What a morning to wake up to! A blaze of orange across a blue sky signalled the approaching dawn before the red disc of the morning sun gradually pulled itself above the hills in the east. After a cold night and with barely a breeze, the pinewoods stretched out below our camp spot were threaded with low-lying mist that caught the morning rays.
Sometimes you just get lucky. A perfect sunrise and a perfect spot from which to enjoy it.
We'd walked there the day before from the train at Carrbridge through springtime woods where frogs croaked from the pools and birds practiced their singing voices again. Our walk took us across the steep arch of the Sluggan Bridge which spans the River Dulnain on the route of General Wade's military road. Beyond here, birch woods gave way to Scots pines which in turn gave way to juniper scrubland.
Out here we found a high shelf of flat turf, like some sort of glacial leftover. A perfect spot for the tents. It had a view over the woods to the east framed by the Cromdale Hills and a distant Ben Rinnes. Although we were beyond the trees, there were a surprising number of birds singing, including a robin and a song thrush. They filled the dusk air before darkness crept in then a thousand stars filled the night sky. We lay with our tent doors open, gazing up at them. In March, the nights are shortening and there won't be many more starry skies until winter returns.
After the beautiful sunrise, we walked up onto the open moors, taking in a small, heather-clad hill, Sguman Mor, before dropping down into the valley of the River Dulnain. We sauntered back to Carrbridge through woods and open meadows where toads were on the move and curlews displayed overhead. It had been a fine couple of days to be alive and to be out in the hills.
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