Long weekend at Cairngorm

Last Saturday was a long weekend. As part of our retreating plan from Scotland, we decide to make good use of all the weekends to see as much of it as possible. And we decided to go to Cairngorm and its surrounding town called Aviemore last week. The weather was the Scottish weather at its best - blue sky, warm sunshine, breezy wind ... You name it, you get it.

We originally planned to take the Funicular up the mountain. However, by the time we settled in the Bed & Breakfast and arrived the funicular station, we have already been too late for the last ride. It has been a long day driving and it would have been disappointing if we had to go back to the hotel immediately. So we decided to walk a little bit. Looking out, Loch Morlick is far down the mountain. It is elegantly sitting between the breath-taking rolling mountains. We have been there once with Kar-Soen and Hedy. There is a stone path in water and one can literally walk on water away from the beach. I took Ashley there last time but she said she has forgotten about it.

For the spectacular sceneries in Scotland, the best is yet to come. So we walked alongside the mountain. Just turn around from a corner, we have the snow ridge right in front of us. It is majestic, grand, huge ... but surprising accessible. It is intimidating but yet welcoming. We feel we can get up there, even with a little girl. We didn't because the sun was starting to set. We had to return home. Bonnie, however, has gratefully decided that we should come back again the next day. Life is full of surprises and this is one of those :)

We went back the next day. Bonnie was leading. Yes, I can tell she is thoroughly enjoying the mountain and the weather. And it is quite a mild path for her. We did not go up to the submit for not having the right hiking gear to walk on snow. However, Ashley has remarkably walked for over 4 hours. She is a strong little girl. For the whole trip, she did not ask me to carry her at all. Wonderful girl she is! Sometimes it leaves me wondering why other parents would rather sit their children in a stroller, which is troublesome for parents and not healthy for children, than ask them to walk more often by themselves. The only economic reason for a stroller is probably for shopping. In the countryside, you do not need a stroller. It is probably why we do not use one anymore.