Twin Peaks (without the weirdness)

With spring in the air, and a spring in my step, I accompanied Gail up not one but two Aberdeenshire peaks on Sunday afternoon. 

It was a grey day, but not cold, not raining and, at least when we set off, not windy. 

Good weather in these parts tends to be defined by an absence of the bad stuff.

First we went up an old favourite, Millstone Hill and then, instead of looping back round to the Donview car park as per usual, we extended to the walk and bounced onwards towards Mither Tap, one of a range of hills forming the prominent Aberdeenshire landmark known as Bennachie. 

Well, to be more accurate, I bounced and Gail walked. 

So it's a steep initial ascent through pine and birches and up to the heather.

At the summit of Millstone Hill we encountered a family enjoying some sandwiches and cake, and Gail insisted on us moving further along the path before she took a photo of our ultimate destination, Mither Tap. That's the pointy bit in the picture below. 

We went down into the trees before ascending again, having checked the directions carefully.

I stopped to pose nicely and allow Gail to catch her breath. 

And again, just before the final scramble.

Apparently is is ALWAYS windy on the rocky summit of Mither Tap, even if relatively calm just a few meters below. 

Do you like my streamlined look?

So that was my 'Twin Peaks' experience.

Disappointingly, there was no cherry pie.

PS from Gail: a spectacular hill fort forms part of the Mither Tap summit. My excuse for not taking any photos of the impressive ramparts is that keeping my balance clambering over the rocks while making sure Nobby didn't go wandering off looking for foodables to steal from other visitors took all my attention...

Dodging the showers

Suddenly it's all autumnal, blustery and cool.  Rain is threatened. The weatherman calls the conditions "unstable" and tells us that a depression is moving across the country, slowly losing its identity*...

I am taken for a walk up and around Millstone Hill, long a favourite. 

I pose nicely on the 'pose nicely please' stone, allowing Gail a convenient pause to catch her breath half way up the ascent.

Higher up, I hear a rustle in the heather, and hurtle off to investigate. 

But I am Nice Nobby these days (mostly, give or take the occasional dead snail incident) so I rush back when Gail calls, and claim my treat. 

The panoramic view from the summit allows us a preview of showers heading our way. 

The wind has lifted my ear flaps and it's time to hasten down. 

There's a brief blue sky interlude before we get back to the car, but I sniff the air and sense more change on the way. 

*Gail wonders if this a subtle commentary on the broader state of the UK...

Weekend victory

I think I made it quite clear on Saturday evening that I didn't approve of my owner spending all weekend reading a book about horrid Mr Putin.

Thankfully it seems Gail got the message and on Sunday afternoon she took me for a lovely walk through the trees and heather up Millstone Hill. 

The temperature was 26ºC, which in Scotland counts as scorching - see my tongue hanging out in the picture above. So obviously I needed to find a nice muddy ditch to cool off in.

Is there a problem?

Mountaineer in training

It's been very frustrating. As you know, Scotland has mountains a plenty, all begging to be climbed by a lively WFT, but until now Gail has only taken me on relatively low level walks. Some ridiculous idea about not over-straining growing limbs, apparently. 

Anyway, now that I am nearly six months old and getting more robust by the day, my dear owner finally last week decided I was ready for an ascent of Millstone Hill, an elevation of just over 400 m and an old favourite of both my predecessors.

I learned that here, and I'm told this is the general rule for Scottish hills, no matter what the conditions when one leaves car car park it is always windy at the summit.