The Hot and Dusty Road to Verona

It wasn't, I just took a fancy to that title.

What better way to start a trip than spend some time with the author of the guide book that you are taking with you? Not that we will follow it religiously, but Gillian (pictured with Sue at lunchtime in the previous posting) doesn't object to that.

Jet2 efficiently deposited us in Venice, together with a large contingent of 'Venom' Cheerleaders Association's adults and children (difficult to tell which was which - many hadn't flown before) and a jolly Australian girl with legs up to her armpits who was heading with almost every conceivable relative to a cruise ship.

After dumping our bags at Gillian's house we adjourned with her for a chatty lunch. Our itinerary was scoured for defects and just about came through unscathed, though our meticulously booked trip does lessen the options for some interesting diversions. But at least we don't need to worry about whether or not accommodation will be available.

It was hot in Venice. Easy to start dripping if you moved too fast, or even at all. Nevertheless we enjoyed a lovely stroll with Gillian under a clear blue sky. There was a light breeze to cool us beside the waterways, one of which is pictured above. Gillian writes guide books on Venice, so we enjoyed a smattering of informed comments and explanations regarding the history of the city. Apparently it was built, hundreds of years ago, on wooden pilings topped by stone blocks, with rivers running through the city. Those rivers have now been diverted in favour of the canal system, and modern day piling looks authentic but is actually coated with plastic.

Ice cream and coffee stops, a pause for thought at the Bridge of Breasts (where the ladies of the night hung out in bygone days) and a visit to a pharmacy where a room was devoted to old medicinal compound jars lined up on shelving within the wood panelled room with its locally quarried marble floor littered with ammonites (as a pharmacist Sue was granted the rare privilege of entry into this domain), punctuated our wanderings, and all too soon we were back at Gillian and Nicola's house in time to deliver a fine Turkish carpet to Lazar. "He owes me a favour" said Gillian, and bagged us a lift to the station in Lazar's little motor boat, which apparently he brought from Belgrade on a roof rack. As if there are no boats in Venice!

Anyway, our water borne journey (yes, Alan, the roads here have been flooded for so long that everyone has a boat!) back to the station was a delight. Thank you Lazar, and thanks Gillian for a lovely afternoon - as I've already said, the best way we could imagine to start this trip.

The express train to Verona would have cost €23 each. The stopping train, a well equipped double decker, cost €7.40 each. We took that. A pleasantly air conditioned two hour journey with enticing spiky Dolomitic summits on the horizon, followed by a short taxi ride to the improbably named but surprisingly smart Grotta Hotel.

We'd tried to get a room in town, but the start of the opera season seemed to have put paid to that, so we were slightly concerned to have arrived out in the sticks at 9pm (8pm UK time) without having had any supper.

"The restaurant is shut - the cook has gone home" the helpful receptionist informed us ... "But you'll be fine round the corner."

We followed his directions to an unlikely venue under an office/apartment block where you'd normally expect to find a car park. NaturaSi - 'cucina Biologica' was not a car park. It was full of people, but there was no sign of a tourist - the closest to that was a group of street artists who waltzed in after 9.30. So people come From Town to this strange restaurant in the sticks that sells food cooked with local produce that's in season!

We couldn't believe our luck. For €18 each we could eat as much as we could of their 'gourmet buffet'. What a great idea. The food was brilliant. In a way it was like last Friday's tapas meal, except that tonight we served ourselves. It was brilliant.

We were sorry to hear from JJ that it was raining in Timperley - we knew that - it started shortly after 5.30 when we startled our taxi driver by being ready and waiting for him in the street.

"I can't remember when that last happened" he had offered in a gratifyingly pleased tone.

That seems a long time ago, and my eyes are now struggling at the other end of the day. So I'll end now with thanks to Gillian, Patrick, Jules, Laura, Alan and Gibson for your comments. Gibson, you are correct, we do put ourselves through untold hardships (as anticipated by Patrick) on these trips! To be honest we only do it to give Dot (my mum) something to read - she gets bored with stories from the banks of the Bridgewater Canal!

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Lunch in Venice

Let the fun begin!

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Across The Eastern Alps: E5 from Verona to Lake Constance

The more alert amongst you may have realised that we are about to embark on the southern section of European Walking Route E5, which runs for 3200km from Pointe du Raz in France to Verona.

The map shows our own planned route, subject to a few diversions, which we are walking in the ‘wrong direction’, ie from south to north, in order to avoid the late snow in the Austrian Alps and obviate the need to carry ice axes and crampons, as they would struggle to fit into Sue’s bum bag.  We will be walking around 540 to 600 km in total, over about 37 days, including some rest days.  Sue still can’t carry a rucksack, so it’s on a B&B basis.

Gillian, you may recognise the map – it’s from your excellent guide book, which we will attempt to negotiate backwards, starting at page 152!  The book has already proved invaluable in planning our itinerary, which includes a side trip into the Lechtalalps.

This promises to be a fine trip through a wide variety of Alpine scenery and habitats.  We hope you’ll enjoy the Postcards from the comfort of your armchairs.

Ainsdale

Yesterday (Tuesday) I enjoyed a brief visit to Ainsdale (Southport), for a stroll in the dunes with Tim, who’s had a rather difficult and traumatic time recently.

We spotted lots of this orchid.  It looks to me a bit like a Pyramidal Orchid, or something similar.

We also spotted this plane, just beyond the Pontins Holiday Camp, where the inmates appear to be kept under armed guard!

“I’d like to be up there” enthused Tim. “And me” I agreed.

‘Never mind, it’s probably full of people escaping from Pontins’, we surmised…

Lake Constance

It’s over three years since we’ve been here, and the weather wasn’t so good.

Time to revisit?  Yes.  There’s a nice path from Verona, we are led to believe…

Verona

It’s nearly two years to the day since we visited Verona.

Our next ‘trip’ starts from there exactly two years after the above picture was taken.

I’m told it’ll be quite hot…

A Mercy Mission

Readers may recall that I spent Wednesday with Gary and Andrew on their meticulously planned C2C walk from St Bees to Reeth.  They had dropped Andrew's car off at Reeth, carefully positioning it in preparation for today's drive back to St Bees to reunite Gary with his own transport.

These best laid plans were foiled when Andrew's top of the range limo (pictured above in its final resting place) expired as it entered Reeth last Saturday.  A shame, as it had 'done good'.

So after a rather slow 5km Parkrun (tired legs!) today I pottered up the A1 to the pretty village of Reeth to empty the Volvo of its dog box and other contents, deliver Neil and Liz - who had walked with A + G today - back to their car in Keld, return Gary to St Bees, and then return Andrew to Deepest Cheshire.

The weather was much better – I was only driving in rain for about 6 hours, but given that the constantly lashing driving rain where we were in Calderdale yesterday was the worst in their living memory, that doesn't mean an awful lot!  I’ve now discovered that they actually did get a month’s rain in a day, and that the puddle we left in the cafe is probably nothing compared with the river that was flowing through it later on in the day.  So we were possibly wise to beat a retreat when we did.  We did notice sandbags being put out as we drove home, not necessarily with any great effect from what we hear on the news.

Incidentally, I’ve known that car about as long as I’ve known Andrew, as it was his last company car at the time we first met, thirsty but durable, and very comfy for many journeys over the years. 

Old Blue Limo – RIP!  Thankfully its thirsty but durable owner is in better health.

A Nice Day For A Bike Ride - The Mary Towneley Loop

First, a short mention of last night's mini adventure. An evening walk had been planned from the Silverdale Hotel, so after Sue had picked me up from the station we headed off for a bite to eat at the hotel. 7.30 came and went, and nobody had turned up for our traditional mid-summer's walk. Not really surprising given the torrential rain outside.

"I've already done 30km over mainly pathless ground with a heavy pack..." I muttered.

My inferred plea to go straight home didn't work.

"I've come for a walk, so I'm going for a walk" dictated The Boss.

So we enjoyed a pleasant circuit - along the beach then across to Far Arnside to the path up Arnside Knott, which is a good viewpoint - recommended when the rest of the Lake District is engulfed in cloud. Tonight Arnside Knott was itself engulfed in cloud. We took some photos in the rain. I may get time to download them one day.

A steep descent through dark, wet woods (Jenny wouldn't have liked it) and a pleasant if rather damp stroll back via Arnside Tower, Elmslack and the Cove, ensured that we got back to the car in time to get home from this rather energetic three day trip by 11.30...

The alarm went at 6.30 today. It was still pouring down, but Mike, Robert and I had a long standing engagement with 'The Mary Towneley Loop' - a 47 mile bike ride in the South Pennines, all off road, with about 2300 metres of ascent.

A tough day out.

We met at 8.30 as planned at a picnic site in Waterfoot, despite being baulked by a closed motorway and a lack of signage to the picnic site. It was raining hard but we set off in good spirits and after quite a while we reached the plaque to Mary Towneley, pictured above with a picture of Robert and Mike at the same point. The phone with which the pictures were taken spent the rest of the day in a waterproof bag. My wet weather Ixus (once drowned) camera decided not to work - again - it was fine afterwards (again).

It was at this point that Mike started to shiver. "I may not get all the way round" he offered. I thought about this whilst cruising down the next section of 'path', or should I say 'river', as today the Pennine Bridleway that forms the basis of the Loop had acquired the persona of a river bed, with the contents in spate. Perhaps that's why we didn't see any other cyclists today...

I had a wet bottom. "Probably because your overtrousers have split" observed Mike, between shivers.

"You might have a wet bottom" chipped in Robert "but my waterproofs from Aldi have a 'fit for purpose' issue".

So I was nice and warm, if a bit tired, and therefore on the slow side, Mike was cold, and Robert was wet. We'd been going for over two hours and were less than a quarter of the way round the Loop. It was 'tipping down'. We felt as if a whole month's rain was being dumped on us in one go.

"I didn't get wet at all on the TGO Challenge" commented Mike, "but I am now!" "Same here" I muttered, from a wet bottom.

So, on reaching Long Causeway Road, a long straight road beside a windfarm, we decided that as the camera I'd brought to record our exploits had failed, there was no real reason to continue.

We left the Loop and headed down the road to Todmorden, where a café was remarkably understanding and fed us with tea and coffee and huge baked potatoes, in return for very few notes and a large puddle on their floor - "Don't worry, we have a mop" they jested.

It's quite a pull over to Bacup and Waterfoot from Tod. The wind was gusty and the rain at times torrential. Rivers were full to capacity or more. I walked on the verge for a mile or two - safer, I thought. I didn't want to be blown into the path of an HGV.

By the time we got back to the picnic spot at about 3pm we'd covered about 47km (30 miles) in about 6 hours. Had we attempted to continue around the Loop.... we may still have been there (waiting for the camera to start working, obviously). The rain didn't abate until much later.

A sort of heroic failure, can perhaps describe our day. But some might think us foolhardy to have set off in the first place with a camera that was known to be a bit dodgy.

I really rather enjoyed it. I hope Mike and Robert did.

We'll crack it one day!

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Thursday 21 June 2012 - Shap to Burneside

After a still night, light rain started shortly before the tent came down. It rained all day, so the phone was stashed after snapping Obi (above - pitched better than it looks!).

Thanks for your comments, Alan and Gibson. The media card is working again - I must have knocked it when changing the battery. Good to hear from you Norma, and Gibson - you will be pleased that we've seen off some of this summer's wet weather before you venture in this direction.

After seeing a dozen or so folk on the fells on Tuesday, and a crocodile of over a hundred on the C2C path yesterday, I saw just two other walkers today, ascending steeply into the mist on my last hill of the day, Great Howe. Before that I'd spent some time extricating myself from the environs of Shap, which is a very long village surrounded by an intricate network of footpaths.

Wet Sleddale had lived up to its name as I rose up to the (sadly locked) Lunch House, where signs indicated that I was welcome so long as I used the footpaths. There were no footpaths so far as I could see. Which was only a few metres, so the footpath police would have struggled to see me breaking the rules. At least the sign wasn't as threatening as the one in Patterdale threatening to shoot dogs, and do untold damage to cyclists bold enough to venture onto a particular footpath. Not all farmers are uncaring though - on yesterday's approach to Shap we found a bucket of cold drinks and a large slab of ice, courtesy of the local friendly farmer. Good value for a pound, but where were the ice creams?

Anyway, today's soaking wet walk involved intricate navigation through deep bogs and over peat hags, eventually reaching the stupendous summit of Sleddale Pike. Well, it may have been stupendous if you could have seen much. I was soon on a roll and the mighty peaks of Wasdale Pike, Great Saddle Crag, Harrop Pike and Grey Crag all saw my soggy boot prints before the final descent from Great Howe and the long but satisfying walk along footpaths and bridleways to Burneside from Sadgill.

A quick train journey to Silverdale followed, for the next action packed episode, for which you'll have to wait as there's not time at present to do stuff and write very much.

Hiya Gayle - good to hear from you, and yes the cuckoos have been in good voice in the Lakes this week.

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Wednesday 20 June 2012 - Patterdale to Shap

Another fine day's walk in lovely sunny weather, over Angletarn Pikes, Brock Crags, Rest Dodd, The Knott, Rampsgill Head and Kidsty Pike, some of which Andrew and Gary (aka Cramp + Blister - and that's just Andrew) also ventured up.

I rejoined their less vertiginous route after this little bout of summiteering, for lunch in the sun by Haweswater, which appeared to have been invaded by Canada geese.

A gentle walk to Shap followed. I'm camping at A+G's B+B, which happens to be at the opposite end of town to our chosen eatery, the Greyhound. There we encountered John K - a TGO Challenger who is leading a HF (Holiday Fellowship) group along the C2C route. If his better half, Norma, is watching - 'Hello, we hope you are continuing to recover from your back op'.

Sadly the phone's media card seems to have suffered a 'fatal error' so today's image is one of Brothers Water from Brock Crags, saved to the phone by some fluke this morning.
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Tuesday 19 June 2012 - A Backpack! - Staveley to Patterdale

At last, a 'proper' backpack, but as Sue is at work I've been on my own today.

The Trans-Pennine Express and a local train delivered me efficiently to Staveley by 9.30, from where I enjoyed a delightful stroll north to Patterdale, via Sallows, Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick, Thornthwaite Beacon, Stony Cove Pike, John Bell's Banner, and Hartsop Dodd.

A fine high level route.

I'd planned a wild camp, but the attraction of a beer in the White Lion and a flat 'pitch' on a lawn won the day.

Whilst there was evidence of showery weather as I travelled north, the sun shone as I set off from Staveley on the gentle - until the final kilometre - ascent of Sallows, the first of today's eight 'high points according to Bill' (Birkett).

My walk continued fairly joyously in lovely weather, despite a heavier pack than that to which I have softened to in recent weeks. I passed above a major traffic accident in the Kirkstone area, and heard lots of cuckoos as I wandered over the remaining lumps and bumps and down to Hartsop and the fleshpots of Patterdale, for Mike and Marian's warm welcome and freshly mown lawn.

Obi 1P was soon up - not too midgy - and after dinner a stroll to the White Lion revealed my companions for tomorrow, Andrew and Gary, who are on the 'Coast to Coast' (C2C) route.

Whilst I saw a smattering of folk, they weren't close enough to act as photographic foregrounds, so today's snaps comprise mountain scenery. Each picture is different. To the connoisseur! Those chosen for this posting are the view of Hartsop and beyond from the descent of Hartsop Dodd, and Patterdale from a bridge over the river that runs past the village.

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Saturday 16 June 2012 - Maol Chean-dearg

After last night's party, those still standing chose a relatively easy hill for today's walking exploits.

Thus it was that after waving goodbye to Steve, Jenny and Richard, who were heading off today, ten of us drove through light rain to Coulags, where it wasn't raining.

The path up to Bealach a' Choire Ghairbh, past a rather smart bothy, is a delight, from near sea level to around 600 metres without really noticing the gradient.

From the bealach the path steepens to reach the Munro summit of Maol Chean-dearg (933 metres) rather more easily than the slabby route up the neighbouring Corbett - An Ruadh-stac (892 metres). Both are fine hills, but today their summits were only intermittently revealed through the cloud. Our summit photo was, for the first time for a while, without a view, although it was warm and calm enough to enjoy our lunch around the massive summit cairn, which for many of us featured large slabs of Louise's alcoholic chocolate cake.

A pair of ptarmigan were on hand to inspect the site and join the mice in a hunt for Sue's dropped crisps.

An uneventful descent concluded our travails in this part of the world for the time being, though others in our group are continuing to other parts of Scotland in an ongoing hill climbing frenzy.

Today's 17km included about 900 metres ascent and took around 6.5 hours.

As soon as we set off from Coulags the rain started again. Sue thinks she saw an otter swimming in Loch a' Chroisg. Julie had been on a short walk slightly to the east of us; it had rained all day there. The ten of us had been very lucky.

We've also been very lucky to have Louise and Liz as our catering department. They have fed us like the Lords and Ladies who are their usual clientele, finishing tonight with Mull scallops, haggis-neeps-n-tatties, apple crumble, and the usual fine cheese board.

I'm out of time now, so you are spared more fauna, flora and geological etc stuff - until next time! We travel home tomorrow, and some 're-grouping' will be required before the next trip.

Today's photos were both taken near Bealach a' Choire Ghairbh, the first showing Meall nan Ceapairean, which I'd planned to climb but didn't, with the second picture of today's girlie contingent (Sue W, Tove, Sue B, Ruth and Carol) in front of An Ruadh-stac.

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Kinlochewe Lodge

This week's venue, situated amongst some of the finest hills in Scotland, is an early C20 hunting lodge currently owned by Pat Wilson, a Perth landowner. It's rented out on a weekly basis to groups like ours, with the Wilson family using it for just 2-3 weeks a year.

The occasion, as mentioned earlier, is G+T's 100th birthday party, celebrating their passage of fifty years each.

It's a great place to stay, and quite reasonably priced if the cost is divided between 18 people plus 'staff'. There are lots of rooms. Cluedo style jokes abound - was the murderer Miss Brown in the Billiard Room with the Ice Axe, or was she in the Music Room when the gory deed took place?

I know of other groups who have used the Lodge on a self catering basis, but we have Louise and Liz, thus freeing the rest of us from any worries about where our next meal is coming from.

Although the Lodge is close to the centre of the village, we are told that pine martens can often be seen serenading on the lawns at dusk. It would be a treat to see one of these elusive animals, but we haven't seen one yet.

The Lodge is altogether a brilliant base for a trip of this nature.

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Friday 15 June 2012 - Fionn Bheinn

With high cloud and a bit of a breeze drifting in with a gradual change in the weather, we chose an easy day on a Munro that Sue hadn't previously visited.

Taking a direct route from Achnasheen, beside Allt Achadh na Sine, we soon reached a pleasant spot (pictured, with Meall a' Chaorainn behind) for a cup of tea or two.

I thought the ascent would be harder, but despite an increase in the wind velocity and the absence of a clear path, the summit trig point dutifully appeared a couple of hours and 800 metres ascent after our 9.30 start.

We were just below the cloud base, in a strong breeze against which Sue braced herself for a summit photo (see lower image). Two other walkers were also enjoying a day out; otherwise we saw nobody on the walk.

It wasn't a day to linger, but the easy path down Sail an Tuim Bhain enabled us to enjoy the wide ranging views. To our south, cloud had enveloped the summits, whilst to the north everything was cloud free - including An Teallach on the horizon. So the rest of our group would have good views as they 'toured', visited gardens, or ascended a nearby hillock.

We reached the road after passing through a sequence of deer fences, with the inevitable roe deer being trapped in the forest that the fences are supposed to protect. Here we bumped into the gents we'd seen on the summit; it would have been impolite of us to refuse the lift offered back to our car.

The 11km walk, with about 800 metres ascent, had taken just 3.5 hours - leaving plenty of time for lunch at the roadside viewpoint that overlooks Kinlochewe, and a long chat with Louise before anyone else arrived back at the Lodge.

Today is GI's 50th birthday, which together with Tove's achievement in reaching the same vintage earlier in the year is the reason we are all here this week.

Happy Birthday, Graham and Tove (who don't read these pages, but I'll refrain from insulting them on this occasion).

So there will be a big party tonight ...

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Thursday 14 June 2012 - Beinn Alligin

Beinn Alligin is one of my favourite hills, so it was great to be up there again today.

Unlike Monday, when both hills had several summits of similar height to visit to ensure that the tops had actually been 'bagged', Beinn Alligin sports two indisputable summits - one at each end of its easy summit ridge. The difficulties, such as they are, on Alligin involve the traverse of its three 'horns' which grace the north eastern spur of the hill. Today we chose to visit these in ascent, which perversely involves an awkward if well protected descent move on the way down from the final horn before scrambling easily up to the Munro summit of Sgurr Mòr.

Sue and I had set off with Steve, who would spend the whole day with us, and with Graham, Richard and Jenny, who chose the excellent traverse of Beinn Dearg for their outing in the continuing wonderful weather.

Initially we took the wide path up Coire Mhic Nòbuil, where Sue is seen above with Graham, with a Beinn Alligin backdrop. Then after leaving Graham to guide R+J over Beinn Dearg the three of us climbed steeply up through bands of rock, eventually gaining the summit of the first 'horn'. From the ridge we could see the others slowly rising up Beinn Dearg's airy western flank, and we enjoyed splendid views across to yesterday's summits and far beyond.

Sue is pictured in the lower image with Steve on the third and highest 'horn', with Baosbheinn behind them, before we descended more easily than I could recall, to the col leading to the summit.

We felt we had earned our lunch, which was enjoyed at leisure today, with no time pressures to hasten us along our way.

Continuing to the summit, we paused frequently to admire the dramatic outline of the 'horns' below us, and just beyond that high point we halted again at the spectacular cleft of Eag Dhubh.

Soon afterwards we met a couple of Scots on their way to explore the 'horns'. We met only six people all day, and nobody else seemed to be traversing the hill in our anti clockwise direction, though erosion on the summit ridge and on the path in Coir' nan Laogh was clear evidence of its great popularity.

A stroll along the ridge soon brought us up a band of sandstone slabs, to the southern summit of Tom na Gruagaich, where we enjoyed a final slug of tea before descending easily and quickly back to the car park on the Diabeg road.

We noticed the bright yellow flowers of Bog Asphodel on the lower slopes today, and a small yellow orchid appeared amongst the huge numbers of blue and white ones. The large single flowers of Melancholy Thistles occasionally nodded as we passed them in gullies on lower ground, and Mountain Everlasting is abundant in these parts.

On the subject of flora, we've found Ken Butler's 'Wild Flowers of the Northern Highlands of Scotland' brilliant for this trip. It deals with just 250 of the 1500 species found in the area, but of those 250 we've only spotted a small handful of plants.

Anyway, after our 12km walk, with about 1200 metres ascent, completed in less than 7 hours, we had plenty of time for the usual indulgences, including a trip to the Kinlochewe Hotel to sample their tasty draft beer.

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Wednesday 13 June 2012 - Beinn an Eoin and Baosbheinn - A Classic Round

Sue and I set out alone today; others had different agendas. We all enjoyed fine days out in perfect (sunny, clear, no wind, no midges) weather, so everyone was happy tonight.

We started at about 9am from the 'Red Barn' by Am Feur-loch on the Gairloch road. The track to Loch na h-Oidhche is a good one, with information boards and four waymarked routes designed for the more casual traveller in need of a short walk from the Red Barn.

We took that path for 6km, meeting two men on a buggy, with a couple of dogs. These were the only people we saw all day. The stepping stones over the Abhainn Loch na h-Oidhche were high and dry, evidencing the fact that since 13 May, when all May's rainfall fell in one day, there has been very little rain hereabouts.

A few hundred metres beyond the stepping stones, two massive erratics announced the need to turn left. We would now be pathless for many miles, initially over easy ground to reach the ridge by Coire Loch na Geala that rises to point 715 at the northern end of Beinn an Eoin. We were delayed by 'flower stops' after discovering sundew and orchids, and by Sue falling into a bog and covering her legs in a substance that looked like ... sick. Bogs were hard to find today, but Sue was up for that challenge.

The flattish ridge culminated in a short burst of ascent to the summit, from which the views of Torridon and far, far beyond were absolutely magnificent on this crystal clear day. It had taken a little over 3 hours to get thus far.

A pleasantly blunt knife edge ridge took us to the rocky convex nose of Beinn an Eoin, down which we picked our way slowly but entertainingly to a point a little to the left of the bothy at Poca Buidhe, which appeared to be occupied by two dogs!

Lunch was followed by the ascent of a pleasant ridge with widening views, to Ceann Beag, Baosbheinn's 705 metre outlier.

It was still some way to the summit, due to a couple of abrupt gashes in the ridge, but we got to admire those summit views, and enjoy more of our tea and a second lunch, at around 3pm, some 6 hours after setting off from the Red Barn. The upper picture shows Sue approaching the summit, with
Beinn an Eoin behind her and more distant Torridonian giants to her right.

It was a truly magnificent day for this classic round of hills.

Some more undulations delivered us to the pinhead of a further summit, from which the most precipitous descent of the day (walking poles were tossed down to make the downclimb easier) took us to a lovely broad ridge that rose gently to our final 801 metre summit. The views to the Outer Hebrides from here were wonderful, as were the views back to the central Torridon peaks. (Sue is pictured in the lower image on this broad ridge, with our steep descent in the background and Beinn Dearg to the right.)

After lingering with our last cuppa to take in these views, we embarked on a final steep 600 metre descent into the Flowerdale Forest, to reach the thin river known as Abhainn a' Garbh Choire by a small but obvious footbridge. After the first 300 metres down steep but easy grass, the gradient eased but the going became somewhat 'lumpy'. Sue was flagging, but revived when she found a spring issuing crystal clear cool water. We continued over a rocky bluff to a deer fence that was easily climbed at a well used corner, and on to the previously mentioned footbridge. Here we didn't cross the bridge, instead joining the 'yellow' trail, a path marked by posts beside the left bank of the river that took us through more stunning scenery all the way back to the Red Barn. We reached there at about 6pm, 3 hours after leaving the summit of Baosbheinn. The 26km walk (hardly a 'stroll' today) had involved about 1800 metres ascent and had taken 9 hours.

We returned to the Lodge in plenty of time for a cream tea, bath, beers and another fine dinner, after this most satisfying of mountain days.

Simply wonderful!

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Tuesday 12 June 2012 - Beinn Eighe

Thanks for your comments on various posts, I'll respond next week when I have more than a weak phone signal.

Today Sue and I had a last minute change of plan when we woke to a gloriously sunny morning. Beinn Alligin was left for another day.

We were joined by Steve for this fine walk up one of the best hills that Scotland has to offer - Beinn Eighe. Whilst we knew from yesterday that Steve is a sound walker, we didn't know how he would cope with a long scrambly ridge. We had only met him on Sunday and he had only walked on a few Scottish mountains. So we decided against tackling the entire ridge, targeting instead the comparatively easy central section.

A car was therefore left at the Ling Hut car park, then we returned to Loch Bharranch to start walking at around 10am. It's a well made path all the way up to Spidean Coire nan Clach, our first summit and Steve's tenth Munro, mercifully clear of cloud although the day's weather had now settled into a rhythm of sunshine and showers.

We enjoyed the 2km ridge walk to A' Coinneach Mhor, from which today's image was taken - towards Torridon, with Beinns Alligin and Dearg.

Lunch had been taken en route, and we enjoyed the friendliest of several encounters on the hill today. Terry Gallaher, training for a forthcoming triathlon event, paused during his run for a chat. We wish him well, and we were pleased to note later that he did find a quick way down from Ruadh-stac Mòr, our own next objective.

By the time we got up there the cloud was down. Despite a long wait amongst strikingly pink beds of Moss Campion, we couldn't persuade it to clear, though eventually the rain eased and our waterproofs could finally be stashed for the day. That left us relatively unencumbered for the steep descent to Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair, where we enjoyed our last sip of tea, with some CCS (shortbread), in view of the mountain's magnificent triple buttresses.

An easy amble around Sail Mhor to Coire Dubh Mhòr, all on an excellent path with fine views of Liathach's spiky ridge, brought this 18km excursion to a most satisfying conclusion by about 6.30pm. The route involving 1300 metres of ascent had taken us all of 8.5 hours, but we were back at the Lodge in time to enjoy tea and cake and a hot bath before tucking into a delicious joint of lamb.

Ten of the others arrived back at the same time as us from a successful walk up Slioch, on which the main point of interest seemed to be Richard's failed attempt at a cartwheel. He was just a little battered.

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Monday 11 June 2012 - Sgurr nan Ceannaichean and Moruisg

Today our 18 strong party all took to the hills. The 'A' team comprised nine of us who headed off from the outskirts of Craig, in Glen Carron, before 10am.

We'd left Tom's car at the usual parking spot for Moruisg and immediately reaped the benefit of avoiding the direct route up that hill. The track beside Allt a' Chonais and subsequent stalkers path up Sgurr nan Ceannaichean were a delight in comparison with the thrutch of the former route.

The view back to Fuar Tholl and its neighbours (pictured) enthralled us through our wing mirrors as we rose gently to the former Munro's summit. The zigzag stalkers path was Alpine in nature and easy to follow. I could see Keith and Phil ahead, four more behind, with Sue and Jenny bringing up the rear, each group strolling in apparently opposite directions on the zigzags.
Then Sue and Jenny disappeared. We waited for some time at a zag, then at a zig. No sign of them. A search ensued, finally tracking them down to a cloud on the summit. Once we'd all arrived, the cloud rose and everyone was happy.

The errant duo had been distracted by the flora, which like the path they failed to follow was decidedly alpine in nature. Today we added the following to our tally:
Lousewort
Thrift (why is it just found on sea shores and on mountain tops?)
Common cowwheat
Cowberry
Starry saxifrage
Yellow mountain saxifrage
Atlantic butterwort
Wild thyme
Cotton grass, and
Water avens

Up here there were lots of wheatears, ptarmigan mothers with excitable chicks, and a baby red deer that ran off after being disturbed by Tom; we hope its mother found it again.

By the time we reached Moruisg's summit we could enjoy wide ranging views - from Glen Carron (pictured) that was in the centre of an arc of cloud laden hills to its south, with the cloud free tops of Liathach, Beinn Eighe, Slioch and the Fisherfield Forest hills amongst many lined up to its north. Whilst the Cuillin massif was in cloud, the hills of Harris were clearly visible beyond the northern tip of Skye.

The direct descent (better in descent than in ascent) to Tom's car was steep but easy, apart from a newly erected deer fence near the bottom, where the planting of a forest of 'native woodland' is imminent. We managed fine despite the absence of a stile or gate where we entered the new plantation site, where the ground had been massacred in preparation for planting.

We returned to the Lodge for 5pm, when France were seen to thrash England's footballing underdogs 1:1 in the sides' first game in the European championships.

Then Louise excelled again, with another fine meal.

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Sunday 10 June 2012 - The Sow of Atholl and Meall na Leitreach

This four and a half hour walk was really just a leg stretch on the short journey from Pitlochry to Kinlochewe.

With the cloud base at 600 metres we were never really going to see very much, but the flora and fauna kept us entertained all day.

A bleep from the phone brought sad but not unexpected news from Southport. Kate Wood's battle against cancer had finally come to an end. Our thoughts are with Tim and the family. Later we were to pass the point in Kingussie where we first met 'Little and Large', on the TGO Challenge in 2008.

The mist brought a few surprises - red deer, startled by our presence, lots of frogs and froglets, some red grouse chicks instinctively hiding from us as their mother pretended she had a broken wing.

There was lots of other bird life, in particular around Loch Garry - including oyster catchers, lapwings, ringed plovers, the usual mallards, common sandpipers, and a fly past from some greylag geese.

Flora included lots of heath spotted orchids, a profusion of common butterwort, milkwort, tormentil, cloudberry, heathers, ladies-mantles, birdsfoot trefoil, dog-violets and various Ranunculus (buttercups).

By the time we got down the rain had eased, but I'd established that my old waterproofs are now due for recycling, a bit like Mike's car (anyone wanting to get rid of a good runner for up to £1500?).

Others enjoyed longer walks, and we were first to arrive at Kinlochewe Lodge, at 5pm, apart from our catering department - Louise and Liz, who have now established themselves as an essential resource, having provided our group of eighteen with a superb meal.

Pictured: The Sow of Atholl from near Dalnaspidal Lodge (which is undergoing an impressive looking refurbishment).

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Pitlochry

Pitlochry is the new Cornwall.

Tonight the picnic tables were out, alfresco dining was de rigeur for the early diners.

It was 11C when we left Timperley; it was 20C when we arrived here. A good call!

Before dinner we visited the salmon ladder, which enables around 5,400 salmon and sea trout every year to make it up past the 17 metre dam to spawn beyond Loch Faskally. There are 34 stages to the ladder, with a couple of larger resting pools en route.

Our evening was spent at the 300 year old Moulin Hotel, next door to the brewery that produces thirst quenching Braveheart Ale. Here 15 out of the 18 victims carefully selected by Graham and Tove for this week's activities, endured a softening up session, courtesy of the hotel's mouth watering menu.

The downside was a ten minute walk back to Pitlochry in pouring rain. Shame we left our waterproofs in the car....

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