Meall nam Maigeach

Hardly the most energetic day out but when you're 18 inches tall, 2 stone of muscle and a face as flat as a duck's quack, such a hill could seem like a behemoth. Winnie, our French Bulldog, is not well suited to the hills but she is game and loves getting out and about. Winnie has become a much loved member of our small but soon to be expanding family hence my new moniker of 'papke'. Winnie is aka Winkle, Wee-chops, Mutt-face, Piggy, Fatty, Windbag and Gruntle. I love that wee bugger. However, at this time of year, dogs become fearful of the firework set-up and in order to exhaust the dog, I had suggested I take Winnie with me on the hill to my wife. She realised that this wasn't an entirely altruistic suggestion but said 'go for it'.

To head to the hills with a high pressure, snow-clad tops in view and with my hairy companion, I was very much looking forward to this wee day out. Yes, it isn't the most scenic of hills but what it does offer are some great views over to the Lawers range and to Glen Lyon. It is also short which suits a bulldog. Within an hour, we were at the summit after having left the car beside the hut. We had a bite to eat before the biting chill forced us to retreat and head back with the wall a perfect companion back to the road. Winnie couldn't work out where the stream was. The intermittent grunts of approval from Winnie meant that she was a happy dogface and when I took lunch at Mhor 84 on the way home, she curled up in front of the wood burning stove and slept. Bliss.