Champagne and supernoodles

I can't believe that's us been married for a whole year now! On the one hand, time's flown by but when I look back at everything we've done since moving back to Scotland and getting married there's been a lot of adventures.

We decided this weekend would be just for us and no running, biking or swimming. I also sort of thought that, being May, it would be gloriously warm. Oops. We drove up to the Cairngorm ski centre after work on Friday night and took our backpacks (with lightweight sleeping bags, minimal clothing, supernoodles and other essentials like champagne) and hiked off into Coire an Sneachda (apparently you pronounce the sneachda bit like trek??). We started to climb the goat track, with the aim of getting over to the other side and camping in the Lochan basin. However, it was blowing a gale and absolutely freezing. I don't think trying to walk up the scree particularly helped (the path was hidden by it being night-time and dark).

So we turned round and put our tent up in the corrie. I was really glad to get inside it as I was sure it was going to blow away while we were putting it up. I think that night was possibly the coldest I've ever been in a tent. I must have looked like I was mummified as I was wearing two buffs and a hat over head / face. The 'romantic' adventure almost ended there with thoughts of bailing out and going back to Aviemore for a chippy. Happily, in the morning it didn't seem so bad and hiking up the steep goat track almost made me warm. The hailstones reassured me that I wasn't just being a wimp and it was indeed, a little bit nippy for May.

I'd commented the night before that some people go to places like Marbella for their honeymoon or anniversary, where it's all warm and sunny and stuff. So Neil was very happy to be able to point out the beach to me. He even took a picture of it and tried to cut out a lot of the snow further up the hill!

We walked down to the Shelter Stone and put up our tent, choosing to ignore the fact that our romantic wilderness was full of people with the same idea. Instead we had a really lovely relaxing day with champagne and a walk by the loch and a LOT of sleeping. I think my body really needed a bit of rest after a busy week of time trials, swimming and sprinting. Life all seemed deliciously simple as the only options revolved around whether to sleep, eat more couscous or go another wee walk. Bliss!

We stayed there on Saturday night then walked back on Sunday morning, going over the bleak and snow-covered landscape of the Cairngorm plateau. Definitely a lovely adventure for our 1st anniversary, with hopefully many more to come!