Glenshee Winter Games

Ellie was racing up at Glenshee today, had a fabulous drive up Deeside with the sunrise turning Lochnagar a faint pink as we drove past and the Ben a Bhuird and Ben Avon looking fabulously clear as we drove through Braemar.

Glenshee was pretty mobbed and queues were long but I guess on the positive side at least you get a break between runs.

Ellie skied well to complete both runs cleanly and get a few more ranking points and is definitely starting to catch up with the opposition.

Winter Is Here

Winter has most definitely arrived up here.  Last weekend we were up at the Lecht all weekend for the Gordon Skiers Open race weekend with Ellie skiing a slalom race both Saturday and Sunday.  The course was on the Harrier run, the Lechts only black run and one of the steepest race tracks in Scotland.  Success was therefore getting to the bottom in one piece!  Considering she had never even skied the run prior to the race Ellie skied brilliantly.  On Saturday she unfortunately straddled a gate (an occupational hazard!) so was disqualified from the only run that they had.

Sunday was better weather and they managed to get two runs in, Ellie skied both with clean runs and is getting visibly quicker and starting to catch up with the competition.

Here are a few photos.

This weekend has however been a little more frustrating!  Loads of snow at the Lecht and the road closed all weekend!  I guess you have to look on the positive side that at least that means the ski areas have had a serious dump of snow so we should be skiing for a while yet with any luck.  To make up for it Ellie and I went for a walk instead.

On a positive note, there should be loads of snow for next weekend when it is off to Glenshee for two days of racing at the Glenshee Winter Games.

Aonach Mor

Managaed a mornings skiing up at Aonach Mor with Ellie between Xmas and New Year.  Reasonably quiet, only the top Summit run and the Top half of the Goose Gully any good and certainly a few rocks to catch out the unwary in the Goose Gully.

Lovely morning with great views across to Ardnamurchan and Glenfinnan hills with the sun rising and picking out the summits.

Certain skier was very proud in her new Poc helmet : )

Craig Ullian

In order to work off all those cakes some exercise was definitely required so despite it being a very wild day we managed a walk up Craig Ullian with great views over Seil Sound and across Seil Island and over to Mull.

Even managed to avoid the worst of the showers!

New Year Baking

I will be glad to get back to normality after the Christmas / New Year break.  I hate to think how much weight has gone on, mainly due to Julie and Isobels baking!

Here we have in order, Julie's Rudolf Carrot Cake,  Isobel's Beetroot, Chocolate and Raspberry Cake Mark 2 and finally Isobel's Black Forrest Gateau Cupcakes, complete with black cherry syrup filling!

Walk from Seaview to Cuan

This morning was a fabulous cold clear morning with the odd shower around.  We went for a walk from Seaview to Cuan along the shore and then back along the top of the hill.  Fabulous clear views across to the snow covered hills of Mull and along the north coast of Jura to Islay in the distance.  We went with our neighbours the Warnocks and their two boys Callum and Grigor.

Sunset looking up the Sound of Seil to the Atlantic Bridge

Beetroot,Chocolate and Raspberry Cake

Isobels latest creation, beetroot, chocolate and raspberry cake with a muscarpone cream topping, with a little help from her new Xmas baking book from the Primrose Bakery.  Tasted as good as it looked!!

Ski Prep and Boxing Day Walk

Ski prep was first job on the list this morning!  I am pleased to say that Ellie did not sleep in her POC helmet last night, although it was a close thing!  In the end decided not to ski as Glencoe described conditions as Combat Skiing on the only run they had open, hoping Nevis Range may have more on offer tomorrow.

This was followed by a family walk from the T&T , over the top of the hill to the Ardencaple road then back along the coast to Puiladobhrain and back to the T&T.

Xmas Cake

Just a couple of pics of Isobel's Christmas Cake, looks traditional enough on the outside but on the inside is lurking a wonderful lemon curd spongecake!

A little Isobel mouse got to it before I could take the photo, but I guess she did bake it!