Another Angela special

I have a weekly walk with Angela and we are often joined by Lyn, Alison, Alfie the retriever and Judith. We have two regular routes, one of about 5 miles, the other just over 6.5 miles, which I suppose could be thought of as being a little dull, but the walks are really pretty and we are chatting whilst walking briskly, so it's just a pleasant, weekly trundle.

Of late, Angela has been taking us on little adventures. These tend to be longer, very pretty and at a very brisk pace because Angela has to be at work at 11.30am. It sometimes involves a little nettle bashing, (thoroughly tick checked today, I can tell you!) we did 7.5 miles today, but today we had an added delight. Osprey!

We came by a ruined church that Angela, Lyn and I visited during the winter, (less undergrowth, two barbed wire fences.) I hadn't realised today's route would take us by the same ruin, so whilst they explored the inside, I gazed at the sky.

I heard alarm calls. They were not buzzard like, mournful and plaintive. Could it really be? No, surely not, but yes! A pair of osprey! I felt so bad, we'd obviously stumbled too close for comfort for them and whilst the girls were oohhing and ahhhing, I was urging them to move on. It was only for a minute or two and we stumbled off again through the undergrowth, skirting the barbed wire this time, but the undergrowth was over everything. We made it back to the main path (we were following a path marked on the map which is obviously not often used...) which is metalled and sped away. We eventually came to a clearing where we could look back towards the osprey eyrie. One of the birds was perched high in a neighbouring tree, once again looking happy and relaxed.

Now that was a good walk.

PS. The Brashers with the merino socks and zinc oxide tape performed well again, I'm gaining confidence!

Training section one complete

I'll have to add one pair Marigolds to my kit list.

Did it though.

Now, where did I stash that Talisker...

More training

I tried many puns before I settled on a straightforward title for this post. The subject is just too unfunny for words.

It is widely known that ticks are becoming more common. Rife, in fact. We have regularly visited areas such as Glen Affric, the Cairngorms and more recently Wester Ross over the past fifteen years (as we live up here, it's not too tricky) and until relatively recently, had never had a tick problem. Ciara managed to pick one up on a school trip to Glen Affric, but in all fairness, most have been collected locally, in and around our own garden, not to mention the tricky little sucker that must have crawled up my arm to my cleavage from the ridiculously huge Christmas tree we had in December. (My husband peering at my chest with magnifying glass in one hand and fine nosed tweezers in the other caused much amusement. To some...)

It had become a topic of conversation that I'll be ok if (when) I pick up a tick as we wend our (hopefully very!) merry little way across Scotland, but it could be a little tricky for David. The sensible solution appeared to be that we would purchase a tick removing device and I would practice on the next critter.

Pah!

Imagine my dismay when, ten minutes after David has left the building destined for Manchester for a fortnight, Ciara presents herself as I'm eating my breakfast, proffers me her foot and states, "I've got a tick on my foot!"

Not just on her foot I might add, between her big toe and the next one in the tiniest crease there is a tiny tick.

I think I can cope with the tick, I shall have to manage (carefully) with magnifying glass and tweezers.

But I_hate_feet.

I think this counts as rigourous training, after which I shall need a lie down, a cold flannel and I might have to sneak a dram from the Talisker I've secreted away for the holiday.

Someone round here has a particularly sick sense of humour.

Party!

That might actually be a minor overstatement.

On checking my planned route against the dates for next years Challenge, should I get onto it, it would appear that I will be celebrating my birthday around North Water Bridge somewhere! I should imagine the hip flask will be drained be the end of the evening. Hopefully. Might have to forego the cake and candles... (Getting a little ahead of myself here perhaps.)

Went for another 'stroll' yesterday. It actually turned out to be a brisk romp through the Altyre Estate, 8 and a half miles in 2 hours and 25 minutes. I let Angela talk while I concentrated on breathing. However, I had the Brashers on with my new merino wool socks and a strip of zinc oxide tape on either heel and was delighted that after giving my feet such a hard time, not a blister was there in sight! Now I've found a solution I can get on with the job of wearing them in, excellent news.

Back to the maps and planning a couple of overnighters next month, love a good map.

Girly walk

Another weekend walk with the girls (including honourary girly Delilah) from Forres, along the Findhorn, across from Altyre Woods to the Dava Way, off towards Craigroy and Burntack, round the bottom of Romach Hill, round Loch Romach, through Newtyle Forest back onto the Dava Way in a different place and back to Forres. We had another very civilised finish at Delilah's for a cup of tea, which was very welcome considering the extreme heat we were walking in, around 23 degrees. A shade to warm to walk in perhaps, but I think we all had copious supplies of water, some even had flasks of tea and plenty of nice salty crisps were on the go. Alison even managed to carry chocolate that didn't melt en route! A lovely walk in excellent company.
17.8 miles
2.8 mph average
838 ft ascent
5 hrs 53 mins walking
1 hrs 52 mins resting
Nothing stunning, but enjoyable nevertheless on a very hot day! No aches and pains today, which is nice, feet were a little sore, but I think that was due to the heat. I wore the Merrells instead of the Brashers, discretion the better etc. etc. The new bladder was great, no soapy taste, easy to use mouthpiece and the lapel clip was brilliant.