Distance: 17.75 miles
Ascent: not much
Weather: dry!
Clear blue skies greeted us as we emerged from the tent this morning. Not a cloud in the sky and the tent was bone dry - for the first time since Day 1! I took the snap above just as soon as we got out into the open (having slept in some woodland last night), convinced that clouds would roll in any moment.
My pessimism was not misplaced, but they were high clouds and they refrained from dripping on us. It was still a fine day to be walking up the Feshie, which turned out to be an attractive walk.
Second breakfast was had at the point where we were to leave the Feshie, which is also where the going became somewhat softer and wetter underfoot. It was still easy walking on a well-defined path, so no yomping for us today.
A bridge took us over the top of an impressive waterfall - one of a few we saw today, albeit not all from such close range - then a few miles further on we reached the point which was supposed to provide our night-stop for tomorrow night. It looked like there were some good pitches there, but we walked on through.
What can I say about the track which runs from Geldie Lodge through to the Linn of Dee? It's hard on the feet and goes on forever, and whilst the surroundings are perfectly nice, they didn't strike me as anything particularly special. My feeling, on having reached Mar Lodge, was that I've been that way now, and don't ever need to go that way again, barring necessity for bad weather.
Our first question on reaching Mar Lodge was whether they had any beds available (they did - lots, as tomorrow is the busy night, so I'm typing this from my comfy twin-bed) and our second question was whether we could have a cup of tea. Apparently a few people have been through today, but the only Challenger we have seen today was Ian C, and that was a few miles back up the glen. All has been quiet since we arrived here.
Post-script - we opted for the meal at Mar Lodge last night, which was served in the dining room, under the watchful eyes of lots of deer heads. There were four of us for dinner, at a grand table which seats 20. I should have taken a snap of one of the meals, for the comedy value of the enormous portion sizes. We must have all looked very hungry!
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Have you got a secret agenda about Munros? Colin would be the perfect tool for the job if you got serious about it.
ReplyDeleteI can recall which visit to Scotland included my ascent of Meall Chuaich, and I can remember driving up and down the A9 trying to identify the correct lay-by, they all have numbers on that road, but I have no recollection of the actual ascent. My records say it was climbed on 21st . April 2006. Perhaps I should go and do it again?