Tor-ific time on Conachcraig

After being battered in the NW, a visit to the folks then saw my return to Glasgow go through my favourite part of the country - the 'gorms. I had long fancied Conachcraig for a clear Winter's day and this was to be it. I started at 1200 and was on the top by 1400. I deliberated on this walk and enjoyed the small things, which I certainly never had time to appreciate in Kintail or on Little Wyvis. The ice formations were notable as were the dark crags of Lochnagar. I spoke to a chap who was coming back down and there was much agreement as to how lovely a day it was. The path up from the cottages is brilliant - others have noted that it doesn't feel like an ascent - it really doesn't but the height gained is very satisfying and means that you are at the large tors, in short time. I just love the impressive tors in the 'gorms. I faffed about on them, hid under them, tried some odd photo angles on them and generally acted the goat. Not a soul about. There was a bitter wind at the top so after my lunch, I returned over the Eastern bump and down through the forest. I spotted a wild camp location just off the plateau, which will come into use this summer. The deer here quietly appraise and do not appear to be very fearful of man. The walk back to the car along the path was an end to an invigorating stroll. A super little hill.

Little Poopy on Little Wyvis

I had stayed in the Cnoc hotel and was really looking forward to bagging some of the Glen Cannich munros. However, after a lovely full breakfast, my drive back down to Cannich was almost ended as the roads were sheet ice. I did attempt once to start up the glen road but it resulted in a triple Golf salco and I decided nothing was happening in this area today. As I had business in Inverness to attend to that evening, I figured a trip up Little Wyvis could be just the ticket. And it would also give me the chance to get 'Poopy' out for a walk too. My wife realises the complexities of my job and as an epidemiologist who specialises in analysing parasites etc from poop, she made me one from god-knows-what material. Anyway, off we set and the normally fantastic path up to Ben Wyvis was also iced up. It was dodgy stuff until the forest ended over the burn and I ascended up beside the fence rather than continue up to the beach at 500m. Views back across to the hills (the Fannaichs?) looked nice but a front was definitely moving in. I was surprised how quickly the cairn came into view but I had no markers or views to let me know if I was near it or not as the sun just couldn't penetrate the clag. At the cairn, I took a wee shot of Poopy. Then, out of the gloom a young family and friend came forth. I gave up my seat for them as they had 2 young children, who looked perished. Poor wee things. Exchanged camera-taking duty and it was off back via my ascent route. The sun did poke out briefly as I looked over at Ben Wyvis and while I haven't been lucky with the weather, I have enjoyed the couple of days up North.