This past weekend I headed up to Aviemore again – which was looking very different from the last time I was up in the summer.
We arrived on a very cold and damp evening on the Friday into Aviemore with very very low cloud covering EVERYTHING! We didn’t know what would be in store for the weekend … with the plan to go mountain biking in our minds. With our plans weather reliant we slepts with fingers crossed for a sunny day on the Saturday…
We awoke to the low cloud, bad visibility for the cycle – SO instead we looked at the weather for the Cairngorm mountain range .. and there was to be big sunshine!! Hard to believe with all the low cloud, but we suited up in our thermals, waterproofs and boots and headed for the mountains!
The drive up was cloudy and passing by the Cairngorm Reindeer centre it didn’t look like it was going to get any better UNTIL ….. we broke through the cloud into glorious sunshine! It was like another world – completely bright white thick snow covering all of the mountains – I felt for the people we passed below who had no idea what was above this big cloak of cloud – I hope they continued up too!
We parked at the Ski car park and headed up from there. There was no wind at all! Amazing conditions to walk in – although the snow was so deep I lost my legs a few times….
On the way up! Passed by some people skiiing up the mountain – to fly all the way down. Which looked so so fun.
The views from top were incredible – check out all that snow!!
Dramatic sky
I pencil-rolled down the hill below and it was VERY FUN!
What a day. There is plenty snow up there so why not take a trip up some wintery weekend? Obviously checking the weather up there as it can change very quickly 🙂
No better way to finish off a walk in the hills with a good munch – we headed to the Highland Line in Aviemore for a truly delicious dinner – located right at the train station. You can see the old steam trains go past too 🙂
On the Sunday we went to the Highland Wildlife Park which was awesome – but blooooooody cold. We saw some very active Wolverines, Snow Leopards (the cubs were sadly having a wee snooze so not to be seen), HUGE polar bears and the cutest of the cute Red Pandas. Check out this fella in the video below …
It was a lovely weekend away – and yet again the outdoors did not disappoint. I feel like I’d had a proper weekend – and I find you always get a better sleep after a big walk! 🙂
I hope you had time to get outside for a bit last weekend too – and you get a chance in the weekend coming up! 🙂
Let me know if you’ve been out and about or have any outdoorsy places you’d recommend – by commenting on this post.
The 2nd installment of GLENCOE will be posted soon ….
Til next time
Ana 🙂
Stunning pictures! I LOVE the snow! Must have been a temperature inversion, with the clouds below you? Bet you were glad to have your walking gear with you as well as your bike, so that you could change plans like that once you knew the forecast.