Cairngorms - Day 5

We packed up and left the site in the morning. On driving through Braemar we saw a few deer in the church grounds.

We drove to the car park at Linn of Quoich where our walk started. We tried unsuccessfully to jump start another campervan with a flat battery.

Our walk was going to be up Glen Quoich, through the Clais Fhearnaig pass then back down Glen Lui.

On walking through the forest there was a bright green carpet of blaeberries.

The Quoich Water had burst its banks in Storm Frank in 2015 and some of the path was washed away and not yet repaired.

When we got to the Clais Fhearnaig pass it was very peaceful and pretty.

After this we descended into Glen Lui, which was much more open and wider than where we'd been before.

The track we were on went through amazing ancient Caledonian woodland.

We got back to the campervan before 3pm, and started to drive home. We stopped in Blairgowrie for fuel and provisions on the way.

Cairngorms - Day 4

We walked straight from the site, first into Braemar then up past a little pond, with tadpoles.

It was warm but a little cloudy. It was then uphill towards the top of Morrone. There were good views down to the village and the River Dee.

At the top was a large radio mast. It was quite windy here. We could see across to Ben Macdui etc.

There was a good landrover track all the way down, then we followed an old military road back along the River Clunie.

Once back in Braemar we bought some provisions in the supermarket then had an ice cream. It was warm but threatening rain for most of the late afternoon but it didn't come to much.

We had a barbecue of sausages, peppers, onions and mushrooms. At about 9pm it did start raining, and it was off and on for a few hours.

Cairngorms - Day 3

It was slightly cloudy today, but still warm. We drove down the hill to the Allt More car park, and set off on our walk.

First through the forest to Ryvoan Pass, which passes the Green Lochan.

Then round a gentle track across the moor until it started going more steeply up to the ridge of Bynack More.

After going along the high ridge for a bit it then went very steeply up to the summit. By now most of the clouds had gone and it was hot and sunny with great views.

As we set off back down it was actually too hot as the sun was beating down. We saw ptarmigans and grouse.

There were some unusual rippled formations in the grass on the high moor, probably caused by the wind.

Eventually we got back to the campervan and drove to Tesco in Aviemore for provisions. We then drove to Braemar via Tomintoul which took about an hour and a half over some spectacular roads.

We arrived at Braemar Caravan Park at about 6pm.

After showers we had a barbecue of beefburgers, mushrooms and tomatoes. It was lovely sitting out in the sun in the evening.

Cairngorms - Day 2

We woke up to blue sky and sunshine.

Straight from the car park we set off walking up Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in Britain. As we walked up we had views of Loch Morlich, Rothiemurcus forest and the Larig Ghrue.

At the top it was very pleasant to sit if you sheltered from the breeze.

There were lots of snow buntings around.

From there we walked across the plateau to Cairn Gorm itself. We had to cross a couple of patches of snow.

The views were great and on the way we encountered a herd of reindeer.

We then reached the summit of Cairn Gorm, which had a weather station.

After sitting for a while we descended to the Ptarmigan restaurant, where the funicular railway goes to. We went in for a look around.

After this we descended the Windy Ridge path back to the car park, and had a pint in the day lodge there.

We stayed another night in the campervan there, though we moved to a different spot. For dinner we had lentil chilli and rice.

Cairngorms - Day 1

We left the house about 11am and drove to Newtonmore. We parked the campervan in the station car park and set off on the Wildcat Trail.

First it went along the river Spey, then followed a tributary uphill. We then went across woodland and moors until we reached another stream.

We saw a lapwing on the way.

When we got back to Newtonmore we visited the Highland Folk Museum which was much larger than we expected but we didn't have time to see it all.

There was an old schoolhouse.

Croft buildings with box beds.

And a whole 17th century township.

Back at the campervan we drove on to the top car park at the Cairngorm ski centre near Aviemore. We stayed the night there, having curry for dinner.

The weather was cool and cloudy at this point.