Thursday 16 February 2012

What a numpty

To make up for the lack of a bit of hill walking at the weekend, I decided to treat myself to a day out, especially as David said perhaps the car needs a ‘good run’ every now and again. Did I need more encouragement?

I decided I would do the Corbett I had been planning to do with David, Geal Charn (Cairngorm). Sadly, on Wednesday evening, TTS had seemed surprised by my decision and questioned my planning. I went to bed unsure I’d chosen the right route and woke during the night in a panic. To save fretting and lack of sleep, I made the decision not to chance it until I’d thoroughly planned it and nodded off again. In the morning I was decidedly grumpy and having completed my early morning chores and whilst scooping down my porridge, I changed my mind. How very dare he! The walk was on and much rushing around ensued, I managed to leave the house before 9 o’clock.

It wasn’t until I reached Nethybridge that I remembered I had thought of but hadn’t picked up my compass. Pants! What to do? There’s an outdoor shop at Boat of Garten that is occasionally open, so as it was close by, I went off to see if I could purchase yet another compass.

It was shut.

I returned to Nethybridge and decided to make my way to Dorback Lodge, the start of the walk to assess the weather.

It wasn’t looking good.

SDC12348 Geal Charn (Cairngorm) with it’s head in the clouds

If I’d had a compass, this would have been a perfect navigational exercise. It would have been daft with out one.

What_a_numpty!

4 comments:

Carl Mynott @GBWildlifeTales said...

I did the same on my mountain leader training course. Had to buy another - luckily the shop was open.

Two days later, before our "moving together on steep ground -ropework" exercise, I realised I had left my boots back at the accommodation so they turned the whole team around in the minibus so I could get them. It didn't happen again.

Louise said...

How embarrassing! I'll make sure I don't do that if I ever pluck up the courage to do a course.

Might need to get over the vertigo first, then I can build up my 'quality walks' diary!

Carl Mynott @GBWildlifeTales said...

I had grand plans afoot which was moving north to the A9 corridor (around Perth) when I took my ML training, and then my first-born Hope came along unexpectedly and we ditched our plans in favour of stability.

I still hanker to an outdoors life every now and then. Maybe one day....

Louise said...

Hmm, can sympathise with that, it's tricky. Before getting married I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but children changed everything and now I have no sense of direction!