Corrie Fee

Another sunny day for us to go on an adventure. We had checked ahead for the weather and, even though it was a shorter walk today, it looked like a stable, if blustery day ahead. Setting out north of Dundee, we took the main road to Aberdeen before heading in past Kirriemuir. The scenery of tree-lined roads, open fields, some gone to meadow and the sun pouring in was really breathtaking. After about 45 minutes on the road, we began to move onto single file roads entering closer into Glen Clova and seeing all the evidence of the Cairngorm range looming ahead of us.

This was Amaloh's first trip out with us and the first proper trip into the mountains. His harness is fitted with a little light but I am going to get him something that will protect him from the elements as he certainly hates being wet. He was calm in the car ride the whole time with Cooper singing in the background for the first leg of the car journey. When we pulled up at the Glen Doll ranger centre, he was able to get out and stretch his legs while we read up on the signs and had a comfort break at the facilities.  

It has been amazing to see the changes in vegetation and greenery on the walks the past couple of months. Above you can see the lush ferns with the leaves getting ready to cover the path sides all over Scotland and to become the home to many a tick! On our walk through the woods, as we neared the path that took us over the lip of the corrie, we saw among the heather some little fresh blaeberries, the young growths of fruit that will be bitterly abundant all over in a few months. If you remember, Ben Vrackie was a little too early for berries to be out yet.

The path through the woods follows a forestry access road which ends and turns into a footpath through the pine trees. At this point, the path gets a slightly steeper gradient as you climb up into the corrie valley, but the view when you enter is incredible. We were met with this naturally huge amphitheatre and with a facefull of wind coming down from the valley itself. Clouds were racing over head and the sun was warming our backs.

We headed past the almost drumlin-like knolls and huge rock falls, past meandering streams between boggy areas up the path towards the waterfalls. By this point, we had only seen one other person, so it felt like a private showing of the valley just for us. (It was only about 9.30am at this point, we do like an early start).

Once we arrived at the falls, we could look down the valley to see Craig Mellon on the right, Mayar, and Driesh on the right. These mountains hemmed us in on all sides but made for a great lunchtime view.

Here is the recipe for the vegan samosa that we had on our walk. These were a great carb hit to keep us walking, tidy to pack and easy to eat! If you put in the effort, you will be rewarded. Ingredients: Dough

• 170ml almond milk
• 4 TB oil
• 1 TB apple cider vinegar
• 350g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt

• 2 large sweet potatoes diced into 1.5cm chunks
• 2 TB ghee/oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 golden beet, diced (optional)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 TB fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• Juice of a lemon
• 100g frozen peas

To prepare the dough, Mix the wet ingredients together and add about 200g of the flour, curry powder, baking powder, and salt. Begin to mix until it is smooth. Add the rest of the flour slowly until a ball forms. Chill while you make the filling.

Cook the potato in a pot until easily pricked with a knife, around 15-20 mins.

Fry the onion in a large pot with the cumin, onion, carrots, beet, and salt until the onion is translucent, 15 mins. Add the ginger, garlic and spices with the lemon juice and saute for another couple of minutes. Mix with the drained potatoes and mash. Add the peas and mix well.

Prepare the oven to 200 Celsius. Roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured surface and use a circular object to cut out small circles. Stretch these out and stuff with a couple of teaspoons of the filling. We added a little mango chutney into the corner of each, like a traditional Cornish pastry.

Using wet fingers, seal the samosa by folding an end over into a half circle.

Set onto a greaseproof paper-lined dish and lightly brush with oil.

Bake for 15 mins, flip and bake for 8 more minutes until lightly browned.

This was meant to be our breakfast in the car, but the narrow country roads got the better of us, so we had it a wee bit later! Chia Pudding Recipe

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 TB coconut oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup frozen cherry
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberry
• 5 TB chia seeds

Blend everything together in a mixer and pour into a container. Store in the fridge overnight.

Someone clearly appreciated the chia pudding!

Even though the dogs did drink from streams, when we began our ascent, the heat really started to build. Luckily, we had collapsable cups with us that didn't take up much pack room to give them a drink, as you can see Cooper enjoying below.

We hiked up the edge of the waterfall, off the path and up the scramble of rock. Daria and the dogs stayed a little further down as I went a little higher to get closer to the water. There were birch saplings and very slippery granite rocks to climb with, but it was a bit precarious. This is when I was rewarded by a waterfall generated rainbow.

The corrie formation can be seen quite well from this vantage up at the waterfall and Daria has captured it wonderfully. During the Ice Age, when this was a glacial area, this corrie was undergoing a transformation with the back wall being plucked, the base being abraded and a glacier rolling down into the valley to meet the others. I suspect where the meandering stream is now, may once have been a lake, as is usual in corrie formations, that has silted in. It is also really boggy down there! You can see the hummocks before the tree line of the corrie lip and the moraine deposits.

Meditation

A powerful part of meditation for me is creating an image of sanctuary in my mind. This is a place I can call on whenever I need to feel a sense of wellbeing and calm during stressful times. It is a place I can go inside me, using my senses to populate the images. Whatever sense is the most active, usually makes for the strongest bridge back. So, next time you are somewhere that seems so beautiful. Pause. Deepen your breath and connect to it with all of your senses. What is the smell in the air? What does it feel like where you are sitting? Is there light on your skin? Is there a feeling of wind touching your skin? Are there tastes in the air? What does it look like? How does it make you feel? Gather up all of this information and save it. Create a bridge in your mind to this place of natural beauty and know that it is waiting for you, just a breath away.

Wrap up about next video for trash pick up

Of course, with an incline we had to take some time to stretch our hips, hammies and quads. So, some kilted yoga was necessary.

Our Vlog is ready for our trip to Corrie Fee with the usual laughs, stories and amazing locations that you can expect! Make sure you subscribe for more of these and our other yoga videos

All the photos taken by Daria Wall

New pack by Osprey

Kilt by 21st Century Kilt in Grassmarket Tartan.