Braemar Wanderings: Forest Trails, Castle Ruins, and Highland Gems

A Morning Among the Wild at Creag Choinnich The best moments in nature often belong to those who wake early. As I left the hostel to the sound of an enthusiastic dawn chorus, I stepped into the fresh morning air. A robin, perched at the top of a bare tree, sang its heart out. The …

Whiteouts, Wildlife, and Winter Skills: A couple of winter mountaineering days out in the Cairngorms

A Winter’s Day on Creag Leacach and Glas Maol in the Cairngorms I woke at 6:00 a.m. for a 6:30 breakfast, fueling up for a day in proper winter conditions. Heading north from Perth, the road climbed deeper into the Cairngorms. As part of my Winter Mountain Leader (WML) preparation, I had studied both weather …