Papped by a walker!

Bill Anderson was recently papped by a local hillwalker named Stuart McAleese! Stuart got in contact with our secretary Phil so that the beautiful shots could be passed onto Bill.

Photo by local walker Stuart McAleese 

Bill was flying Golf Charlie Delta and spent three glorious hours in the air with some time over Glen Feshie when Stuart got this fantastic shot! 

Bill contacted the photographer to thank him and let him know what he got up to, this is what he said, "I kept being drawn back to into the mountains. I soared the ridges between Loch Eanaich and Cairn Gorm, I was flying in sunlight between the clouds and started to climb gently above the slope of Braeriach can na Criche, maintaining parallel height above the smooth white of the slope to the summit and back down across the snowfield to the entrance of loch Eanaich, a small triumph."

Bill's flight and photograph reminded him of the Nan Shepherd quote “Yet often the mountain gives itself most completely when I have no destination, when I reach nowhere in particular, but have gone out merely to be with the mountain as one visits a friend with no intention but to be with him.” ― Nan Shepherd, Check it out here: The Living Mountain: A Celebration of the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland

Photo by local walker Stuart McAleese 

Phil Hawkins who Stuart passed the photo onto originally also had a great conversation with the walker Stuart. When covid restrictions allow, it looks like we might see Stuart around the gliding club, "Thanks very much for the photos, which I have forwarded to the pilot, Bill Anderson. Very moody clouds in those photos.  I always think the lighting on the underside of the wings is gloriously luminous when there is so much snow on the ground beneath.  Usually, they are in shadow.   I also flew yesterday, for about an hour and a half, and found that conditions were good as long as I managed to dodge the snow showers. 

 During that time I was able to maintain height just under cloud base, which was about 4,500ft above the airfield or 5,300ft above sea level, and I visited Loch Morlich, the strangely deserted ski slopes on Cairn Gorm, then followed the snowy corries over the Lairig Ghru and crossed Glen Einich to approach the airfield from behind the hill.  After that I allowed the glider to drift downwind a little and visited Kingussie and my home at Newtonmore before returning over Glen Tromie and upper Glen Feshie.  I noticed that tiny Loch Nam Bo on the top of the ridge was mostly still frozen.  It did have one area of open water but only about a third of the total.  By that time the snow showers were really massing upwind around Loch an Eilein and Glen Einich, and I decided to land.  Also, my hands and feet were getting very cold!
 
At present, the Club is restricted to members only, no visitors, but I would like to offer you a flight in my glider (which is a 2-seater) later in the year when we are allowed.  If you are interested in seeing the mountains from a new angle just let me know."
 
From a chance photo with a kind walker taking the time to send the fantastic shots in...maybe this will lead to another member! Stuart responded to the emails, "It was so amazing seeing the glider approach, and a nice little wave too...so impressive :-) Wow." 

See you soon Stuart and thanks from everyone at Feshiebridge for the fantastic shot!