DAY 1
In my first hike of 2016, I head to Deeside in Aberdeenshire on another bothy bagging trip. The original plan was to visit 6 bothies starting from Banchory in Deeside and finishing at Crathie in Balmoral. I planned out my route on Google Earth. Things didn't quite go to plan. I couldn't find Shieling of Mark bothy (yet I was so close) this also meant that I couldn't navigate my way to the next place, which would have been Glen Muick. I became stuck in a valley and had to turn back the way I came. My quickest escape route was a climb over Mount Keen (939 m ascent) from Invermark, to follow a path towards Ballater but the Ballater path wasn't clear so I ended up walking 16 miles from the top of Mount Keen to Aboyne (a route that was familiar to me). I did not film this because I was not in the mood after my mistake. During my expidition I passed through Banchory, Aboyne, Glen Esk, Tarfside, Invermark, Loch Lee and climbed Clachnaben, Mount Battock, Hill of Rowan and Mount Keen for a second time. I visited three bothies including Charr, Glen Lee hut and Stables of Lee. I must have walked about 70 miles up and over the hills but failed at my challenge.
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