Tender is out! plus a short break in Glen Shee

The sub-title for this post is "The discovery of pond liner glissading"

It's been a while since the last post - and that's because there has been absolutely nothing to report! We are once again moving forward at Skye pace or should that be snail's pace?

There have been many different reasons why the tender document wasn't quite ready including sickness (fair enough) a wait for a response to the building warrant (OK) consideration of whether we might wish to engage a QS (yes, we did after discussing the pros and cons) then promises of last week - fingers crossed but no joy. Finally a phone call today and confirmation that the document was ready last Friday but more sickness meant it was delayed - and we should have been told. Ah well, at least it is heading out to four builders with a return date of the end of March. HOORAY!

We have also agreed to the cost of water and power connections; the first quite reasonable the second quite a bit more but there is no choice really so we have signed the paperwork and will soon be forking out the cash. All progress at last. 

To while away the time, we headed north last weekend and took a short break in Glen Shee. The thinking was to maybe try the skiing at Glen Shee and if not, then try the walking. We managed to find a converted steading available for a short break. This was lovely and highly recommended: http://www.dalnoid.co.uk/ if you want to stay somewhere warm and welcoming in a peaceful location. 

Mount Blair from Dalnoid New Steading deck - lovely

 So we had three days to enjoy the area. The snow levels were around 600m and snow was banked at the side of the roads leading us to understand the radio messages about ski resorts with plenty of snow but access roads closed. There was plenty of snow lying in the shadows at lower levels too. 

Day 1: Decided to climb a hill outside of Braemar, not quite a Munro but pretty close. Parked up (£2.50 all day) and walked a good track steeply uphill. The microspikes proved very useful and the snow was perfect for them. I had to find the heather / non-icy / stony sections to avoid sliding back down the hill.  Gary just walked up as if the snow wasn't there. The view from the top was simply stunning. 360 degree views of mountains, snow and more mountains. What a country.

The top of an "almost Munro" - a picture can't show how cold it was here

View South towards Glen Shee

Stunning views from the top

Decided to walk back the same way and this is where I made the discovery of how much fun can be had if you try Pond Liner Glissading. Take your piece of pond liner (also used as a ground sheet to keep bottoms dry when sitting on boggy ground) walk up the side of a steep and snowy slope, creep out into the middle of the slope, sit on the pond liner, lean back and enjoy the ride. Repeat until lack of breath / energy stops play. Whoops of joy - luckily no-one was around to see a fifty-plus woman slide manically down a snowy mountain-side. Yes, I checked out the landing first, no there were no (obvious) rocks to waylay me. Smiles all the way back down and at the memory for the rest of the day. 

Day 2: Pretty tired today after walking up high yesterday so decided on a lower walk to Loch Callater. A relatively easy walk of 3.5 miles each way to a medium sized loch in a gorgeous setting.  The track was easy to follow but very snowy and icy in places making it quite hard work at times. 

Walking up Glen Callater - the first part of  "Jock's Road" from Braemar to Clova

Steep snow banks alongside the river, just waiting to collapse in. Met plenty of people returning down the track, including one chap carrying skis on his rucksack. We eventually reached the loch and Callater Stables bothy (very grey and lonely looking) and just sat and enjoyed the scenery. Frozen loch, a small beach, snowy mountains, occasional glimpses of blue sky and quite cool. 

Just beautiful

Another great walk. You could carry on from here to the Munros of the Lochnagar range and others but not for us today. Tested how far we could walk out on the ice on the loch then we headed back to the car and drove into Braemar seeking an early dinner.  Alas no food until 6.00pm and that was just the orders being taken. Too hungry to wait, so plan B was initiated and we hit the (Indian) chippie instead. Then found a layby with a view and ate our supper. Back to the cottage, woodburner lit and a cosy evening in.  

Day 3: Decided to set out later in the day, take a touristy drive and have a nice lunch out. Drove up and out through the mountains again then past Braemar to Ballater. En-route we passed Balmoral Castle and some beautiful scenery around the River Dee. We liked Ballater and decided to have our lunch there (Les Routiers cafe spotted) On the way in to Ballater on the A93 we had spotted the A939 road to Tomintoul via Cockbridge. Older Radio 2 listeners will recognise this road and the two villages and their snowgates. It's the road that almost always closes first when it snows and is famous (to Radio 2 listeners) for Mrs McKay and her shovel. We just had to drive it. Off we set up a single track road through woods and gaining height slowly. Turned sharp right and over a huge hump-backed bridge at Garnashiel, then it was up and up around hairpin bends and over open mountain roads - and we hadn't even reached Cockbridge. Down the other side and met another road where we turned left. There were the famous Cockbridge snowgates and we wound our way up through more hairpin bends along the the winding road, totally exposed up here and quite a drop to the side. In places the snow was higher than the car where it had been piled / ploughed at the side of the road. All clear today though, although the air was hazy so the views not as crisp as they could have been. This is remote country. 

The A939 which reaches heights of over 2,000ft and has no sign of habitation for 12-15 miles

 Suddenly the Lecht ski resort appeared - snow not so good here as in Glen Shee but people were skiing. On down a very steep road past huge overhanging snow banks. Onwards to Tomintoul which looked quite sweet but not very busy today.  Gave a nod to the Tomintoul snowgates to make the matching pair. Turned it round and back we went on the same route in reverse to Ballater.   A very nice long lunch in the station cafe which lived up to its Les Routiers billing. Another enjoyable drive back to Braemar and home to a very light supper in the cottage.

The glorious weather of the last three weeks was turning as we headed home via Perth. Low mist and drizzle. A fine finish to our weekend break with breakfast at Tiso, the purchase of micro-spikes for me and a foray to the Coffee Bothy to look at the furniture - thoughts turning to the new house!

So now we wait just a few more weeks and find out if we can afford to build the house and the garage / workshop or if we will be changing bits to cut costs. This is where the QS will earn his pay. 

The purchase of the six acres of croft is progressing  - slowly as expected but the division lines have been drawn, paperwork completed and we wait for the form that Gary has to complete to arrive. 

One final thought, I am now more than two thirds of the way through my two year contract in Clackmannanshire - where did that time go?  Not that I'm complaining!