Friday 19 May 2023 - Carn Ealasaid

This morning the TGO Challenge Control team left Newtonmore at 6am to relocate to the signing in point for participants - the Park Hotel in Montrose. 

Sue and I slept through their departure and woke to an eerily quiet hostel. We had breakfasted and started to tidy the hostel and extricate our possessions when a string of Challengers arrived, all begging for tea and cake. It was duly provided and the morning flew past.

Eventually we got away and an hour's drive got us to the foot of Carn Ealasaid, just beyond Tomintoul. 

We walked a little way together but it soon became clear that my slow pace would result in a rush to our B&B and to a 6pm restaurant booking. So Sue went ahead and I just pottered along, turning back around the 500 metre mark, by which time Sue was a dot on the horizon. Can you spot her, heading for the summit, which is on the far left in the next picture?

Here's Sue's proof that she did reach the 792 metre summit before trotting back down to join me.

I had descended gently, relishing good views to the north in today's splendid weather.

Sue spotted some clumps of Cloudberry as she made her way through the tussocky heather.

Argyle House is an excellent B&B that we've been to before. We have a lovely room in which we have plenty of time to relax before strolling along to the Clockhouse restaurant.