Glen Clova Weekend. Kirriemuir.Cairngorms.

I thought I'd Post out of sequence here as this post looks more festive for Christmas. A few weeks ago now during the last dump of heavy snow and below freezing temperatures our club went up to Glen Clova on the eastern edge of the Cairngorms Near Kirriemuir ,the birth place of Peter Pan author J. M. Barrie. At first I wasn't too keen but then I was coaxed along.
Naturally The Cairngorms were plastered in snow. Leaving on Friday night we reached Kirriemuir a couple of hours later and set about finding a chip shop.

It was the first time I can remember being in Kirriemuir and for a small town it had a nice display of lights. Alex asked a guy staggering out a pub where the nearest chip shop was and he promptly and unsteadily led us to the door of a Chinese restaurant. A second inhabitant of this fair town pointed down a lane and this proved to be a better choice

I had a tasty Baby Jesus in batter with fritters just because it was festive.(Like a mock chop only with fish finger arms and legs and a pickle for a head.) Amazing the wonderful meals you find out in the country. There's good eating in a baby Jesus.

We were staying in the depths of Glen Clova in the Carn Dearg Hut. Quite a cosy wee place with a good wood burning stove in the middle of the room. We needed it too as the temperature was around minus -10 overnight.

A poor wee expired mouse was found by someone and someone else had the nifty thought of placing it on Alex's hat to see how long it would take him to notice. He only clocked on when the tail started to slide down into his mouth but luckily he'd had his tea by then.

Next morning the club including John and Alex, both seen above along with Graeme drove round to the Linn Of Dee car park to do the usual collection of mountains baggers bag. As it was not that great a day up high with a bitter wind I opted for a low level alternative. It was freezing and cold on the heights so I walked into Bob Scott's Bothy thinking I could sit beside a roaring fire and have a chat with anyone inside. Nowadays my motto in winter is... go an interesting walk and take good photographs but stay as warm and comfortable as possible while doing it. Even in the snow try to make Scotland tropical! A fire to fire stroll sounded smashing and I was well motivated and keen for that.
Took this photo above from the spot where I jumped the Linn of Dee, again in winter, many years ago when I was still mad and reckless. Lord Byron nearly drowned here and the period climber Menlove Edwards swam down it. Don't try this at home children.

It's an easy land rover track into Bob Scott's and I was passed by several  mountain bikes with walkers doing the hills on them. We used to come in here a lot in the days when we were bagging Munro's and we had many good times in this bothy with various clubs. We usually met the WAHADS in here, a mad bunch of guys from Aberdeen. (Women and Hash and Drink Squad or so they said. I never saw any sign of women though despite them having top billing!)
This was their local bothy.

Just shows you what a small world climbing/walking still is. There was indeed a good fire going and a guy from Aberdeen in residence who knew said group and a few other guys I mentioned. Spent a cosy time in here until the short daylight hours meant it was time to head back before it got dark.

Walked back out with a nice sunset over the Caledonian forest and got back to the car in the dark.
I timed it perfectly to meet up with Alex and John at the car and we drove down the road, heater on full, to pick up Graeme who had started his hill from the Spittal of Glenshee area.

Then it was back to another cosy fire and more heat. A fine toasty day considering the time of year.
What! Hey, I'm just acclimatizing myself for my eventual destination. I.ve already booked a place down below as Heaven looks far too drafty and cold an environment for me to ever exist in. All that space and a howling wind from all those bloody angels flapping about everywhere. No Chance! Bring on the fiery furnace! Bags me the hot seat between Satan's slippers!

Music now. I've been a fan of this guy and his band for years, ever since the classic 'Our shadows will remain' and 'Redemption's Son' era. This is the new Velvet Underground right here. Totally under-rated singer songwriter with a huge back catalogue of great songs and acclaimed CD,s under his belt. New York Based as well, just like they were.