Sunday: Midsummer’s Day. Warm; sometimes very warm. Quick breakfast and a call at the Co-op and Delicatessen by Dot, plus booking at the Indian by me. Then to Spittal of Glenmuick, which was fairly busy, but no trouble finding a parking space. Had a bite to eat, then to visitors’ centre, where Dot recorded birdsong. We then walked down to the beach at the end of the loch, which a family of eastern descent had mistaken for Bombay beach. So a bit noisy. Amy and I had gone on ahead, but Dot eventually made it: she said she found it easier walking on her own because was still hampered by pain in her leg. I went back a bit to accompany her on the last bit to the bridge, while Amy explored a bit more.

Views very good: Lochnagar totally clear. Amy and I went ahead on the return trip, and after going to the loo walked up to the ruins of an old settlement near a stream. Amy nearly trod on an adder. Got back to visitors’ centre at as Dot arrived: she was in conversation with a woman who also had leg problems. Then drove home and rested. Went to Indian at 7pm and had a good meal. I was mistaken for Jeremy Corbyn, which is a first. Very jolly waiters in the restaurant. Nice atmosphere. Walked home very tired indeed – over 11,000 steps today. Spent a long time looking at each other’s photos, especially those from when Amy was   young. Put blog on website and then wrote today’s, just before midnight. We lost the second test. No surprise there. 

Monday – Warm but some rain. Slept late. Drove to log cabin for breakfast. Had my usual egg mayonnaise sandwich, and we all enjoyed the food. Went over to graveyard and saw two oystercatchers (parents?) with one active little chick. Managed to get a couple of photos. Then – having earlier dropped in at the Lecht and the Watchers – we revisited the valley bridge, which Amy remembered. Quite a steep walk down and up, and it rained while we were there. Dot and I walked back ahead of Amy, but she almost caught us up at the top.

Then drove down to Lochnagar view, which was good – the rain had stopped. Amy walked down Ben Avon track on her own and visited the remains of the old village. We then drove home, calling at the Co-op, and eventually had our evening meal. Dot and I had pies and mash, and Amy had something plant-based pretending to be chicken. Later I had another game of chess with Amy, followed by a discussion about tactics! Dot is enjoying a Tom Clancy novel in which lots of people get killed. I edited my pix and put some of them on shared album – Scotland. Amy ended evening by playing us a song by Halsey and Lyndsey Buckingham. Very good, as it happens. 

Tuesday – Very warm and dry. Bit slow to get going, but eventually drove to Balmoral and parked in the shade for £6, which is a pretty standard fee. Walked quite a lot inside the estate, starting with a snack (quite a large one in Dot’s case) and a quick look round the expensive gift shop. Then a tour of the ballroom, not as interesting as usual because it concentrated on the late Queen and ended up with much fewer pictures.

Then down to the river, where Amy ventured out on the rocks, then was disappointed not to be able to find the pet cemetery. This area was new to Dot and myself, but we got back on familiar ground by visiting the guest house and then the gardens. Amy tried to find the path up into the hills but was blocked by closed gates for gardening work. So back across the lawn to the restaurant for a drink (Amy and Dot shared a cake). Getting towards 4pm when the estate was closed, so we headed for the exit. I went ahead and brought the car up to the gate. We drove home, and Dot and I went to sleep. Think Amy may have done too. Later had light meal – salad, cheese and some fruit – and Amy solved a chess puzzle. Then watched dreary 0-0 draw between England and Ghana. Lots of fouling by Ghana, no inspiration by England. 

Wednesday – Pleasantly warm. Drove to Cambus O’May bridge to give Amy a look, then on to Aboyne, where we met Ella for lunch. We were a bit early, so walked to bridge first. She didn’t look any different. I had a fish board followed by a risky afrogato, which included coffee and whisky. Really nice time together – Amy took to her.

Then drove by a very lengthy route including many back roads to Pennan, which was looking very smart, apart from the Inn, which has become a restaurant. We stopped in there for a drink when it opened at 5pm. Before that we walked up and down, Amy did some exploring on the rocks and Dot met a 50-something lady in blue who runs a coffee shop. She also lives in the village – much of which is second homes. But owners come very frequently, and Shona said there was quite a community.

Sea very calm, nice colours. We drove on to Corvie, with its clifftop view, then Dot took over for the drive home, mostly by our usual route on the A97. Back at Ballater we went to the Co-op and had had something to eat. My left thigh muscle was very sore. Dot and I watched the first half of Brazil v Scotland, but Amy went to bed, wondering whether to climb Lochnagar tomorrow. Scotland lost 3-0.

Thursday – warm and dry, with a bit of a distant threat in the sky at evening. Went to Brown Sugar for a snack, then we set out on Amy’s Expedition. We drove to Glen Muick and then set her on the path to Lochnagar. We followed her at a distance. Dot turned back after a bit more than half a mile; I went further, aiming to get beyond the woods until I realised I was already tired. So turned back and joined up with Dot on the bridge.

We drove back to Ballater while monitoring her progress. After refreshment walked to butcher and bought something for the evening, then drove to Lark’s Gallery and bought some cards and a dish. Then Co-op and later parked in a lay-by just outside town as she reached the summit. She then disappeared for a while as she made her way down past the waterfall.

We returned to Glen Muick and had some contact with Amy as she emerged by the loch. Worked out she would arrrive about 8pm and saw she was crossing by the beach. Eventually I saw her through my binoculars and went ahead to meet her. She was in surprisingly good condition. and not thirsty enough to drink our peach-flavoured water. Back. to the car – and a bit beyond for Amy, who was completing an electronic trail. Then home again and an evening meal – we had pies from the butcher, and Amy had her own thing. Climbing Lochnagar was a great achievement for her – few other walkers about. She loved the views and the whole experience, I think.