Holiday diary: Day 1 in Aviemore

The trip to Aviemore took about two hours by train, crossing the Forth Bridge and then making our way north past Perth, out of the Lowlands and into the Highlands.  Suddenly the landscape got a lot more dramatic!  Blue and ruddy brown mountains loomed up, some of them with their heads in clouds, some of them with the clouds descending to smother both them and us!  However by the time we reached Aviemore the sun had come out and... it is beautiful here.

The views east are of the Cairngorms - where I'll be hiking tomorrow - while the town itself is backed by a high ridge that keeps the wind off.  After arriving at my hostel and rearranging my case I decided to go for a gentle stroll before dinner... and 45mins later found myself on the top of the ridge, 450m above sea level in the Craigellachie Nature Reserve, with a stunning view across to the Cairngorms; gold in the evening sun and deep blue in the shadows of the clouds.  I sat for a while to try and draw them, but the colours are indescribable.  Even the plants on the ridge where I was sitting seemed to glow a neon green, tingled with crimson and purple where the woody stalks and flowers caught the sunlight.

There's still snow on the higher peaks - I must remember to take an extra layer tomorrow.
Came down again, very breezy, and had dinner at Ben Mac Dui's. If you go there, and they recommend the grilled haddock, take their advice.