Wednesday 30 January 2013

A night with General Wade

We followed the remains of Wade's great north road from Kinveachy to Tomatin on a dark, windy night in the name of Monster training. 10 miles through the dark woods became oppressive as the trees pressed in between Sluggan Bridge and the Slochd and it was a relief to emerge onto the cycle path beyond the pass as the moon rose at last. 
A hard night hike for January. 

Saturday 26 January 2013

On the slide at Slochd

A fine day on nordic skis at the Slochd. Such sport in Scotland is brief and has to be grabbed while it lasts - the trails are probably already bare after some rain and rapidly rising temperatures.
I hired the kit from the ski school at Slochdmor and skied out to the memorial stone above the Dulnain river and back in beautiful sunshine and a rapid thaw. Part of the route forms the western edge of the Cairngorm National Park.
The softish conditions made for a steady glide which becomes a bit meditative - you could go for hours given the chance. 



The picture does not do the dayor the snow conditions justice - I picked about the thinnest spot on the entire route.


Monday 21 January 2013

Winter bites me on the bum

After an extended bout of flu over Christmas my first night ride of the year ended in disaster when a  patch of black ice on the descent of Dunain hill up ended me and brought me down hard on my rear. I lay still for a long time in the darkness badly winded and moaning before heading down the hill gingerly. Funny - it was the same ice that I passed on the way up and thought that I had better avoid on the way down. 

No bones broken but a few lessons learned. Ice is not sticky but it is quite hard.