Pentlands

David Kaye

15 December 2018

Friday was bright but cold. I knew a girl like that at University, but that’s another story.

In a personal best for the Marauders there were 7 last minute call offs. Don’t take this as a target! To be fair there are some nasty bugs doing the rounds at the moment.

We duly assembled at the appointed hour of 10am at the makeshift car park by the access road to the ski slopes. Nine of us in cars. Jack had deemed the walk too short and decided to stroll from and to his home, somewhere in the outskirts of Aviemore.

The initial ascent on to the East ridge of Caerketton was steep but not too long, and the party soon split into greyhounds and connoisseurs. We reassembled at the summit to admire the views down the coast and over to the Forth Bridges and Fife.

See below - some numpty always has to pose on top of the cairn!

After a brief first lunch we set off again over the intervening bump and up to the information display on Allermuir. We ducked down out of the wind for a cup of tea, before continuing to Capelaw with its distinctive cairn, which was new ground for many of us, although Sarah and Cosmo claimed deja vu.

We had made better time than I expected, and I was beginning to worry that we would be too early for our coffee and cakes at Swanston Golf Club. So I cunningly designed a big loop return route. A minor navigational inexactitude was rewarded with an unexpected visit to the Dreghorn car park and the Bypass.

Big boys and girls took over the lead, and we were only fifteen minutes late at the golf club.

Ken and Denise and tiny baby Marauder Angus joined us for a brief chat before we continued on our way back to the cars.

New recruit Jo passed the stringent entrance exam and is now a fully fledged Marauder.

January Meet

The next outing will be to the hills around West Linton, on Monday 21st January. More details to follow nearer the time, but rest assured you will be in safe hands as the walk will be led by Helen and Archie, who promise tea and sticky buns at Oliver Mansions afterwards.

David.