Last midnight the Scottish Government lifted some local restrictions imposed on the City of Aberdeen so for the first time since mid-March I was able to go for a hike outside the city. My choice was the Forvie Nature Reserve north of Aberdeen. One of the reasons to go here was to test my dog’s resilience – during lockdown he…
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There seems to be a recent theme with my walks: large bodies of water! Loch Kinord last week, Loch Muick this time round. Actually, I planned this walk for a few weeks. I walked along its eastern shore in May 2011, on my way back from climbing the White Mounth range, and the loch really made a great and long-lasting…
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It took two visits to the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve to walk the route I had planned. My first attempt was cut short by deteriorating weather (driving snow). Rather unexpectedly I had another chance a couple of days later thanks to an unusual alignment of stars and a leap year (just kidding…). Unlike at the first attempt, the…
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My plan for this winter is to keep walking relatively long-distance but low-level walks to keep my ever-gradually-rustier body ready for the next hill-walking season. Last week’s walk was south of Aboyne, today’s north of it; more specifically, the village of Tarland. I parked my car in the village centre, picked up my gear and let the dog out before…
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I guess the title sounds overly dramatic, but – trust me – in the context of the last year it does reflect my feelings when I walked through the forest of Glen Tanar. The walk, about 4-hour long, at various stages resembled many walks I’d done in Moray. There was a stretch along the edge of a meadow, a forest…