Scottish Sunshine

What a truly glorious welcome back to the Highlands, bue skies, sunshine, dry rock and stunning views. It's always a treat when I arrive back from an Alpine winter to find Scotland bathed in sunshine. After my stint in Orkney, I headed straight for Creag Meagaidh in the Highlands for a days navigation tuition with two clients/friends. Laminated maps and pacing guides in hand we strode off into the beautiful Coire Ardair and up the snow slope to the 'Window' and on round the tops to the summit. With snow still lying on the plateau and thick mist high up the day went from navigation practice to navigation for real and full on at that. However, it proved to Scott and Carole that the techniques of pacing and timing on a bearing do work - thankfully! Next day it was off to Glencoe and the delights of a blue sky and stunning ridge walk. When Scotland serves up a day like that it really is the best place in the world to be. No one around, and views of empty mountains as far as the eye can see. It never ceases to amaze me that there are so many places in Scotland where you have views of a wilderness area. Anyway, for Scott and Carole it finished off a week of great walking in good weather, with only one claggy day on Creag Meagaidh and even that was perfect for a navigation day. I will soon be heading off for a 6 day Highlands Hiking trip with two American clients and look forward to showing them Scotland - let's hope the weather behaves.