We rise on Boxing Day to sunshine, blue skies, and a liberal dusting of snow over the hills. Craving some high-level adventure, we get the teenagers winter-suited and booted and meet in the car park of the Cairngorm Mountain ski area. This is Scotland's premier ski resort and everyone has been watching the sky for signs of snow. So it's busy. But most of the crowds are heading towards the funicular railway for the journey up to the Ptarmigan cafe at the top. We're walking – well… it's more than a tenner each way!
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| Trekking up the poma track |
We set off, trudging through deep snow up to the Coire na Ciste ridge. Spindly wooden fences – a Cairngorm trademark – do a great job of stopping the snow and gathering it into powdery drifts.
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| Taking a breather |
Some skiers pass by on their way down, but we can hear the cracks as their skis hit stones just under the surface. The breeze picks up as we get to the top of the ridge. We make shapes against the low winter sun, buffeted by windblown snow.
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| Throwing shapes |
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| Cold and blowy on the ridge |
At the top, before we recharge our batteries with hot soup and chips, we take in the view north – all the way to the sea…
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| Looking north – a perfect sky |
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