We have a plan!

It's not a cunning plan - it's a plan for our new house.
Mary and Ian from Dualchas have delivered against the detailed brief we provided for them and with only one re-draft we are nearly there.
The house has been sited to take advantage of the views to the loch and the Cuillin mountains. Plenty of glass, plenty of space to live in and, if we can afford it, a mezzanine level that will be light, airy and float above the lounge space. Two decent-sized bedrooms with plenty of storage space. In short, everything we asked for on paper. Being this close to agreeing the design means that we should make our planning deadline. : )

We are heading to Skye next weekend so that we can meet Mary and Ian and get into the detail of the house we want built. A very good deal staying at the Eilean Larmain Hotel at Isle Ornsey - two nights for the price of one. (BOGOF) A very good deal and cheaper than most B&Bs, even if we could find any that are open in February. Hoping to get some walking in on the Sunday - hills if the weather plays the game and beach if not. 

As an aside, we are gaining minutes of daylight each day - we reckon we are ahead of England now with evenings still light (ish) at 18.00. I can walk home from work without the need for a torch.  

Today, we did a circular walk up to Ben Cleuch. Decided to bite the bullet and try the steep slog up a hill known as The Law. My goodness was it steep. Stopped for a coffee at what I thought was the halfway point only to be told that we had gained the stupendous height of 275m! Only another 450m to go then.  

It was another hill of t-shirts and fleece to start with then all layers on once we hit the ridge. Stopped for a bite and another coffee in the most sheltered spot we could find. Snow level was around 2,000ft (600m) with a few icy patches but nothing too dodgy. Could be an interesting walk in true winter conditions. Some very steep hillsides to slide down if you put a foot wrong.

Up above the clouds on The Law.. Forth River shining in the background.

                 Above the steepest section at this point. One fellow walker going up, one going down.                                                                              

The dog that can just be seen in photo above was a Husky / Shepherd cross with bright blue eyes. She seemed very happy to be out and about in the snow.

Fantastic views and light at the top. We had walked up through the cloud layers into the sun but cloud was swirling and threatening to drop down lower again. We finished the circle by dropping down then back across another summit before heading back to the woods above Alva Glen. 

Fell runner count was two today. Appeared on the top with enough breath to have a chat, turned round and were gone again - although we did catch them in one of the photos. 

View back down to The Law; fell runners running back down

Great views to the Cairngorms in the far distance and the highlands to the west. 

View to the Highlands, dodgy looking cloud in foreground

Back to the car where the GPS told us we had walked just over 6 miles. Legs felt as if it was at least double that! It's been a while since we walked up such steepness over such a distance. Was good to be back out in the hills again.

Weather station news - since installing the weather station and monitoring the weather in our back garden, we have to announce that there has been very little wind and almost no rain. The barometer has been mostly flat and we have not noted much in the way of extremes of temperature. We are hoping for a March storm to bump up the viewing pleasure.  Did everyone notice the lack of snow, ice, cold in Scotland last week when the Midlands, North East, etc were freezing. It was mild and dull up here.