Hazlehead Academy

 Hill Walking Club Reaches New Heights
Five members of the Hillwalking club led by Mr Webster and Mr McConnell undertook their second hike and bike expedition last weekend. The group loaded the bikes and expedition kit onto the school bus and mountain bike trailer after school on Friday and set off to the Linn of Dee arriving at 7pm. From there the group cycled 5km to Derry Lodge where, in challenging conditions, they set up camp for the night. By sunrise the conditions had improved and after breaking camp and storing the mountain bikes, trailers and camping equipment in the mountain rescue post the group commenced its ascent of Meall an Lundain (777m/2550ft). By the time the group returned to the mountain rescue post the sun was shining and everyone enjoyed the cycle back to the bus.

Hill Walking Club Reaches New Heights
Three pupils from the Hillwalking club led by Mr Webster and accompanied by Mr McConnell undertook a Hillwalking expedition with a difference. The group packed all their kit into the MTB Club’s new mountain bike expedition trailers and cycled into Derry Lodge where they camped overnight. The following Saturday the group stored their bikes and trailers at the mountain rescue post and ascended Derry Cairngorm (1155m/3789ft) and Ben Macdui (1309m/4294ft) Scotland’s second highest mountain on foot. Upon their return to Derry Lodge the group hitched the trailers onto the bikes and enjoyed the descent back to the bus – certainly better than walking out on weary feet!   (Click on the images below for a larger view.)

Hill Walking Club - Glenshee Trip
The second Sunday in May saw a very successful trip to Glen Shee for the Hillwalking Club. 4 pupils and two staff joined Mr Webster on the Munros Carn Aosda and Carn Gheoidh in a five hour round. Stuart and Lewis navigated us around the tops in a variety of weather conditions including some snow showers proving that even in May you need your waterproofs and woolly hat. Mainly, however, we had glorious sunshine and fantastic views of the Cairngorms. (Click on the images below for a larger view.)

Hill Walking Club - Carn an t-Sagairt Mor Trip
With a good forecast and more than a sprinkling of snow in the Upper Dee Valley, the hillwalkers headed for Creag nam Ban, or the Witch's Hill (527m) yesterday. The hilltop is reputed to be the site of the burning of Kittie Rankin, whose ghost now haunts Abergeldie Castle which lies at the foot of the hill.  No sign of any ghosts on the summit, however; it was far too windy for that! Stuart and Andrew did all the navigating across to Sgorr na Iolaire where we had difficulty standing up, the wind was that strong! On down into the woods where we saw deer and built a snow man. Then it was back to Flora's for tea and medals. A good introduction to the winter season. Time now for a winter skills session before tackling some of the bigger hills next term.

Hill Walking Club - Carn an t-Sagairt Mor Trip

A report by Lewis Eden of S3 on the hill walk - Saturday 27th September.

The Group left the school just after eight in the morning and headed out to towards the car park at Invercauld, reaching the car park just before ten. We got kitted up and set off at a good pace until we reached the bothy and had our first lunch.

The route Mr Webster had intended to go was shut due to a deer cull, so we had to cross a stream and climb up the mountain walking through the heather which was difficult in my opinion. When we were about nine hundred meters above sea level on Carn an t-Sagairt Beag we stopped and had second lunch facing away from then the weather!

As we climbed higher the weather worsened and we were walking through the clouds. It was raining and with strong winds of about 30-40 mph so the rain felt like hailstones. Once we reached the top of Carn an t-Sagairt Beag we had to decide what way to go, either up to the summit of Carn an t-Sagairt Mor or back down to the bus. Eight of the twelve of us wanted to go up to the summit so up we all went. We reached the top and Mr Webster shook everyone’s hands for reaching the top.  

As we descended, we saw the wing, and other parts of an aeroplane. It was parts of a bomber used as a training plane until the 1950s when it crashed while on a night exercise. All the pieces where spread over the mountain. We carried on walking for about half an hour before we reached the bothy and we had our third lunch! When we got back to the minibus, it was about quarter to five after walking for almost seven hours. (despite all those lunch stops?) Then most of us took off our waterproofs and walking shoes and settled down for the return to school – a great day out.


Hill Walking Club - Glentanar Trip