Day 8 The End

First of all packing up.




Then Eamon had a bit of work to do loading the coach.


Then after the usual 'I've forgotten to hand my key in' and 'I just need to check my room again' we set off at 9.30 am heading south in beautiful sunshine.



One more last stop in Moffat for lunch in the park and last minute souvenirs before arriving back in Bingley just after 6.00 pm.


I'd just like to thank all the people involved in organising the holiday, I'm sure everyone enjoyed it and all the volunteers who led the walks, without you we couldn't do it. Thanks to Eamon from JAK Travel for looking after us and driving us there safely.
An extra special thank you goes to Ray, who against all odds managed to book the week when the sun shone most of the time! Well done Ray.


So that's it for this year, see you all next year in Tenby hopefully,don't forget to book early!

Day 7 Part 6 Fochabers to Buckie

This is what you think of when you think of the River Spey, fly fishing.

As we set off on the final part of the walk on a beautiful sunny morning our thoughts turned to the sea as the final part was along the coast to Buckie. But first a few problems with the path as there were diversions in place due to the instability of the river bank.

At last the party regrouped and had a short drink stop at the widest point of the river. You can tell it was hot, Derek took his coat off!!

We had our lunch at the beach at Tugnet where the Spey meets the sea.

After lunch there were a few more problems with the route and people getting lost but nothing too serious. We met up with Eamon again, saw seals at Port Gordon and eventually arrived at Buckie with 15 minutes to spare for taking photos of the Speyside Seven. Its good when the driver does part of the walk with you. you don't have to spend time finding the coach at the end. Well done Eamon, I hope you enjoyed it!

Seven people completed the whole walk in the week and Ray and Jackie finished the walk having done the first part some time earlier.

Back at the hostel two large school parties arrived with the comment 'I thought youth hostels were for young people'! Jean soon set them right telling them of our achievements during the week. They were going up the mountain on the funicular, Jean had walked up.

Almost the end of a most enjoyable week's walking in an area I had never visited before.

Day 6 Part 5 Craigellachie to Fochabers

13 miles and 1100 ft of climbing put some people off before we started especially as there was an alternative walk on the Dufftown spur that took in a visit to a distillery! But actually the climbing was very steady at first on a track through a wood with distant glimpses of the Spey. I don't think my mind was on photos today so no views but a few unusual things instead.

The last 5 miles of the walk was along a minor

road with a small amount of traffic which was a bit of a shame. The unusual named hamlet of Ordiequish is a centre for mountain bike trails through the forests.

The walk finished in Fochabers which is badly in need of the by-pass currently under construction. The main road cuts the town in half. There weren't many shops but there were two butchers shops, one on each side of the road!

We were cooking our own evening meals at the hostel and tonight's was the bargain of the week, a cooked whole chicken reduced to £1.00 in Tesco and it was still warm by the time I'd walked back to the hostel, can't beat that!

Day 5 Part 4 Cragganmore to Craigellachie

The full walk was 12 miles today but some people took a shorter option of 9 miles. Easy going walk along disused railway tracks so no climbing and plenty of lovely wild flowers to look at. There weren't many on the longer walk today as some had taken the opportunity to go up the Cairngorm mountain, either on the funicular or walking up. I would have liked to walk up myself but having come here with the intention of walking the whole of the Speyside Way I wasn't about to be put off.

We were in real whisky country now and passed several distilleries, some in use and some

mothballed for future use . We had our lunch stop at a small village called Carron

and managed to find a train for Alan to drive!

Further along the line we met up with Eamon walking to meet us and then had an afternoon tea stop at Aberlour Speyside Way visitor centre.

As we approached Craigellachie we caught glimpses of the Telford Bridge in the distance.

The other party had reached the end just before us and some were having refreshment in the pub whilst others were just relaxing in the sunshine at the end of the walk!

There was just time to have a look in an amazing wool shop selling very unusual yarns and beautiful knitted garments before catching the coach back to Aviemore.

You might think that was enough walking for one day but I had decided to explore the nature reserve at the back of the hotel and hostel so I dropped off my rucksack and set off just after 6.00 pm. Two hours, 3 miles and 493 metres climbing later I returned having seen some stunning views.

Day 4 Part 1 Aviemore to Nethy Bridge

Eamon's day off so it was easier to do part 1 today using public transport to get back at the end of the walk. Eamon decided to join us on the walk to see what we all get up to.

I didn't manage to find an official start of the walk so took a photo of the map showing the first three parts. One or two spots of rain as we set off but that soon cleared and the sun shone brightly the rest of the day.

We had a lunch stop at Boat of Garten where some people finished and returned on the bus or went to visit the RSPB Osprey cemtre at Loch Garten. The walk continued along a cycle track and through the Abernethy Forest National Nature Reserve.

We caught the service bus back from Nethy Bridge at great speed and were back in no time at all. Plenty of time for shopping, cups of tea and buns and writing postcards, all of which I did.

Later in the evening most of the people in the hostel went to the hotel for a quiz night followed by a trip to the pub for a night cap. I preferred to read my book and have a hot chocolate....must be my age!!

Day 3 Part 3 Cromdale to Cragganmore

After breakfast in the hostel which was more or less the same each day, fruit juice, cereal, peaches, yoghurt, toast, croissants, cheese, ham, jam, tea or coffee, we were treated to a display by the red squirrel who also dropped in for breakfast.

I took a short

walk after breakfast as the sun was shining brightly and checked out the adjacent Catholic church, what a splendid view with the Cairngorm mountain

range in the

distance.

A few people missing this morning as the delights of

Nairn and Inverness tempted them away from the main walk.

We started in Cromdale walking along a disused railway track past the station building, now a private home.

It was a beautiful sunny morning and we thought we were in for another easy stroll but we soon discovered that the Speyside Way doesn't always follow the river and we climbed up much higher with only distant views of the Spey. The walk was quite varied with woods and hills and streams but most people felt it was more like 11 miles than the 9 we had been promised.

It was a day for stiles today and we seemed to pass through at least 99 of these or could it have been 199? If you counted them let me know! They were very well designed stiles that were easy to negotiate. If we had to climb over them all we would probably still be there now!

We stopped for lunch by a stream and it was good to get the boots off and refresh my feet in the cool water.

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Day 2 Part 2 Nethy Bridge to Cromdale

I know we are supposed to start with part 1, but when did CHA ever do anything simple! All will be revealed in due course.

We had been entertained at breakfast by some very large rabbits running around the grounds and a tantalising glimpse of a red squirrel running up a tree. The people in the hostel had to either walk up to the hotel to catch the coach in the morning or wait at the end of the road to be picked up. I walked up and soon everyone piled on to the coach eager to start the walk.

It was a bit drizzly as we set off from Nethy Bridge but it was pleasant walks on tracks most of the way to Granton-on-Spey where we were greeted with music to sing along to blaring through loud speakers in the street and a parade of vintage wagons and tankers. After a lunch stop the track led us through the ancient Caledonian forest. As the day progressed the weather improved and that was the last time we had to wear our coats, It just got better and better. The rain overnight had fallen as snow on the Cairngorms and the best skiing season they had ever had was extended into June.

We finished the walk in Cromdale and were back in Aviemore for 5.00 pm. Plenty of time for shopping at Tesco or just relaxing in the hostel with tea and carrot cake. In the evening Jean taught a few of the hostelers a dice game while I read my book. The hostel had the advantage of plenty of communal rooms that the hotel lacked and was much more relaxing but of course the people in the hotel had lovely spacious bedrooms with ensuite baths and had their meals prepared for them. You win some. you lose some!

Day 1 The Journey

This is a personal account of my holiday.

Here we go again, off on another walking holiday with Bradford CHA Walking Club. This time to Aviemore to walk the Speyside Way. Some people stayed in the hotel but I opted for the cheaper option of the Aviemore YHA set in woodland and close to a nature reserve.

The party consisted of 39 people on the coach and Rita's sister Janet who travelled up by train from the deep south!

We left Bradford at 9.00 am and apart from a lengthy traffic jam south of Glasgow we had a good journey up arriving just after 7.00 pm. The hostel was spacious and comfortable but it was rather cosy in the ladies dormitory as all 6 of us were in one room! However once we got our luggage under control and got ourselves organised it wasn't too bad apart from being much too hot at night

Everyone made their own arrangemants for a meal, some choosing to go out and others cooking what they had brought with them. Then just time for a quick look around in the rain before bed. Sheila had been chatting up the hostel mananger and we were treated to an enormous carrot cake that was sitting in the fridge just waiting to be eaten.