Happy Birthday!

This little blog is now five years old! I can’t believe it’s five years since I first heard about The Great Outdoors Challenge, via The Adventure Show, and decided it was ‘the thing for me’. I have loved the planning, the research, the walk, the people I’ve met and everything about it! And this blog has been mainly about the adventures I’ve had along the way. One day, I hope to be able to share the Big Adventure with TTS as that was the idea at the very beginning, but that’s not yet feasible. I’ll just keep plodding on with the best friends I’ve ever had until my Bestest Ever Walking Buddy can join in all the fun (but I still get to do all the planning…)

Yep, should be fun!!

Chocolate Cake

The day had an inauspicious start. As I walked into the lounge with my breakfast, one slice of toast slid gracefully off my plate and landed on the carpet, marmalade side down.

When we arrived in town where I was to drop David to collect a pool car, the offices were not open.

When we finally got on our separate ways (although initially in the same direction) we got behind every bit of slow traffic we could find and this was to be a theme during each of my journeys today.

As I brought up the rear behind two cars and a van going over The Lecht I became aware of that nasty burning clutch or brake smell. (Apparently there is a difference, one smells of rotten eggs. They both smell of burning to me!) I was praying very hard that the smell was not emanating from my car. I had to wait a while after the two cars passed the van before I could but I was pleased to find I left the smell behind me. Phew.

I collected Laura and we set off to leave the car at the beginning of our chosen walk, after having first persuaded each other that 10 miles was perhaps a little ambitious given the time constraints, so we headed for Thistledae. It was a clear day with a little high haze, but very warm and slight breeze. Things were looking up.

Near the start

We had a job to do on this walk. Laura had received a request for a photograph with a certain theme, so we duly complied with this request.

Happy Tree Hugger

We found a baby one too

By this time we were on a path that Laura was not entirely happy with. It wasn’t following the map, but the wayposts were most definitely sending us this way. We continued up hill through the trees, expecting something interesting to happen with regards the direction of the path.

Admiring the purple heather, there was a lot of it

There were views

And views

And more views

After a while, another waypost hove into view, this time directing us off the lovely track we were on through long grass and thistles to another post. Off we went, there was no path that we found, but plenty of tussocks and holes and I “Ooopsed” and giggled and squealed my way across the meadow. At the next post, we located the next against the boundary wall. At this point either the grass got longer or we were sinking deeper into the decidedly damp, tussocky, holey ground. I hoped we weren’t going to get out of our depth.

Looking awfully relaxed

Shorter grass, but the ground was still damp

We eventually made it to the remains of some buildings, something to do with corn and men designating a male only building in which to chat and drink whisky. I expect us wimmin had fun at that time too….

We followed the waymarkers and joined the track Laura had expected us to be on in the first place, it was obvious we’d been on a detour to visit the ruins that had not been adopted by most folk who probably did the short out and back from the track we were now on. I know, in my heart of hearts, that if Laura and I had ignored the waymarkers and stuck to the track as marked on the map, we would not have done that out and back (I’m too lazy) and would have missed that little bit of history. And all that fun…

A bit later, after we escaped the long damp, grass, at some different ruins

“The field of two goats” was obviously wholly inappropriate today

There were still views

We had our lunch seated at a handy picnic table near this beautiful building

As we lunched, there was some entertainment provided by the local birdlife, a very noisy buzzard and what looked and behaved suspiciously like a peregrine falcon, but I need to do some more research on that.

And the views continued on the way back

Once back at the car, we discovered we had time to find a local tea shop and partake of a little traditional afternoon refreshment. (I think that sounds all wrong) Anyway, in Ballater, we browsed the outdoor shop before retiring to the Bothy for tea and cake. Or scone. I had cake, chocolate cake as it happens. This finished the day off rather beautifully.

Roughly 5.68 miles with a total of 963 ft ascent in a bit of time.

Loved it, what a wonderful day, thanks Laura, Ls Belles’ Tea Shop Tours of Scotland!

Sunshine on a rainy day

So, there has been some walking, two days in a row in fact, and both of which were in good company in sunshine and showers.

At somewhat short notice, Mick and Gayle asked if there was a pitch available nearby our house. As luck would have it, the neighbours were away and there was indeed room for Colin on our driveway on Friday night. A rather delightful evening was spent supping a little wine and chatting until well passed Gayle and even my bedtime! Luckily, I had the whole of Saturday to recover from the lack of sleep in time to meet them again on Sunday in Grantown-on-Spey. As it happened, Laura was free too, so she came through to join us for a little stroll from Revack Lodge, a shortened version of the walks I have done from here several times before.

There was much faffing in the car park, involving jackets and GPS, before we were all ready to start the slight incline to the viewpoint. The GPS faff continued at intervals for a short while, Mick, Gayle and David were very patient.

At the viewpoint, we had a view!

Jolly walkers

The walk was pretty unremarkable, very similar to the way it was previously, but with excellent company, much chatter, a bit of laughter, some rain, some sunshine, a bit of faffing and the odd tick.

We lunched on a small patch of flat grass a little way from our path and hadn’t been sat long before it started to rain. We continued to eat and enjoyed chocolate and ginger flapjack supplied Gayle as it rained gently, but as it become more persistent, we all decided to don full waterproofs and get back to the business of walking.

As the track took us down to the road, the rain stopped. We turned right instead of left to follow the Backharn Way, stopped to remove waterproofs, crossed the road and eventually joined the Speyside Way. Not long after we left The Way, crossed the road an made our way through the woods and back to the car and van. Soon after, we found ourselves in the cafe with hot beverages and cakes, num num num! By the time we popped Mick back to Colin on the campsite, it was time for a cup of tea and a guided tour of Colin, it would have been rude not to, so more chatting and drinking of hot beverages was done before we had to return to collect the weekend worker and cook dinner.

A very pleasant 6.05 miles stroll with around 906 feet total ascent.

On Monday, poor David had to go to work, but I was available to join Mick and Gayle for another short walk, this time locally. They arrived just in time for a cup of tea as a shower went through, and then another one, and another one. We briefly considered alternatives, liking staying in doors! But after an amount of bullying, we found ourselves sitting in Colin at the car park as another shower went through. Must be time for lunch we thought, and so it was.

After an amount of faffing, when I couldn’t faff with my GPS as I found I’d left my mobile at home but faffed with my jackets instead, we left Colin and started our walk. Walking around Altyre Estate is always pleasant and really quite easy, but I’d taken my map just in case and I may have referred to it once or twice, just for reassurance at some of the slightly unfamiliar junctions. We did not go awry.

Cute calves

After a stroll along a country lane, we entered woodland and made our way passed Loch of Blair, although Mick and Gayle would never have known had I not told them, as the view of the loch was almost completely hidden by reeds. We then went off by the Big House that they recognised and struck off on a bit of an adventure as I took a path I hadn’t used before. We avoided The Kennels where the dogs bark and headed off for the ford. I remember a small bridge here before, but it seems to have been completely overgrown and there was no sign of it, so we all got slightly damp feet as we crossed. Some of us may have heaved our sorry carcases up a slight incline to meet the High Path through the forestry at the top of the estate. I never mentioned that the last time I was here, the track was deep in mud and puddles, but this time it was quite a nice path and I chose to keep quiet. We had quite nice views of Findhorn Bay and the Moray Firth through the trees that have really grown since last time!

The view was better than this photo suggests

After a short while of walking through the trees we joined the Dava Way and we were on our way back to Colin.

There has to be a comedy photograph…

We managed to fit in a cake stop shortly before we got back to Colin and as we sat enjoying the view and yummy cake, I spotted a roe deer in field in front of us. Well, I could see it and it wasn’t a duck.

Playing hide and seek with a roe deer

6.68 miles and roughly 442 feet total ascent and I have to say two wonderful days walking with friends even if there was a bit of rain along with the sunshine. Thank you all!

Thunder and Lightning

Not been up to much lately, but we supervised the Rangers’ Silver Qualifier Expedition last week. They started at Insh in Glen Feshie and walked through the forestry to camp at Loch an Eilein (groups can get permission for this) on the first night. The second day they walked via the Cairngorm Club Footbridge to Glenmore and then on to the Ryvoan Pass to camp at the bothy. Here was Midge Hell, which I could have warned them about had they asked…The third day they continued on through the Pass to finish at Nethy Bridge.

The weather was challenging. Mostly it was really hot and humid, the kind of heat that I would not choose to be out in. Not just because I don’t do hot, but also because it brings the midgies out to play. It did however mean there was potential for storms and on day two, there were two heavy downpours, the first being particularly heavy. There was no percussion accompaniment to these. On the last day they didn’t get caught in any rain but there was a lot of thunder rumbling around in the afternoon and some terrific lightning. Luckily it was dry both nights, so they didn’t have heavy tents to carry, which was a bonus.

It was not a navigationally challenging route, although they did manage to get misplaced in Inshriach between Moor of Feshie and Loch an Eilein. They found themselves and arrived at camp on time, which is exactly what you’d hope for (especially when we’d done the training, we got something right!)

We had lots of time to kill as this was their Qualifier and they are a very competent and capable group. They did however have a team member who needed a couple of concessions due to a minor physical problem, so she got to carry a daysac whilst we delivered her pack into camp every night and we were available to offer a couple of lifts if she wanted them, so we did walk into meet them a couple of times for that purpose. This included meeting them at Forest Lodge on the last day where she declined the offer of a lift, but we then got caught in a ridiculously heavy downpour on the way back to the car and they didn’t even have to dodge a single drop, huh! At least we managed to clock up a few miles walked ourselves, about 20 miles with about 1377 feet total ascent.

I can’t see any reason why they would have to re-do their Expedition (we don’t ‘fail’…) and I can’t see them attempting their Gold (they don’t have the drive) so that’s it for the Rangers!

In all fairness, the best bit for me was seeing a Hen Harrier flying over the Dava Moor on the way home, but that’s just me…

More retreating rucksacks

Beware the Man in Charcoal….

Before they got lost

Loch an Eilein

Across the loch to Meall a’ Bhuachaille

Clouds gathering over the Cairngorms

 

 

Night and Day

David has been supervising another D of E Silver group Practice Expedition this weekend. The group was from another local school so we didn’t know any of the participants, although it did turn out that David knows the parents of one of them. I didn’t volunteer to assist him this time, but as they were going to be in the Glen Fiddich/Glenlivet area, almost half way to Ballater, I offered to pop by to help with the car shuffle and stay over at the bothy Friday night and then I could finish the other half of the journey and go for a little stroll with Laura. Seemed like a plan.

The expedition didn’t go quite to plan. One chap dropped out after lunch on Friday feeling unwell and David had to walk him back out and return him to Dufftown for collection. We met at a car park in Glenlivet before walking in to Suie bothy and once there, found that one of the girls had struggled during the afternoon and had now also decided to drop out. The plan was for her to be walked out in the morning to meet her dad.

Calum had a fire lit

David, doing what Supervisors do best

The night at the bothy was unremarkable, I did notice the wind get up in the night and I did briefly think I should have been in a tent (it would have been easier to gauge how the group were coping if I was experiencing the same conditions) however the thought didn’t last more than a split second and it was gone, I went back to sleep…

The bothy cat

Suie Bothy

The Bochel

In the morning, the Assistant Supervisor (Calum) was up nice and early (6.30 am…) to pack and sweep out the bothy (helpful) and the group were up and breakfasted soon after. I went to say hello and found the five of them dealing with their tender shoulders and blistered feet. They were a nice bunch. The retiring girl had made her mind up but as I chatted with her seemed quite up beat and determined to complete the Qualifier Expedition. After breakfast and packing, David and I were on our way by 8.30 am, leaving Calum to walk the retiring girl out.

6.94 m and 498 ft round trip

We were soon in Tomintoul parking the spare car and visiting the powder room before I dropped David off on the road to the Clash of Scalan and then I continued my drive over the Lecht to meet Laura for a stroll, a little behind schedule by now. A little treat as I drive up across the moorland between Corgarff and Gairnshiel Lodge, a peregrine falcon flew across the road in front of me, wow!

I found Laura chatting with a friend, not feeling too abandoned and lonely and we quickly came up with a plan. Coffee. And something nice. Which turned out to be Date and Ginger scones.

After a good chat and powdering our noses, we went for a stroll, taking the path along the river out of Ballater but heading the other way from the direction I’m used to! It was a very pleasant day and we had some lovely views. There are a couple of bridges that have been added on this route which Laura wanted to see and she also wanted to try out her new shoes. Although she wasn’t very thorough with this I thought.

An incredible pig

An impressive cockerel

A shy one

We made some friends along the way, although the guard jack russells were not quite so friendly. After crossing the Polhollock bridge we realised lunch was missing from our tummies and as luck would have it, just as we started to rate little grassy tussocks out of ten as potential lunch stops, we found a bench, woo hoo! We sat, chatting a little more, eating sandwiches and crisps and trying to identify a sneaky bird that was just outside the reach of our (somewhat doubtful) vision. The consensus in the end was a woodpecker.

Laura celebrating the new bridge

Walking sensibly over the next and very substantial bridge

 

Threatening to bounce on the Polhollock bridge

Picturesque path

…am I missing something?!

We continued on along this lovely woodland path until we met a road, which we then followed. I had a flash of recognition and realised I’d walked this road before, again going in the other direction. After a brief pause at the bench, we continued along the road to Ballater, then we had The Incident with the ovloV Man…

Now, Laura and I had a few issues towards the end of the Challenge with ignorant and careless drivers, we waved nicely to those that were considerate and not so nicely to those that weren’t…As we strolled along this relatively quiet lane, a shiny, new, silver ovloV drove towards us at speed. The driver made no effort to pull out or slow down, despite there being no traffic approaching in the other direction nor any obstruction to his vision along the road. We waved accordingly. A change in the engine sound made me look over my shoulder and to my dismay the driver was braking and slowing down. Oh dear. A few moments later my attention was drawn by the sound of an approaching vehicle and sure enough, it was ovloV Man. He drew along side us with his window lowered, “Is everything alright ladies? You seemed to wave me down, I thought you were hitch hiking but you would normally hitch in the direction you want to go!” The reply went something like (we spoke at the same time…) “We’re fine thank you, but it’s nice if drivers slow down and pull out when they drive passed, you were a bit close!” “Oh that’s alright then” and he drove away, turned at the bridge to Ballater and returned. Laura trotted across the road and left me to be almost mown down as he drove closer and fast than before. Too fast for me to catch the registration. Git!

At the end of our (mostly) delightful stroll, we needed refreshments, but I had been a bit clever and brought some maps with me for planning purposes, so we needed space as well. We decided that Laura’s Kitchen could provide lashings of chilled ginger beer  and a table top to work on, so that’s where we went. A rough route was easily agreed, despite me *expressing surprise that having thought I’d taken all the maps I needed for the route I had in mind, I’d left a crucial map behind. And then, after some pop, planning and powdering, it was time for me to make my way back over the Lecht and home again.

5.48 miles and 333 ft at a very gentle stroll speed.

What a lovely day out! Thank you Laura.

* I realised later I had had it with me, but as it was the Ballater map, it was in the map case in my day sack in the car. Doh!