Scotalnd -Day 3

I must have known there was low cloud and drizzle as I did not sleep well.

When we peered out the cloud was almost down the valley floor - not a day for the high Cairngorms! We went back to bed with coffee and a book. It didn't improve so we both had a sleep. By midday it was drier and the cloud was lifting. A quick drive to Glen Shee and a rather hasty route plan meant we could get some sort of walk in. We were not sure how long it would stay dry and the NE wind was fierce. We were protected on part of the way uphill but as we climbed the shoulder of Glas Maol  the wind buffeted us badly.It is a huge grassy lump and ironically once we were on the top the wind was not so bad and then we had the wind on our backs as we dropped along the grassy ridge heading south.

 It got rockier as we followed the tiny wall towards Creag Leacach and its many sub peaks. A couple of fell runners approached and it was a surprise to see Charlotte W out with Edinburgh Uni running club. Dropping to the road the weather seemed settled so I hatched a plan of two more munros on the west side of the road. The first section to the lower slopes of The Cairnwell were tough as we found no path and rather tussocky heather.

Then after a section of burnt heather I picked up a trod and a path. It was steep but easier than the lower slopes. The top is rather ugly with an assortment of buildings, pipes, wires and aerials. From there it was a very easy walk round the rim of the ski resort to Carn Aosda.  There was not time to collect the final munro further west. By now it looked like rain again so it was a quick jog down the grassy slopes underneath a ski tow and then back to the huge car park and the van. By the time we had boiled a kettle it was raining hard. Perfect timing.