Some days are just plain awesome.

Do you ever have a day when you can think of a few good reasons/excuses to get out of something that will take a fair bit of effort on your part but you ignore that lazy voice in your head, go do it and then have a truly memorable day? Well, today was such a day for me.

Yvonne and I met up with Michael Marten and Mike Colechin again today to continue walking in the Cairngorms. It had snowed already that day and the wind was getting up. Yvonne and I wondered if heading up onto Carn Liath (2,828 ft) was wise on such a cold and windy day, especially after Mike and Michael had spent the night camping. Everybody was keen, so after a quick cuppa and some of Yvonne's freshly baked cheese scones, we headed off.

The first stage of the walk is just a fairly boring landrover track up the south side of the hill. 

As we got further up, there were a few snow showers and the wind started to pick up. When we crested the shoulder and headed for the top, we were now heading north and getting the full force of the chilly wind and the spindrift on our faces.

When we got to the top, any plans we had about having lunch were forgotten about and after a photo or two, it was decided to head across the top of the hill and eventually drop down into the shelter of a forest.

It was a great day which challenged us all in different ways. 

In this blog I have written about overcoming doubts and fear in relation to art  before and it occurred to me today that some of the greatest rewards will come to you if you push yourself, force yourself out of your comfort zone and try it. It may not work out but you can learn from the experience and congratulate yourself for making the effort. 

The ingredients to make a day go well?

Yes, it's been said many times and we all know it.

The best of times come from being with friends and family, eating good food, conversations that flow effortlessly and doing something everyone enjoys.

Well, my day today had all those ingredients. Mike Colechin, Michael Marten and Lucy Telford arrived at Slack Cottage this morning and after some coffee and excellent home bakes from Yvonne, (during which time my sister Sheila also arrived), we set off for the hills.

The dark clouds and snow flurries we left at Slack, soon passed by and when we arrived at Glen Girnoc there were hopeful patches of blue sky.

We walked up the glen, passing Camlet and the lime kiln and stopped at Bovaglie. The high hills still had plenty snow, especially Lochnagar. To be outside, walking in beautiful countryside with good banter and chat all the way there is hard to beat. Yvonne did manage to make the day even better with thermal cups full of hot drinks and even more home bakes. Perfect.

Funnily enough, despite three photographer there, few photographs were taken. Mike didn't even have a camera with him. I thought I would come home with some snaps of the day, with plenty of people in the pictures. But no. I wandered off to have a look round abandoned Bovaglie and did my usual stuff. Reassuring I suppose.

Anyway, here's a few images:

I did snap one with the wee P&S Canon of the posse:

There you have it. A fine day indeed. It seemed only right to write a wee blog post about it. 

The bike at Blairglass

I have been visiting this abandoned farmhouse, Blairglass in the Gairn Shiel area for nearly 10 years now and it never ceases to amaze to me that this old bike is still there and, incredibly, still leaning upright against the wall, despite all that the Cairngorm winters throw at it.

I can't find any information about Blairglass farmhouse and farm, which surprises me as it was an extensive and substantial farm. The last occupants had some of their belongings dumped near the house.

Why?

Who lived here and why did they leave?

Who owned the bike against the wall?

Blairglass farmhouse has a modern door on it and is locked, suggesting that maybe it is still used for shooting parties to have somewhere to go for a dram and food.

In the summer, someone puts up many beehives nearby. I wonder if there was always bees kept at Blairglass?

If only that bike could talk!