Fall of 2015...17 10 18 (18) 25 1 30

When I reviewed my pics for this blog and I came across pics of the 3 bridges crossing the Firth of Forth sitting on my bus bound for Aberdeen it occurred to me that for my last trip a year earlier I had taken the train from Edinburgh instead and there met the lovely Georgina sitting opposite me across the aisle on her way home to St Andrews where she was engaged in a PhD course to do with animal behaviour, particularly Humming Birds. As a fellow scientist we appeared to have much to talk about for the hour it took for our common journey so that when just before she left the train she agreed to be my friend on F-b I was naturally delighted. 3 years on then she has just posted a pic displaying her PhD registration certificate some weeks ago when I congratulated her but without a reply I'm afraid though exceptionally she did come into my account I guess from her jump half way up my F-b friend list, but nay bother, increasingly this is how F-b becomes!     

                                     

Here a pic of the latest road bridge still under construction with the original Forth Bridge for rail transport to the bus's right side: on my latest trip in my hire car I traversed the newly completed bridge...

So it was back to Braemar 15 9 17 for the third September in a row where for the first night I stayed again in the youth hostel, meeting this young guy next morning who had journeyed through the Cairngorms over several days and nights on his trusty mountain bike, a young man with a lot of get up and go, shown here at 9:51. 

                                        

On this trip I would try to box a little cleverer with the weather deciding on a leisurely departure for my next night's stay in the bothy by Loch Callater to fit the local weather forecast when upon my late arrival at 16:25 I was rewarded with this view from the area of the bothy...

                                        

And on my next day my first big day on the hills when I should collect my 3 remaining summits in this area in excellent weather sharply contrasting with my walking in mists all day in the September before, so a feast of beautiful scenery on this special day 15 9 19 when I met so many joyous people I can't begin to post all their pics...maybe just a few then to validate the contrast... 

                                                

First off then this boy and young lady from Aberdeen who had teamed up just for the day maybe colleagues at work whom I met on my first summit of Cairn of Claise before heading south eastwards for Tom Buidhe where I ran into this pair of very fit young men...

                                     

Then on again to Tolmount so much easier navigating now in clear weather and for the first time carrying a GPS to be sure footed also in misty conditions...I trust the enthusiasm for the hills such as that displayed by these guys, two Scotsmen who on a fine day of their weekend away from work and family are able to bag some Munros and these where we were walking such easy hills to bag...

The next people I met a youngish couple with their dog were again dedicated Munroists which is typical on hills such as these where the chances are all the people one meets tend to be fellow Munroists which usually entails a stop and a chat to exchange stories of past glories, etc...

                                    

Exceptionally on this trip I got to meet for the second time the guy who manages the hunting lodge adjacent the bothy, the first time being 2 years earlier for my first visit hereabouts, and this year he had workmen and their spouses doing work about the place, and very kindly gave me a partial charge for my smart phone which supply of electricity he had collected using solar power for his accumulators. I recall he was most impressed when he saw I had hTc equipment for he was of the opinion hTc is grossly under rated in UK, thereby also displaying that he was a person of more than average knowledge concerning all the new gadgetry that our age is becoming noted for...

                                   

This before my departure from the bothy which in the intervening year had been provided with a second bedroom adjacent the main one which I occupied and where late the previous evening would see the arrival of two most careful French maidens who during their whole stay didn't emerge to greet anyone, my venturing to seek their permission for a pic only as they left the building next morning to depart forthwith.

Well this autumn’s blog has only so far dealt with the first few days which I shall return to complete another time: such is Scotland a few days in the same location one year totally different than the next, Scottish weather being such an important determinant…Have a good day everyone!       NB Please note these blogs that have been reposted sometimes 8 years later are not necessarily in chronological order...