This is a piece of nonsense about a story that’s told of the high Cairngorms. A number of people have apparently had "experiences" on and around Beinn MacDhui, which some have linked to psychic phenomena, yeti-like creatures, religious entities, and so on. It’s not clear whether anyone has ever actually seen anything. The author Affleck Gray has produced a book on the subject, which makes for interesting reading if you fancy following this up. I’m not going to pronounce on the matter - like Flying Saucers or the Loch Ness Monster, it has its supporters and its detractors. One thing is certain; the area is wild and vast, and I love it. I have sometimes walked there alone - but then, the weather has generally been clear....
We were privileged to be friends with Irvine Butterfield, and this song was a favourite of his. Irvine was lifelong president of the Crochallan Mountaineering Club, as well as holding a number of other positions in the world of the outdoors. Sadly, he passed away at no very great age in 2009, but he is well remembered and highly regarded, and to our club he will always be "El Presidente". His book, "The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland", remains the definitive guide to the 3000-foot summits, and his work as a photographer and conservationist lives on. |
