Sunday 25th January.
My first day out in Scottish winter this season. Its been along time coming but finally I found myself wrapped up for the Scottish hills and with a carefully packed rucksack on my back. My lunch had been carefully selected to provide a huge calorie count, and I was ready to go.
Sue and I left the Cairngorm Ski carpark and headed out towards the Northern Cories. It was blowing a hoolie. The idea was to practice our navigation techniques across the foot of the Cories up to point 1083 along the top of Cairn Lochan and back down to the ski centre via point 1141.
It was a good plan. However to quote Robert Burns
My first day out in Scottish winter this season. Its been along time coming but finally I found myself wrapped up for the Scottish hills and with a carefully packed rucksack on my back. My lunch had been carefully selected to provide a huge calorie count, and I was ready to go.
Sue and I left the Cairngorm Ski carpark and headed out towards the Northern Cories. It was blowing a hoolie. The idea was to practice our navigation techniques across the foot of the Cories up to point 1083 along the top of Cairn Lochan and back down to the ski centre via point 1141.
It was a good plan. However to quote Robert Burns
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley
That is to say, the weather had other plans for us today. We navigated our way for about 2km battling strong winds before finally having to give up and return to the cars. we had made it to just below the plateau of 1083m, but the wind had started blowing us to the ground and on a couple of occasions moved us back down the hill.
Its not often that the wind bothers me. Usually I love being battered by the wind. On this occasion I decided that the days objectives simply were not worth the possible risk to my ankles. So it was with regret that we turn tail and legged it off the hill. We ended up in the Mountain Cafe enjoying cake and coffee and musing over our defeat. Its a good place to muse over possible future outings. s
Its not often that the wind bothers me. Usually I love being battered by the wind. On this occasion I decided that the days objectives simply were not worth the possible risk to my ankles. So it was with regret that we turn tail and legged it off the hill. We ended up in the Mountain Cafe enjoying cake and coffee and musing over our defeat. Its a good place to muse over possible future outings. s
The Norther Cories.