Yesterday was our first rest day in the Highlands. S and I went off to do some admin and check in with various relatives. Mum and Dad were very glad to hear that I was still alive as texts and phone calls hadn't been reaching me. Anyway we went on a geocache hunt before cooking up soup and going to have a look at the Culin. Disappointingly the Sligachan Hotel was shut, just as we were thinking of joining Sue for coffee the wind picked up and started rocking the van. So we made the sensible decision to park up and watch Bee movie (good choice). Only after watching it did we remember that we needed to do some washing... Laundrette times!
Nice spot for a geocache.
After cooking dinner we went to meet Sue in her hotel the Mackinnon Country House Hotel. What a stunning place! Its got an honestly bar and a coal fire in the sitting room. The land lady is lovely. We were all chatting round the fire when she asked where S and I were staying. When we said in my van down the road she looked horror struck! (A similar look to that Mum had when I suggested the idea to her too). Anyway first she said we were to park in her carpark so we could use the toilets, then she offered us towels and a bathroom to make use of. Then we were offered breakfast for £3 each. Finally she offered us a room for a very good price which we simply could not refuse. So now we are staying in the hotel it is plush.
Pulling a masterful pint.
So that brings me to today. After a leisurely breakfast in the hotel (they don't do speedy breakfasts) we headed round to a remote bit of coastline to tramp up a roadside munro. It was yet another long and torturous slog up a heather slope that was mostly bog.
Fortunately the tedium was broken by a few interesting river crossing. The rivers weren't wide, but they were fast!
Then boredom struck again and I seriously wondered if it was all worth it. Seriously who chooses to slog up a mountain in the lashing rain just because its there? Apparently me.
Things got interesting again when we finally reached the Bealach and the winds hit us. Suddenly this was no longer a miserable traipse up a hill this was exciting, this was living,
Fortunately the tedium was broken by a few interesting river crossing. The rivers weren't wide, but they were fast!
Then boredom struck again and I seriously wondered if it was all worth it. Seriously who chooses to slog up a mountain in the lashing rain just because its there? Apparently me.
Things got interesting again when we finally reached the Bealach and the winds hit us. Suddenly this was no longer a miserable traipse up a hill this was exciting, this was living,
A river in Spate.
After an interesting, but rounded ridge we finally made the summit cairn. It was rather broken and looked a bit on the drunk side (possibly hit by lightning?) the wind abated and I was able to sort out a wardrobe malfunction that had been causing me some discomfort (I had only put one brace back on my waterproof trousers after a speedy layer change and they were falling down). We had a quick bite to eat and then headed down.
Smells like a drying room.