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Short walk from Dalmunzie Castle |
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Short walk from Dalmunzie Castle  | - Click on the image above to view gallery
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 Snowy Wall
The previous day I’d had a short walk around the hotel’s golf course and knew it offered good views to the surrounding hills as well as the hotel itself. As it was such a gorgeous morning we decided to walk up the hillside beyond the golf course to see just what a bit of extra height would give us in better views. We didn’t have a map with us so it wasn’t until I looked it up when we returned home that I realised just how high up we were when we started the walk. The hotel is in fact one of the highest in Great Britain and when I looked at an Ordnance Survey map I worked out it must be approximately 300 metres above sea level.
 Dalmunzie Panorama
It didn’t take long to climb the hill overlooking the golf course and the extra height afforded us some lovely views up the valley. I’ve since been able to work out what some of the hills we were looking at are called. Saying their names is another thing, however, and I think I would fail miserably trying to pronounce them correctly. We enjoyed the extensive views all around and I even took a few pictures I could subsequently turn into panoramic shots. If we had had more time we would have loved to have carried on a bit further. There were certainly no obvious footpaths to follow but there was a handy wall and we had decided to follow that as far as we could, as we could see that it carried on for a long way up the hillside.
 Unusual boulder  Glenshee valley view
Once again we had our Microspikes with us, and as far as I’m concerned they have more than paid for themselves in the few times we have worn them this winter. The snow we walked on at the lower levels was fairly soft especially in the warm sunshine. But we didn’t have to gain much height and the snow under our feet felt much harder to walk on and the ground was obviously frozen. As tempting as the higher hills looked I do wonder if a full set of crampons would have been required to reach some of the peaks we were looking at.
It was really hard then to turn around and head back down the hillside and back to the castle where the rest of the family were waiting for the mini bus to take them back to Edinburgh, but we knew that’s what we had to do.
 Ben Galubin panorama
As I’m writing this journal and getting the photos ready for the website Scotland has had much more snow. It is estimated that between 50 and 80 cms have fallen on some of the highest slopes at the ski centres with plenty more at lower levels too. It’s been one of the harshest winters for many years, which has been great for the ski centres but made travelling on the roads a challenge at times.
It was very hard to leave this idyllic spot. It would be lovely to go back one day and enjoy the surrounding area a bit more the hills looked so tempting especially covered in the snow like they were. Clicking on each picture in the text will enlarge it and allow a better look at the panoramas.
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What a great way to finish off a wonderful few days. What a shame you couldn't have spent longer there.But a little time is better that none
Sherran