Cairngorm Adventures Day 2!

When we'd arrived at the hostel last night the forecast wasn't good. The snow gate to the mountain was closed, the hill had been stormbound all day and so we had formed an action plan. We'd all convene at 7:30am ready to go, if Cairngorm Mountain was still closed and unlikely to open we'd load up the cars and head for Glenshee.

On waking the snow gate was still closed, the centre still snowed in and no chance of skiing, unfortunately the snow gates were closed at Glenshee as well. We had a slightly more relaxed morning whilst we decided what to do. Everyone was a little down-heartened but we were determined to enjoy ourselves. Eventually we decided to try the visitors centre and ask their advice. By 9:30am the Glenshee snow gate was open so we headed off in search of adventure.

We ignored the sign that the road was closed and continued anyhow. We reached The Lecht and stopped to decide on a plan. It had a few lifts working (though looked very eerie and rather post-apocolyptic on the approach with lifts stationary and loose powder snow being blown past them in waves) but it was very windy, Glenshee had more lifts open and was on the way home anyhow so we pressed on. Ignoring a further sign about a road closure as we went.

As we approached Glenshee we hit a blizzard. It may have been fresh snow, it may have been the high winds blowing loose powder. We decided to brave it anyhow. Boots had been hired but no one had got near the skis or snowboards when news came that they were evacuating the mountain and closing the snow gates. We reconvened in Braemar and decided to find somewhere for a coffee and a warm up.

I was sure that other than Pitlochry, I would end up no where on this trip that I had been before. However, on our journey we passed two places that I have done Geology and we ended up in a cafe in Braemar that I'd previously visited! I love this view of Clunie Water, it may be one of my favourite river views.

By 3pm we were homeward bound. With the gate closed to the South we had to take a long detour north west to get home. Some of the convoy stopped in Perth for dinner but exhausted and in need of sleep, we continued home.

Despite not getting to ski we had a fantastic adventure filled with diversions, plan changes, beautiful scenery, unexpected occurrences, fun and laughter.