Cairn Gorm!

I told you I had a busy weekend, that's why I haven't been able to post till now. Yesterday we went up Cairn Gorm, and expereienced the four seasons in 3 hours which the custodians promise in their pamphlets, brochures and elsewhere! Above: Looking up at Cairn Gorm, the 6th highest Munro.

The Cairn on Cairn Gorm. Nice view from here of several other well known Munors; Ben Macdui, Beinn Mheadoin, Derry Cairngorm, Cairn Toul, Braeriach and even Beinn a'Bhuird, some distance off and in the heart of the vast Cairngorms.


This is the view looking back down towards the ski-centre... fantastic!

Just Rewards!

Yes, I'm working conscientiously once again! I've got through loads of documentation for my portfolio today. Also, received the news I've been waiting to hear, that my probationary year will be spent locally. Not sure how local yet, but certainly local enough so that I don't have to move home. Yesterday was a full-packed in-service day where I participated in a great many things. Quite willingly, because they will fill gaps in my portfolio. That's why I was so busy today, documenting everything that we did yesterday and tying it into my professional development. I was shrewd enough to make last week's targets coincide with the agenda for the day.

I'm presently toying with the idea of going for Cairn Gorm this Sunday, that would be the highest Munro we've climbed so far, if we can pull it off. I'm sorely tempted, it's either that or Meall Chuacih at Drumochter. My weekend is quite busy anyway, so it's a bit of a toss up between a shorter drive and a longer walk or vice versa. I'm definitely edging towards Cairn Gorm though. Either way, I'll be taking pictures and posting them here as soon as possible for your perusal.

Toilet Gazing!

Why a picture of a toliet seat you ask? Because that's what I've been looking at for the last half hour. No I'm not ill! The simple fact is that my family are destructive as hell when it comes to toilet seats. They never seem to last any length of time. I only had the last one for under a month before it was annihilated! There may well be a partial excuse in the proximity of the radiator to the toilet, but I haven't broken any seats, and I'm probably the heaviest of us all. Anyway I had to pop in by B & Q earlier today to buy a replacement, so I tried one with a different attachment and it took me a while to work out how to fix it in place, as the instructions were laughable, and it wasn't exactly obvious. As it happens there is a small plastic component which slides out. How I was meant to work that out, I'm not sure.

Anyway, another long weekend coming up, decent weather too, so if I get caught up with all my paperwork tomorrow, that'll leave the weekend clear and on Sunday I'll probably take the family down the A9 to climb Meall Chuaich. An apparently easy enough Munro, which after last week, it better be. The kids won't forget that hike in a hurry, and won't let me forget about it either. That will leave next weekend clear to go and watch the new Indiana Jones film at the cinema. Not sure how good it will be, but who cares, how far wrong can you go with a franchise like that?

Four weeks to go until I finish my University course, at which point I will be a fully fledged probationer teacher. The probationer part seems harsh, but at least I will start getting some form of payment, and that can't be a bad thing with the student loans I have to pay back. It will literally take years, maybe even into double figures. Where are the incentives to enter the teaching profession? Besides the holidays, there are none. Most teachers could find easier, less stressful jobs, for more money. They're only there because that's what they want to do, or don't know any better.

More Of the Old!

Greetings Earthlings, I am Tharg! I'm not actually Tharg, that was a homage to the Sci-Fi comic 2000AD, which I used to read in my teens. There's a disappointing lack of Sci-Fi nowadays, don't you think? Back in the 60's and 70's folks couldn't get enough Sci-Fi. I don't understand what's happened, surely reality based films cannot compete. Directors have a free reign with Sci-Fi films, they now have CGI and bluescreen technology to allow their imagination to be realised on screen, and yet besides very few occasional movies, Sci-Fi is largely neglected as a genre. What's going on here?

It might not be too ridiculous to surmise that the book as a medium has died a death, that serious readers, contemplators and thinkers, prefer the quick fix that television offers. How could anyone be satisfied with the Sci-Fi detritis offered up by television? I've seen a few of the latest episode of Doctor Who, and frankly, my intelligence is insulted. If I had endured Sci-Fi like that on television as a kid, I'd have put pen to paper and written a derogatory letter to the BBC. Yest somehow, kids today are more than satisfied with it, simply because they haven't known any better. The easiest assumption to make would be that the show is written by kids as well. What's with everything happening in Cardiff? If I'd crossed time and space to save humanity, I'd take one look at Cardiff and think "Sod them!"

These guys need to go to second-hand book shops and car boot sales and pick up some of these 60's and 70's SCi-fi books, and make them into films using modern technology. Not just straight-forward Sci-Fi pulp fiction, but thought-provoking stories full of symbolism and meaning. That's what I want to see. The books and films that stick with me are the kind that I'm still pondering months and years later.

Only 278 To Go!

I finally decided to head down past Aberfeldy yesterday, to the Ben Lawers range. 7 Munros all in a huge semi-circle. We were going to tackle the remotest 2 of those: Meall a' Choire Leith and Meall Corranaich. Above: approaching Meall a' Choire Leith after crossing over a mile of boggy stuff!

Looking across at Meall Corranaich from Meall a Choire Leith. The actual summit of Meall Corranaich is on the right, quite far off. The peak on the left is Beinn Ghlas.

Looking back across the bealach to Meall a' Choire Leith.

Looking back along the ridgeline from Meall Corranaiach to the lower top Coire Gorm and the rounded lump in the distance which is Meall a' Choire Leith, from where we had just walked. Still had a long walk back to the car from this summit. Took us 6 hours in total and left everyone with really tired feet. I still had to make the 3 hour drive home too!

Run To the Hills!

The weather's very uncertain for tomorrow. I've been keeping an eye on the forecast to see whereabouts in the country might be the best place to bag a Munro or two, and it keeps changing every hour. First I was heading for Ben Wyvis up North, then Meall Chuaich near Drumochiter, and currently I'm heading past Pitlochry for the Ben Lawers range, although all that could be changed again by morning, when I will make my final decision.

I've been knackered today, too much exertion with all that gardening last night. I woke up with a sore head, but still had to make a couple trips to the dump with all the bushes that the wife insisted in cutting down last night, even after I told her to stop. She was only meant to prune them back, but the Sun must have gone to her head, because there's virtually nothing left now. From one extreme to another, as they say!

Time to go and have those Bulmers left over from yesterday, and keep my fingers crossed for tomorrow. If all goes well, I might even beat my 3 Munros in a single walk, record. That's still a big maybe for now though!

Wecome To the Jungle!

I finally mowed my garden tonight, for the first time this year, and probably 3 weeks later than it should have been done. It was well over a foot tall in some areas and there were dandielions everywhere. It took me 3 hours just to mow it and cut the borders. I hate gardening, that's why I've procrastinated until now. However the forecast for tomorrow is heavy rain, and because Sunday might not be too bad and I'd like to head for Ben Wyvis, I decided just to bite the bullet and do it tonight.

Actually, I'm toying with the idea of going and getting myself a couple of Bulmers. Yep, I think that's a plan. Not too bad a day today, besides the gardening malarkey. I got a lot of work done, good stuff as well, for a change. Things are going to get a lot easier from here on in, so fingers crossed that my essay makes the grade and that I get placed in a decent school for next year. Although I'll just have to take what I get and make the best of it!

It's Just A Game!

Well the sunburn is starting to ease off, not before time, but the sunshine hasn't let up. That's a whole week of sunny days we've had, and believe me when I say that we would usually expect a week of sunshine in a year, this is Northern Scotland. It's a sign of the times I suppose, or simply another indicator of climate change, either way, a bit more sunshine can't be a bad thing. All the more reason to get out and about and see some of this wonderful country. I'm already planning a few more hill walking trips, although I should get a decent pair of insoles, apparently they make all the difference.

All things going well, I'll be able to notch up a decent number of Munros in this my first year hillwalking. It seems that quite often it's possible to bag 2 or 3 in a single walk, as the Munros are seldom on their own, but more often that not, part of a chain of Munros and lesser peaks. I do have to remember though that the kids capacities for walking have a limit, at which point they will let me know in no uncertain terms that they've come far enough!

I noticed some kids in computing club today playing Mario on some Nintendo emulator and got all nostalgic, and suddenly wishing I was a young lad again, seeing these games for the first time. It brought back memories of my first time playing Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII and Pro Evolution Soccer. Ah the World was our games console back in those days! Anyhow, what's all the fuss over the new GTA game, I much preferred the Driver series, better controls and fantastic smashes!

5 Hours and 3 Munros!

Yesterday as a family we climbed 3 Munros at the Glenshee ski centre. We got badly sunburned, because it was a scorcher.

Above, the first Munro - Carn Aosda!

Looking across at the Cairnwell form Carn Aosda. The Cairnwell was to be our third Munro of the day!

Heading towards Munro number 2 - Carn a'Gheoidh, centre of image.

This is Loch Vrotochan, a lovely spot. We had our lunch just past here! That's our Munro tally gone from 1 to 4 in the space of 5 hours, although you can add on another 5 hours driving to get there and back again, as well. Next up, Ben Wyvis, probaby!

Cordially Invited!

I couldn't post yesterday, I wasn't here, I was attending a special ceremony. A secret ceremony? Not quite, but it drew visitors from all over the country, won't happen again for 100 years, and it won't be in the press. I take that back, it might be in the press, but I'm guessing that it won't be! Very mysterious eh? And yes, there were several members of the aristocracy in attendance, and it took place during the day... mainly!

Now that I've intrigued you sufficiently, I will disappoint you by making no futher mention of the aforementioned event, save to say that not just anyone could attend. You had to have certain special characteristics (and a ticket) in order to qualify for admission. That is all on the matter.

Tomorrow, we're off to Glenshee. The weather forecast is sunshine, although the forecast was rain for the last 2 days, and it's actually been lovely! The plan is to bag 3 Munros in one walk, as I've mentioned previously. The hardest part will be just getting there. Trying to travel across the North East of Scotland is like pretending to be Michael Schumacher for a day. Very narrow roads, twisting and turning, and constantly up hills and down valleys. Impossible to get up any great speed unfortunately. Anyway, the game is afoot and will be seen through to completion. I'm almost fully kitted out now as well, so all the gear will be brought into play for the occasion!