Wednesday 22 May to 27 May 2024 - To Montrose and Beyond

Here's a rare back view of Simon's cottage, from which we departed on 22 May, after a most enjoyable stay, albeit with little contact with TGO Challengers, though later, Richard Flint was confirmed to have spotted me near Mar Lodge on 20 May. I had spotted a Challenger, but hadn't recognised Richard, who says the blue Skoda passed him in the same place as last year!

The Fife Arms has been smartened up to the extent that it is outside the average Challenger's means.

We visited our old friend Bill in Drumoak - that has become a habit - after a short break in Ballater, where the river was behaving itself.

The Garden Room at the Park Hotel in Montrose was busy with Challenge Control, and a finishers' refreshments area, together with a 'Challenge Voyeur', in full swing.

On Thursday I tried to track down seasoned Challenger Humphrey, who gave invaluable help in the publishing of Reg's autobiography. I didn't succeed, but I did enjoy a 17km ramble, starting at the Blue Door in Gannochy and enjoying the woodland walk past the Rocks of Solitude. Challengers were encountered, but none had seen Humphrey.

Here's my route, 17km with 130 metres ascent, much of it over farmland to the north of the forest walk. Humphrey must have gone along the road.

Dinner for Sue and me was a most satisfactory offering from Tesco.

Over 100 Challengers enjoyed a three course dinner at 'The Park'. Sue and I waited until the Friday meal - there are meals for Challengers from Tuesday to Friday for the reasonable price of £25.

On Friday the last finishers rolled in by 4:30, after which Sue and I managed a stroll to the beach and back.

Saturday morning found us joined by Ali, Mick and Gayle, for Montrose parkrun. The sea fret conveniently kept the temperature down to something acceptable.

After coffee and cake at the nearby strawberry farm, as well as some left over strawberry tart, we headed off on an easy drive home.

On Sunday I was in running kit again, joining 60 others for Wythenshawe Community Run on a fine morning.

Monday found Sue and me on a 5km stroll. Sadly, one of De Quincey park's old trees has come down.

The park is very lush. It would appear that a 'No Mow May' policy has been adopted.

Monday was a celebration of Michael's 40th birthday at Kate's house in Bacup. Isabella was in a shy mood, despite her pretty rainbow dress.

Then some of us went for a walk and played Rummikub.

Tuesday 21 May 2024 - Around Braemar

On another sunny morning we simply strolled around the environs of Braemar. 

We crossed over the River Clunie beside the Fife Arms, then passed the 'When Soak Becomes Spill' stainless steel sculpture sourced by the Fife Arms' owners, opposite which a wooden footbridge led us back across the river.

Then we enjoyed a lovely riverside walk, soon reaching the confluence with the River Dee. 

Sand Martins were active on the banks of the river, and there were good views as far as the Cairngorm summits. 

Eventually the Linn of Dee road was crossed and the path rose to a view from a yellow bench.

After a while we reached a road leading into Braemar past the Highland Games stadium and a Duck Pond. (No ducks today!)

We had earned coffee and cake in The Bothy café after this 5km saunter.

Then we went past the War Memorial and the engine from a crashed wartime aircraft.

This time a green footbridge saw us over the Clunie.

As we rose on the Queen's Drive track, good views opened up, with the summit tors of Ben Avon clear on the horizon.

Of today's many flowers, I selected Wood Anemone for a photo.

Back in Queen Victoria's day this was the site of a cottage where the queen used to pause for tea with the residents, who at that time had a nearby trout pond.

There were more views to the Cairngorms before the path descended past Lion's Face. 

Our route back to Braemar took us past the only remnant of wartime trenches that survives in the area.

Our path offered a final viewpoint from the Cromlins (the crooked fields), before returning to Braemar after a further 8km.

Here's our route - about 13km, with 240 metres of ascent, taking around 4 hours.

What a lovely way to spend a morning.

Monday 20 May 2024 - A Clais Fhearnaig Circuit

We drove up to the Linn of Dee. Sue set off on her bike to Derry Lodge, from where she would climb to the 1182 metre summit of Beinn Mheadhoin, and enjoy another wild swim on the way down.

Meanwhile, I drove on to start an excellent circuit from the Linn of Quoich, pictured below.

Looking upstream from the bridge from which the above picture was taken, there's a Punch Bowl. The associated legend is that the Earl of Mar poured strong spirit into the punch bowl, which was then used to toast the Jacobite cause in 1715.

My walk continued up Glen Quoich, with views towards the towering summit of Beinn a'Bhùird. Given the morning cloud, I was obliged to substitute the missing mountain view with a curtain of Caledonian pinewood branches.

After an eroded section where the path has collapsed into the river (the river bed was easy to walk on today, with the river level low), a left turn onto a narrow path led to the end of a small loch, Clais Fhearnaig. 

It was a great place to sit with a mug of coffee, enjoying the changing light on the hillside and the water, from which fish were jumping. 

The resident stonechats were keen for me to leave, so I headed on past an upper lake that was full of weed. The only person I saw before getting to Glen Lui was around here; they disappeared up the hillside, avoiding any contact.

Soon I was on the descent to Glen Lui, where more hikers and cyclists were encountered. 

Here's a view to Derry Cairngorm from Glen Lui.

I lunched in the sunshine at this next bridge, but didn't cross it. My route went on forest tracks to Claybokie. 

After Claybokie, a good riverside path led past Mar Lodge and on past the Victoria Bridge footbridge and back to the car. 

Here's my route - 17km with 250 metres ascent, taking a very leisurely 5.5 hours.

Then I returned to the Linn of Dee to meet Sue after her successful Munro bagging and wild swimming outing.

I took many pictures of flowers today, of dubious quality so not reproduced here. The more prolific flowers were the following:

Bog Asphodel 

Wood Anemone 

Lady's Mantle 

Common Dog Violet

Marsh Marigold 

and various unidentified others

Birds included Song Thrush and Wren at Mar Lodge, Willow Warbler on Craig Leek yesterday, Oyster catchers by the river, Skylarks, and more.