Circuit of Coire nan Cat & Fathers Day

A weekend of hiking, pancakes and a simple Gooseberry compote. Also share my first short Munro video.

View from the campsite

There wasn't much cooking over the weekend, other than freezer finds. A veggie bean chilli, whose recipe I wish I could remember, was fished out for an overnight stay in the van. It was served with a rice pouch, making for very little fuss and no need to go outside. It poured down all the way up the winding A84, a main artery north. A couple of Belgian motorbikers on tour had to shake their arms out as they were going. Probably cold and sore from holding their arms in the handlebar position. Welcome to Scotland!

Rice and Chilli

It was so grim I couldn't believe we were thinking of hiking the next day. I even mentioned the words ‘we can always just read in the morning and head back’.

It was dry when we woke, misty. At least I managed to get the roof down pseudo dry, and we were at the car park just after 8. Deliberately early doors for a walk that was specified as 7-10 hours! Keen to claim as much of it in the dry. The forecast was giving us mixed messages. So, armed with our winter gear, our rucksacks bore heavy. We headed down the road.

Circuit of Coire nan Cat

Three Munros: Meall Greigh, Meall Garbh, and An Stùc as part of the circuit. The first 500m down the road before the route starts, I felt tired. Then something about the greenery, a path into the unknown, a bird leading us on through trees, and it became restorative. The rhythm of the walk starts, the legs warm up, and the heart starts to soar. The birds were giving their full-on Pavarotti impressions. The sun catching the dew on the meadows with the buttercups in contrast... then a feeling that the cloud might lift.

Once we cleared the trees and had gone on for another half hour, visibility started to change. There were snatches of landscape. Heads of sheep that could only be heard moments ago. Trees started to appear in the distance and then the green of the distant hills. The sun had arrived... and we were roasting with our layers.

As circuits go, this one was a treat. The views were picture-perfect. We'd bagged number one just after 10, the second by 12, and the third by 12:30. As my son heard, he texted "Warriors!" back to us with the news, and we felt like it as well. The book describes An Stùc as a tough scramble, difficult in the rain! I'd really worked myself up for it, to the point of worry. It was hard, yet we’ve tackled harder hills that didn't have that much scary text.

Down was a little tough. Seemed to drop about 500m with very little distance. Threw the Garmin out, with a message that we were 1km away from the path, which only seemed to right itself once we'd got around the lochan.

We made it back to the car park just as the rain started, 7 hours or so. A great walk and a sense of achievement as we knocked 3 more off the tally and chalked up 10 miles on the step counter.

Finding dinner was the next challenge. Too soon for it now at 4pm, although I immediately finished off a pack of salted nuts and an apple in quick succession. The smiddy down the road, a farm shop we like, didn't hit the mark. A Brewster's Fayre gastro pub down the road wouldn't take us in due to a coach party that had pre-booked. We knew! We'd just run in from the car park to beat them, but it didn't work. Back on the road, hungry, we headed back to Edinburgh.

We target the Stable Bar, right next to the campsite on the outskirts of town, and so the prices seem to stay in line with those folks who want a treat without busting the bank. Usually, booking isn't necessary. The courtyard was in full sun. A cold beer as we wait, Haddock and Chips. Sun, food. Life is good, and I'm ignoring my body seizing up.

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Gooseberry Pancakes

Sunday morning and the kitchen has the vibe of a small rave. The tunes of an 18 year old in the background as he’s completely left to his own devices on the hob. I’m being treated to breakfast pancakes for fathers day. From start to finish I’m standing back. The control freak in me screaming internally!

Both boys home, one from university who seems to keep San Francisco hours. He's interrupted his sleep pattern for a brief interlude. A rare sighting of the lesser spotted university student pre 10am. I'm surprised he's not wearing sun glasses to save his eyes from this thing called daylight.

It's all in jest and I'm pleased to just sit there with the only decision to make is the topping on my pancake. There are some stewed gooseberries from the freezer. I'm ashamed to say they were last years batch. I'd been saving them to go with a cheesecake but never getting round to it. They are taken out at the last minute warmed through in the microwave. I spread some out, a little Greek yoghurt to smooth out the sour, roll and devour. The taste unusual in a pancake, good all the same and I'm taken back to my grandad’s back yard and his row of gooseberry bushes that used to be bigger than me.

Back in the room I can argue my cause for putting this years berries in the freezer for next years father day.

Amazingly the bushes in the garden still have their leaves. I'd seen a couple of caterpillars nibbling away, the dreaded saw fly....but this year I think the birds have kept them at bay. The trees I’d planted on the side perhaps providing more cover from the cats. In some kind of virtuous re-wilding circle. The harvest always seems to coincide with our holiday plans so they will need to go in the freezer anyway.

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Gooseberries - an easy compote

• gooseberries - 500g

• caster sugar - 2 tbsp

• Water - 1 tbsp

Top and tail the gooseberries and rinse. Tip them into a stainless steel pan with the sugar and water, stir through. Bring to a bubble on the heat. Cover with a lid. Keep an eye on it with a shuggle here and there to stop the fruit sticking, 5 mins or so till the fruit has broken down.

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I'm aiming to be more fluid with my writing and a more frequent poster. The longer I leave it, or try for perfection the harder it becomes to post! This is the scribble, the ebb and flow of a cook with a bit of adventure thrown in.. Gooseberries are about to come into season, if you can get your hands on some they are great in a crumble. My grandad’s favourite in a short crust pie with custard.....and for me a topping on ice cream.