Tuesday 4 August 2015

Next few days...

There have been a lot of ups and downs in the last few days, metaphorically as well as literally. I've climbed another 9 munros in 4 days and got another big chunk of the watershed completed. 

I've been really touched by the number of people who've come to join me, supporting and running.  It's made such a difference and I've been throughly spoilt.  My Aunty Fiona and Uncle Richy have been incredibly generous and have done a superb job of feeding me up.  Whilst I've had lots of people joining me there have been huge dinners served for all and I was also treated to dinner at the Eagle Barge Inn.  Aunty fiona did a bit of boasting on my behalf and the lovely staff immediately gave me free pudding and sponsored me!

Kirsty maguire, Helen and John Bennie, Fran Young, Stuart Chalmers, Kay McWilliam and Richard Bannister have all joined me for sections as well as bringing lots of brilliant home baking and food.  I'm so chuffed that they've all been able to join me and appreciate the huge lengths they've gone to.

Kirsty joined me for Friday and Saturday which included a bothy camp.  One of the less wonderful things of these few days has been the weather and with the forecast news Kirsty had brought it seemed prudent to get off to a 6am start to avoid the worst of the wind and rain. It seemed to work and we arrived at the bothy at lunchtime, not too soggy and having had great views of the watershed from below the cloud line.  It was made extra special by a rainbow over the top.  The geographical feature was very clear to see but it was as tiresome as expected to cross to the bothy!



After such an early start we both had an afternoon nap, rolling our mats onto the mouse shit covered floor.  We spent a very relaxing time making hot drinks, playing cards and eating.  At one point I thought we were going to have company as the door seemed to be rattling a lot.  When no one appeared I assumed it was the wind but when I had to go outside later I found the doorway blocked by a large cow!  

I was still pretty tired so went to bed at 9.30.  At 11.30 I woke to the unmistakable sound of mice snuffling around in plastic bags.  I thought I'd been cunning leaving my porridge out for the morning but it sounded like I was being beaten to it!  I lept out of bed, probably the quickest I've moved since I started my adventure, and ran to rescue breakfast.  Luckily I was in time and I left our rubbish for them to clear up as well as my pot, which they crapped in.  

The walk out from the bothy was tougher than I'd hoped and the boggy terrain wore me down a bit.  It was still quite a short day however and we ran to the Great Glen Hostel where I was staying for the following 3 days. It was great to have a base for a short while, especially such a friendly and comfortable one.

Sunday was made special by all the company and the sunshine. It was a lovely stretch of the watershed and a wee chunk of Scotland that I would probably never have discovered without this journey.  The sun shone and we had an enjoyable morning.  


By the time it clouded over and the path had long since thinned out I was feeling a little less exhilarated. The supposedly easy final section, leading to the van was absolute hell and was easily one of the toughest sections I've encountered, all be it a short one.  Stuart Chalmers was with me at this point and he was tired after running the Devil of The Highlands the previous day.  That was lucky for me as I needed something to slow him down.  

We had to clamber over a large section of fallen trees which had been felled over a bog. It was agonisingly slow and awkward and once we thought we'd past that challenge we came to the worlds worst path along the riverside.  The grass was waist high and very tussocky so every time we lifted our feet we didn't know whether we were going to slip, trip or fall into bog.

I've developed a new found empathy with toddlers recently.  I can only assume the last time I had such trouble staying upright was when I was learning to walk, with the possible exception of a weekend or two when I was a student.  It's so frustrating slipping and stumbling and generally working every muscle to keep yourself standing that I want to (and have) screamed frequently! 

No comments:

Post a Comment