This is a good, quick walk form Kingussie for getting some badly needed exercise. I took the bike up as far as the bridge over to Pitmain Lodge and then walked over the hill in an anticlockwise direction. There`s a track all the way back round to the Lodge so there is no need to consider navigation. In parts it`s a road, not that you`ll hear many environmentalists condemn it, for it`s not a wind farm road. Rather, it allows the wealthy to shoot animals or birds. Notice, though,that it cuts through the peat. One letter I read recently implied that this kind of road building is more destructive than logging in Amazonia. Then again, it`s not for reaching wind turbines so it`s all right! I quite enjoyed trudging along it without thinking of where I was.
Here`s the top of the very easily reached "Watcher`s Cairn"-a bit spoiled by the man made intrusion? No, not the plinth but the intrusive windfarm up at Farr! (just about dead centre of the picture).
By about four o`clock this afternoon the shadows are starting to lengthen. The walk round only takes about 3 hours and there`s usually something to see- a couple of small flocks of fieldfares and one larger of about 25 with redwings as well; little coveys of grouse-I noticed at least three threes;a raven;a few hinds and a raptor I thought might be a hen harrier.
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