The Grouse Inn at Ardwell was most welcoming when I eventually arrived after nearly ten hours 'on the hoof'. It was great to encounter 84 year old Archie McBain, who enthused over having completed three Challenges, the last of which was in 1993. "Nobody will remember me" he said.
After setting up camp in a nearby field (NJ 381 302), I strolled back to the inn for a couple of beers and a wonderful beef casserole that Maria kindly generated from her kitchen on a day when they weren't serving food.
The Grouse Inn was a place full of character and whisky, if not a place to bank on for a tank of petrol!
My camping spot was in the field pictured in the distance beyond the inn.
This was my ninth and last wild camp of the 2013 Challenge, my ongoing route to Frazerburgh being via campsites at Huntly and Turriff, and the excellent hotel at Pennan Bay, where I met up with Sue.
My contemporaneous reports on the walk are here.
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