Date: Tuesday 12 May
Route: as planned from Loch nam Meur
Distance: 15 km (Cum: 104)
Ascent: 200 metres (Cum: 4700)
Time taken: 4.7 hrs including 0.8 hrs breaks - (Cum: 37.9 hours including 7.1 hours breaks)
Weather: rain turning to showers, fine later
Click on the link below (Day 5) for details of our planned route:
http://www.topwalks.com/tgoc2015.html
We woke to the sound of rain. In fact we had slept to the sound of rain. Slept very well. And the socks on the line that kept slapping me in the face were now dry.
A lie in was in order, given the short day ahead and our exquisitely comfortable pitch. The sun came out but the rain continued. We attempted to exhaust our meagre gas supply by brewing tea then hot chocolate (we failed), during a leisurely breakfast period. The wind roared and the tent was buffeted. "Good practice for Patagonia" observed Sue. I hope so, because we were well rested and had no worries at all about the performance of the eleven year old tent that has seen a lot of use.
First off, after we eventually got away at 9.40, the prospect of walking for an extra hour to avoid a roaring torrent didn't appeal. So I waded (gaiters kept my feet dry) and Sue practiced her long jumping technique. "I used to be able to clear three metres" she asserted. Luckily her first effort got the gold medal today.
That meant an easy 2 km yomping to Loch Aslaich, curiously adorned with a selection of fishing shacks, where we joined the track that leads all the way to Drumnadrochit.
Red deer scattered as we progressed along the glen, skipping over the bogs and torrents that tried to bar our way. It's a lovely wide valley. Sue is pictured as I look down towards Drumnadrochit. She is also shown during one the long jumps for which she had been practising so assiduously.
Lunch was taken at noon, at the point where the path enters the forest, via a very laid back sort of stile equipped with a handrail. Mackerel and oatcakes. Delicious.
There followed a delightful stroll into Drum, along a good track lined with bugle, primroses, dog violets, wood anemone, wood sorrel, bluebells and dandelions, not to mention the outspoken robins, chaffinches and blackbirds.
Arriving at Aslaich B&B at 2.20 pm gave us plenty of time to sort ourselves out once Magda had shown us the ropes.
Then we spent a most pleasant evening in the Fiddler's with Stevie O'Hara, who we'd met in Cannich but who had taken a rather shorter route over the past two days. Unfortunately we arrived in between the closing time of the café and the opening time of the restaurant, but surprisingly it was nice enough to laze outside whilst the Scots enjoyed their siestas.
There's a short slideshow for the day (15 images) - here. Click on the first image, then click 'slideshow'.
Next Day - Day 6
5 comments:
I'm enjoying your trip, with your posts brightening my breakfasts.
Can't wait to be off myself next Tuesday on a less strenuous trip down the McMillan Way (Boston to Chesil Beach).
I remember a very drunken evening in the pub at Drumnadrochit then back at the gamekeeper's house circa 1960. We were camping somewhere in the forest above and were awoken in the early hours by the most blood curdling scream I have ever heard. My friend Pete still tells all this tale well and like all such tales it gets a little more enhanced each time.
Thanks Conrad - happy memories!
I forgot to mention - you probably won't hear from us for three days as we pass through the Monadhliath.
I bet that area you just crossed to Drum is midge infested in a few weeks. Well done Sue on the long jumping. Video please.
Sadly the area will soon be infested with something worse than midges - a large wind farm. It's as well you've enjoyed it now Martin. The Nallo is a super tent and ours is packed in the motorvan ready to go. Enjoy the next three days both of you.
Another one Gibson! I was just looking at it on the map and my thoughts were what a magnificent area. (Midges apart).
I am shocked at the wind farm news.
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