The Summit

Grantown-on-Spey  -

20 - 23 Aug

Sorry as we were to leave Braemar with so much still to explore, we motored on to Grantown on Spey.  Close by the granite domes of the Cairngorms, a charming Georgian type Highland town with its assortment of Victorian shops and houses - and the best sweet shop in the world - wall to wall of those large glass sweetie jars with their screw top lids!!  

The highlight of our stay in this area was Cairn Gorm - another first for me:  sitting atop the summit of a mountain!  FANTASTIC FEELING! 

We caught the funicular (UK's highest) to its furthest point (1097 m) and then a guided walk to the summit (1245 m) - Britain's 6th highest mountain.  

Ascent from this point via the Marquis Wells route
(so called because of the little wells of water that collect along this route and where the Marquis watered his horse)

It was stunning.  Due to the weather conditions that day we'd been promised 4 seasons during the climb and it didn't disappoint!  It was so changeable it brought rolling clouds totally obscuring the view and completely shrouding us then just as quickly clouds would roll away to reveal again the spectacularly breathtaking views once more across the mountain ranges and into the valleys below - beautiful and dramatic.  

And I didn't think there was a taste to tap water until I experienced pure mountain water!   Needless to say we all filled our water bottles!

the Marquis Wells pool

and the clouds roll in once more........

 

Not sure what force the winds were up at the summit but I had a struggle staying upright!! 

 It was an incredible feeling on reaching the summit and with the weather in our favour at that moment, the views were spectacular and even though we hadn't walked from base, I still felt a wonderful sense of achievement.  

 

It took a good hour to reach the summit and less than half as much time to descend!

we make our descent

photo courtesy of our guide who captured the rainbow on camera

a hot toddy calls!!!

 We saw reindeer roaming freely and spotted ptarmigans.  

A useless piece of information:  The highest post box in the UK is sited at the Cairn Gorm base station!

The Cairngorms have attracted the name "the blue mountains" apparently due to the blue hue given off by the granite.  Whatever they are known by, for me it will be my first mountain summit and the enduring memory of the overwhelming excitement and joy when reaching the summit of Cairn Gorm and looking down below and across to those breathtaking views.