After the rather exhausting “warm-up” hike around Beinn Ghlas, we all got up to Aviemore, with the plan to spend the Sunday going up another couple of Munros. I was just too tired though so while my sister and her boyfriend Dave did just that, I spent the day in Aviemore.
It was a good job I did as I realised the soles were falling off my over-worn boots, and they probably would not have lasted much longer. It took me half a day, but I managed to find a place that sold my size of Salomon 4 GTX walking boots so I could then spend the next half a day on a more gentle hike up one of the hills around town (and practicing with my new drone! :D).
On that subject, if anyone is looking for new walking boots, these boots from Salomon are super good. I was worried about blisters and breaking them in considering I planned on starting a journey through the Cairngorms on the Monday. But no, no problems at all. Very comfortable, didn’t take long to get used to, waterproof and… no real blisters over the next 100km of hiking. Been using them ever since with walks along muddy river trails and they are wonderful.
And the hike up above Aviemore was just a perfect way to get into them and prepare for the week ahead.