Back to business as usual this year (Scotland), only with a still-quite-new baby in tow. Which we thought would change everything, and it did in some ways. But there were still friends and family, tea and mince pies, amazing New Year’s Eve curry feast and silly games, and fickle Scottish weather. Oh, and it turns out you can bag three new Munros in winter with a 12-week-old, if conditions are perfect…

Thanks to David, Ruth and possibly some other people for a few of the NYE/Munro photos I’ve nicked (for the purposes of more complete documentation)!

We spent a few days in Blairgowrie. There was a good track beside the River Ericht

Jess enjoyed being out!

Off-road section over local hill, the Knockie

Evening fun

We took the chariot up Mount Blair. The track was rougher and steeper than expected, so much so that we took Jess out shortly after this

So Dave heroically pushed it (with all our kit) to the top anyway!

Brief, windy summit photo

Great views on the run down

More evening fun

Windy walk to Findgask Loch

Bluebell Wood

We then transferred to Crianlarich. Cloudy but dry walk around the community woodland, Drovrers Loop and River Fillan

New Year’s Eve: Jess meets Ellen!

Jess gets lots of attention from everyone

New Year’s Day: sunny, no wind. Persuaded, aided and abetted by Pettits, we went up Beinn Ime

The Cobbler looking amazing (with baby)

Getting higher

Warm work carrying Jess

She made it!

Views from the summit

After that, we decided that Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers (higher, but actually shorter and less ascent) would actually be fairly sensible

My turn to carry this time

Heading from Beinn Ghlas to Lawers

Jess’s first snow!

“Is this her first Munro?” “No, it’s her third actually”

Feeding faff (who doesn’t want their lunch at the highest point of the day?)

More community woodlands: Tyndrum this time, and lunch at the very baby-friendly Artisan Cafe in an old chapel

Cuddles with Daddy

On the old railway above Lochearnhead

Scary encounter (who for?!)

I think we know where she got her hair from.