The last recce trip of the 'quiet' period of November and December saw us making a festive time of it in the beautiful Glen Feshie. It was particularly nice to have the company of my wife Tracey, youngest son Frankie, and friends Hayley, Stew and Kerry. As I wanted to recce the Westerly route into the Monadh Mor, Hayley needed the munro Beinn Bhrotain, and Tracey wanted a relaxing time walking the dog and reading, it worked really well for us all.
We were more than a little worried on arrival at the car park at Auchlean, as it was completely full, a sight I have never seen in my many times down the glen. Of course, we knew it was the Xmas holidays, and we had a benign forecast, so coupled with that and the growing reputation of Ruigh Aiteachain bothy, it was a fair bet that the bothy would be very busy. Still, we were here now, and it does hold a good few folks....
The walk-in is around 90 minutes, and you have to cross three burns of varying sizes, so it pays to take care after heavy rain. We were fine, as it had been very dry for December, and apart from our 12yr old border terrier who had to be carried, we all crossed without incident or difficulty, despite our packs laden with all the gear necessary for a comfortable night, along with copious libations and Xmas leftovers. We arrived just as night fell (16.15 in Scotland at this time of year), to be greeted by Lyndsay the bothy maintenance organiser, or M.O. as they are known. It was indeed busy, but not overly so, and were able to have a room and fireplace all to our little group.
It is not that unusual to meet an M.O. at his/her bothy occasionally, but Lyndsay all but lives in his, and the standards are a testament to that. It is simply palatial in bothy terms. Indeed, he had various members of three generations of his family there! He gave us a tour, and threw a few thinly veiled comments in about care, tidiness, toilet etiquette etc. which left us in no way uncertain about his expectations. You can't really fault him, given the work and care he has put in (amongst others), but It was a little irritating to get tarred with the same brush after all my years of careful and respectful bothy use. Ah well, bite your tongue and get on with it, it's his train set! :)
After the usual bothy night of restless dogs, rustling sleeping mats and nocturnal ablutions, augmented by some spectacular festive flatulence, we were ready to get walking at first light. Tracey was staying local to the bothy, walking Meikle our terrier, and Stew was going to walk out, having suffered a calf strain during an energetic session dancing to Madness in our kitchen the day before (I kid you not!). That left myself, Frankie, Kerry, Hayley and Loki the springer spaniel to attempt the 32k there-and-back route, with around 1600m of ascent and descent. This is a long day in summer conditions, and without skis would be very difficult indeed in 'normal' winter conditions. We however, had clear, almost snow-less going, with just a little ice and a superlative track for much of the way. I know I normally bemoan such tracks, but on this occasion, I could almost forgive the estate....seriously, it is very well done and maintained, so at least there's that.
The route has little dramatic to commend it, other than the wilderness feel you get once you ascend onto the Monadh Mor itself, the wide expanse of Braeriach, Carn Toul and the Angel's Peak, the depths of Gleann Einich, Glen Geusachan and finally the Lairig Ghru. Actually, come to think of it, apart from the effort, it has lots to commend it in reasonable visibility!
At the summit of Beinn Bhrotain we spoke to the only couple we saw all day, apart from a solitary walker and a distant fell runner during 10+ hours of walking at such a busy time....illustrative of the wild nature of the location. The walk back was character-building as light dimmed, and we summited Mullach Clach a'Bhlair in full darkness. With little wind, it was enchanting, the lights of a distant Kingussie shimmering many kilometres below. I don't think any of us enjoyed the descent down the track, be it new boots rubbing, old knees complaining or even older boots disintegrating, the metres took their toll.
Eventually we got to the glen, and blessed flat ground for the final kilometre to the bothy, a meal and a dram. A fantastic day, superbly executed. 
We awoke to wind and rain, but by the time we had eaten, packed and swept up, the rain had dissipated, and we walked out dry. Well, dry that is except for me, who in a momentary lapse of concentration whilst watching Tracey cross a burn, put my foot on a sloping stone and took a pirouetting tumble into the water, bouncing off a couple of boulders on the way. Idiot! My sore arm and knee weren't as sore as my bruised ego of course.....
Stew was there to meet us, and we sallied forth to the splendid trucker's cafe at Newtonmore for a 'healthy' late breakfast by way of a celebration. A great way to end 2018, bring on 2019.

As I approach the end of my second round of the munros, I find I can maximise my time by reconnoitring alternative routes for clients, and/or finding out what has changed on the ground to the maps. When it comes to hill tracks, I am finding an awful lot.
On Tuesday I chose Beinn a'Chaorainn and Beinn Bhreac, as there was a good forecast for a long day, and I hoped to shorten it by cycling up the long track to Derry Lodge where you leave the bike. What was I thinking!? Of course, it was frozen solid, and there were treacherous stretches of frozen water run-off everywhere waiting to upend the unwary cyclist. Indeed, I was wearing the same trousers that had been repaired since my last such foray up this very glen 12 months ago, when my pal Sean and I had abandoned the bikes after only a kilometre or two en route to Derry Cairngorm, but then tried to at least ride the last bit back, in the dark to boot. The repair on the expensive Mountain Hardware trousers was worked miraculously by my trusty Polish tailor in Stirling (she's excellent...and indeed trades as Excellent Tailors, so give her a whirl, you won't be disappointed), but my unceremonious get-off also cost me a nice gashed knee through said hole. Ouch.
So as the painful memories came flooding back, the route was quickly changed for Carn Bhac, which is also normally cycled up Glen Ey, as far as Altanour ruins. I was walking this time though! I spotted a nice ridge on the map, (and after a detour to check out the 'Colonel's Bed' gorge), I noticed a new track going that way, over Carn na Seileach, so with the hard frosty ground, I left the track and struck off up the hill to cut the corner to the upper track. It was great, soon lifting me up to take in the views of the Southern Cairngorms, coming and going as they were through the cloud, resplendent in their coats of fresh white snow.
The track peters out at the foot of Carn Creagach, but the obvious way is to contour to the high bealach at the head of the Allt Carn Bhathaich. The ground here is wet and peat hag ridden, so though I benefited from the frozen ground, I suspect this section is the route's bad bit as it were. It is short-lived however, and I was soon plodding up the crisp and snowy flank of Carn Bhac to the summit. Of course, as I arrived, the cloud closed in, and though I waited as long as I could in the cold, I had to set off down before it then inevitably cleared again. Grrrrr!
I chose to go back the same way, and on foot, I definitely think this is the better way. But if cycling, I would maybe go for Altanour. Indeed, if you were a good MBKer, you could ride the higher track, and then enjoy an exciting descent! A lovely day out, and I also noticed that the Fife Arms, the big hotel in Braemar is to open on the 10th December at long last, so hurrah to that, (though it did look awfully posh!).
Today, with another good forecast, I decided on a wee look at Invermark castle, and to check out the track along the Water of Mark to the Queen's Well for my more genteel clients. Then I would also nip up Mount Keen of course. After what seemed an eternal drive due to traffic and a holdup for a crash on the A90, I eventually arrived at the very frosty glen at 10:30am, quite late for a winter's walk. It is a very beautiful drive along Glen Esk. Pheasants abound, and the Aberdeenshire countryside still has a wild and remote feel despite its relative low levels, rounded hills and agriculture.
The forecasted change to a southerly air flow was coming in early, and the hills were swathed in low cloud. I skipped and dodged along the track, once again eschewing my bike as the ice was everywhere, and apart from a wait at the Glenmark lodge to let a sheep gather go by, I made short work of the ascent. The track, though ugly, allows for a rapid ascent, and I was soon at the point where the track becomes two paths on the map, one across the mounth, and one to Mount Keen. Except it doesn't. They now continue as one, in the form of a very good sandy path in the same direction. All traces of the old path have been removed by the builders to ensure we take the new one. After not too far, it does split, and then with a couple of steeper sections makes a bee-line for the stony summit.
It got a good bit windier up there, and the sub-zero temperature along with the moist air left rime ice all over the rocks, and indeed me too. It was very cold in the breeze, so I rushed my snack and high-tailed it down. I did take one slip on an icy boulder lower down, the ice being coated in rain now too, doubly slippery, but apart from a jarred elbow and a bruised ego, I was fine. It does annoy me when a momentary lack of concentration allows such things to happen, and the air was blue! I made the car just before darkness, wet through as the rain had come on in earnest, signalling the end of the cold settled weather and a return to Atlantic lows for a while, Booo!! 
Winter will be back, and I will be ready............