INTO THE MOUNTAINS

In September, the old man of the mountains took us back to the Cairngorms. This was either because he really liked the walk the last time we did it, or else he had just forgotten that we had been there before. As I said he is the OLD man of the mountains - and here he is.

Meanwhile Maureen made sure that she was looking at her best before we started the walk into the hills.

The view from the bridge at the start of the walk. This may be the 3rd time I have shown this photo in recent walks, but it is a nice view.

Pam shows that she has mastered the art of getting dressed by herself - or at least with a little help from Maureen.

And here she is with her jacket neatly tied around her waist. Well done.

Further on, Susan gets caught having a sly gin.

As we got higher up we were astonished to see this collection of brightly coloured boxes.

Closer up we could see that they were beehives! The lids were clearly heavy and one or two of the bees didn't quite make it inside the hive before the lid came down. You could say they were b flat.

Maureen tells Sharon a hair-raising story - I only hope it wasn't about marriages or grandchildren!

Speaking of which, I'm all for that.

Off into the wilds.

Wild but nice as well.

Getting a bit strung out among the pines.

The view to Mordor,

The Hobbits.

Bilbo and Froddo.

Another wardrobe malfunction for Pam.

A group photo near the top, or at least as far as we were going to go.

On the way down  I sat on a tree and felt as though I was being watched by an elf or other woodland sprite.

However, it was only Susan, so we gathered everyone around and used the same tree for the final group photo of the walk.

Thanks to Dave and Sandra for taking us on the walk which was most enjoyable and a bit more wild than most that we do and all the better for that.

BREAD AND CIRCUSES

The August - and that's the month. not the walk itself - was from Findhorn to Roseisle and then on to Burghead. At least that was the plan. It didn't quite work out like that.

The day started very bright and warm and Pam and Sharon caught some rays waiting for the others to arrive. It gives a whole new meaning to a table-ender.

Once we all arrived were soon on our way into the deep blue yonder.

Then onto the beach and striding out.

It was almost continental - even Dave looked a little Greek, walking with his hand in his pocket pondering the fall of the Euro.

Pam, Jacque and Sandra were too busy talking to see John Stonehouse disappear over their shoulders.

A very large duck in the sand.

A short stop where Sharon picked up even more nuts.

You had to be there!

It always amazes me how far the Dinosaurs have come - and here is a picture to illustrate that.

Another stop in the sun. Notice that Jimmy is not in this photo.

The reason is that he had been up to something fishy.

Dave seemed a little unsure as to the freshness of the mackerel. How right he was - you could say the fish was the high point of the day.

However, that just made us all hungry, so it was time to stop at Roseisle for our barbecue in the woods. While people prepared luncheon, Jimmy sat under a tree and sulked that no-one had appreciated his close relationship with a fish.

Indeed he moaned so much about our lack of appreciation that Jacque looked as if she might murder him - indeed, from the look of her hands she might already have done so.

Man he make fire!

Sharon, in her professional capacity, decides Dave and Pam are not to be trusted with a naked flame and food.

Sandra, meanwhile shows a remarkable degree of sophistication in having brought a bottle of wine to have with her luncheon. As one does.

Unfortunately the sophistication did not last too long!

Once a gym teacher, always a gym teacher. Dave decided that we should all play some games after lunch and he taught us all a relatively simple ball game that had few rules and 2 teams. What fun!

It all started sedately enough, although not too elegantly.

However, Dave had reckoned without the competitive nature of women of a certain age. I actually took these photos having had to retire due to a blood injury. 

You can see here how Pam and Jacque closed in for the kill.

And here it is!

It only got worse.........

......and worse.

And so we abandoned the rest of the walk - mainly because we were too knackered after all that running and jumping, or because were injured. It was back to Findhorn for a cosmic experience at the Foundation cafe.

We had all made friends again after the tooth and claw of Dave's simple ball game and here is the proof in the group photo.

We had such a good time with the barbecue, that we have decided to do the same walk, with barbecue, for the foreseeable future at the same time of year. Mayhem on the playing field will be optional, but anyone who doesn't  take part will be stigmatised for some time to come.

Thanks to Susan and Robin for a good idea and thanks to Dave I will be scarred for life - mentally and physically.