finger soon answered that. It would seem that our gentle soft boy who in his terror had snapped out at me in my attempts to help him. Covered in blood and smelling of dog urine I got some 1st aid in the form of a waterflush , a sticky toffee and a hanky wrapped around my wound.
Next stop was the brilliant Aberlour Flemming hospital where a fab nurse gave me a much needed Tetanus shot.
- Map bag and dog (now smiling) both back down and safe. Who'd have thought that a little Graham could cause so much trouble?
Don't know what the nurse thought of the strong smell of dog urine wafting off of me!!! Oh the shame!
Walked, scrambled and limped home Sarah, David, Alice and Nudge
Love the pic of Nudge with the Map 
i too attempted this walk in strong winds ..didn't quite make it to the top ..i could hardly stand up! 
for both you and the pooch... Hope you are both recovered by now!
