Cairngorm

Having been slightly put off the thought of wild camping high up, I retreated to Aviemore and found a nice spot near there. The weather was cloudy and very windy, so I decided to have an easy day and tackle Cairngorm.

When they built the funicular railway there, it was written into the terms & conditions that outside of the ski season, passengers were not allowed out at the top. They were to be confined to the restaurant at the top. Walkers could also access the building, but had to be signed in and out by a member of staff. They have recently allowed walkers to buy a ticket down on the funicular, but if you want to go to the top, you have to walk up.

The wind was battering me, so I took refuge in the restaurant on the way up. There is quite a good exhibition there, and the hot chocolate was welcome. I hoped that the cloud would shift, but after an hour I gave up waiting and headed for the summit. The path is clear, and it didn't take long from the restaurant.

It not being a day for hanging around, I beat a hasty retreat back down the car, watching all the "captives" on the funicular. I bet my day was better than theirs!

(Technical Data: distance = 7.5km, ascent = 650m)