Thursday 15 May - TGOC Day 7 - The Long Road East - Idyllic Camp to Newtonmore

Actual: 27km, 411 metres ascent
As planned, except for the extra 3 km (more like 2 km) left over from yesterday.
Time 7 hours 35 mins including 2 hours stops.
No of new Challengers seen: 0
No of Challengers seen who started from 3 different places: 1
No of other Challengers seen: 0

Apologies - the headings have been a day out of phase since Sunday - I hope that hasn't caused anything more than amusement! (Now corrected - Ed)

'They come in all shapes and sizes' said Linda as we left her carrot cake emporium after a fine lunch.

'There was one with a bare patch this big (expansive gesture) where the skin had come off, and another one that looked like a pumpkin, but they insisted on continuing until the doctor told the one with no skin to stop.'

Linda, owner of the Kiln Room Coffee Shop and Pottery Bunkhouse in Laggan, purveyor of the finest carrot cake Scotland produces, was telling us about some of the feet (attached to Challengers) that had recently passed through.

Even though we are going easily and well, Sue's feet have some heat rash today.
It was hot again; the path was mainly along tarmac lanes.
The secret of my own easy passage was crocs, which were just like wearing ventilated slippers for the full 27 km of today's stroll.

We had woken late on another windless, misty, high pressure day, to the avant garde symphony of an aviarian orchestra beside the bubbling infant Spey.

It was an easy stroll down to Garva Bridge and the start of today's gentle route. The skies cleared and cuckoos, rabbits, lapwings and house martins tracked our route. We sighted oyster catchers for the first time, which I recall from last year were noisily present, together with lapwings, all the way to the coast.

Chancing upon a nice man from Cumbria with a powerful telescope, we brewed up and swapped some CCS for magnificently magnified views of red-breasted mergansers and red-throated divers. There were also goldeneye and greylag geese and many more, but what we really wanted to see was something bigger.
Our excitement was momentary when the big bird appeared - but it was only a heron, not the desired osprey.

On we went, heading east down the long green lane, past banks of violets to reach the Kiln Room for lunch, featuring Coronation Chicken and Succulent Salmon, followed of course by two huge slices of the much vaunted carrot cake.

Then more stories from Linda - the bunkhouse has a hot tub - its customers feature many middle-aged deviants, from what we could gather.

Roadside forgetmenots, lady's smock, marsh marigolds, wood sorrel and surprisingly attractive sprouting bracken accompanied us along our route. Quite a contrast to yesterday's frogs and adders.
A ferret dashed across the road ahead of us and a buzzard mewed high above.

Phone reception had returned and messages from Heather T-S revealed that she was 'walking off' a visit to a distillery. She sounded happy!

But still no news from Weird Darren (WD).

A huge cairn commemorating the life of Ewan MacPherson of Cluny, a prominent figure in the '45 rising, came next. From here there was a good view back to Creag Meagaidh and 'The Window'.

'Touch Not a Cat But a Glove' is the curious (to me) MacPherson motto. Explanation?

Next we visited Markus, the Austrian who started in three places. He was asleep all on his own at the Glen Truim camp site.

He was in a bit of a state.

Someone (who shall remain nameless but who should know better) had told him that his visit to the summit of Corrieyairack Hill had been in vain as it was no longer a Corbett.

We consoled poor Markus and told him the truth about the hill where he had been - and the effect that good weather can have on Grumpy people at TGO Control.

At Glen Truim, courtesy of Markus Petter

Newtonmore camp site was reached around 4 pm. It's 7 pm now and we still haven't gained access to our food parcel, but we are washed and cleaned, have reported in to control, and are ready for 'town'.

We also have very good news from WD. He called to let us know that whilst they have had some problems (no doubt his own blog will present the graphic detail) he and Dawn are now this side of the Corrieyairack Pass, and heading for Laggan, where we had lunch.
They should catch us up at Braemar or earlier.

Now, about that Food Parcel?!!

Next day: Day 8
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