Skiving off early on a Friday - Black Isle and Cairngorms 16 April 2015

I’ve found a good way to skive off early on a Friday – offer to take your boss for a flight. 16 April 2015

(All photos in this post by Richard or Ros Gale)

I had planned to take a friend with me on an evening flight after work on Friday. Unfortunately he cancelled due to a last minute emergency. So with a spare seat I spoke to Richard my boss (and coincidentally also a friend) and asked if he wished to come. A keen photographer, he was delighted to get the chance to go over the Cairngorms in the fine weather we had been having of late and asked if Ros, his wife, could also come. Well there was plenty of room and as an aside it meant that Ros would arrive around 3 so we would be able to get away early

We got to the airport for 1600 and were airborne by 1630. My plan was to fly up to the Black Isle then to Beauly and return via Lochnagar to Montrose and Stonehaven. This would give Richard and Ros the chance to view and photograph a range of landscapes. Although Aberdeen was clear there was low cloud (base around 4000ft) over the Cairngorms and on the 1st part of our route out past Insch to Nairn. Staying at 3000ft for the 1st part of the trip we cleared the cloudy are as we reached the coast and transited with Inverness Approach over to the Black Isle which was in glorious sunshine. It was just a month since I was last here though I was then at Sea Level in my Kayak with Zoe Newsam. It was fun to see the same land/seascape from our now lofty position.

Airborne from Aberdeen

Tap O Noth Hill Fort Rhynie

Oh look Windfarm with nothing turning - how much is this costing?

Richard and Ros were a little quiet so I asked if they were OK to discover that they were thoroughly enjoying themselves snapping away. The reason for their lack of chatter simply being their absorption in the photographic opportunities. Earlier in the week Richard had been reading a photography magazine that recommended using manual rather than autofocus for the sharpest of shots. Throughout the flight he left the lens on autofocus and was now discovering that manual was indeed a better option as some of his shots were lost by the camera focusing on ZV’s window rather than the landscape below!

 

Rigs awaiting work - Cromarty Firth

 

Chanonry Point and Fort George - I was Kayaking here with Zoe just a month ago

We headed to Beauly from the black Isle and in order to clear the Cairngorms I climbed to 4500 ft before heading to Lochnagar. We transited to Lochnagar via Ben Avon but just as reached Lochnagar we entered cloud. I decided that certain terrain clearance being better than a good photo! Unsurprisingly Richard and Ros concurred. We were in cloud for only 30 seconds or so but we did mis the chance to get good views of Lochnagar. Having said that we did get plenty of other great views as we continued South East towards Glen Clova and Forfar.

Inverness

Loch Ness

Cairngorms - Low cloud becomes a problem

Leaving the Cairngorms, heading towards Forfar

Emerging from the mountains We headed to Montrose to rejoin the Aberdeen Zone via the Stonehaven lane rather than the more direct Loch of Skene route. I chose this route as it offers excellent views of the coast and Aberdeen Harbour and as our clearance was ‘not above 1000ft’ it would give Richard and Ros the chance to get some good shots.

Another one - stationary again!

Aberdeen Harbour

Ships off Aberdeen

Although there was a lot of commercial traffic inbound to Aberdeen we were fed into the visual circuit without delay and landed in glorious sunshine at 1840 hrs. This was a most enjoyable flight. It was a great pleasure to have along 2 passengers so thrilled by the journey that Richard said later it was ‘the perfect start to the weekend – just what I needed after a tough few days’. Indeed Richard has made it quite plain that they would both love to go up again. So at the next available opportunity I am planning on taking Richard and Ros for a flight along the Moray Coast.