Excuse the briefness of my words! A week of burning the candle at both ends has depleted my energy stores. Alas, nothing exciting has been burning my candle, merely a week of a heavy workload and a coursework deadline = little sleep. I don't ever want to forget the beauty of my Scottish trip last week though! So I will communicate instead through pictures (which is probably better anyway - and if a picture speaks a thousand words - this just saved a lot of reading time).
Sunday, 9th August: climb Cairn Gorm, run around Loch Morlich, eat cake. The perfect day! And perfect weather (in Scotland and all!!)
Monday, 10th August: get up run 16 miles to Loch Eanaich, get eaten by midges.....
Admire mushrooms...
And heather...
Realise there's still a long way to go, and it looks suspiciously uphill...
Laugh at Andrew (I mean, arrive at Loch)...
Turn around and run back along a river...
Await arrival of Alan, ready for big running adventures. Fuel (the Scottish way) for adventures....
Wednesday, 12th August: 26 miles, 5000 ft, Lairig Ghru & Ben Macdui circle
What a day! Wake up early. Set off through the Caledonian pines towards the Lairig Ghru
Quick navigation check (all OK)
The Ghru in the distance
The Ghru! Quick stop to fill water bottles in a stream. Baking hot!
A short (actually, not that short), sharp climb (involving some heather bashing, and falling through holes) up Lerchers Crag. I felt a migraine coming on as the sun beat down on my head, and reflected off the stones and the temperature rose and my heart rate reached 96% of it's apparent maximum. Got to top and tried to look like I didn't feel sick. Found some tablets. Drank some water. Went in search of some "tops" and "deleted tops", which was a new discovery on this trip (who knew, that each mountain might not have just one top, and some might even have tops that people decided shouldn't be a top after all, and got deleted!!)
View down to the Lairig Ghru
Along the ridge to Ben Macdui, keeping an eye out for Fear Liath Mor (the Great Grey Man). No sign today. But then, ghost stories never are set on bright sunny days.
What goes up, comes down (eventually). A long descent (via another top) and more views of the Ghru
A "technical" descent (i.e. straight down). Found a comfy seat in the heather whilst filling water bottles again.
Made it back down again. Chat with a man who is walking the exact same route in the opposite direction. This is the first time I have been here and actually fully seen the Lairig Ghru! The last two times it has been covered in cloud!
Have a break at the Pools of Dee, and Andrew goes swimming (AGAIN)
And almost gets eaten by a tiny brown trout
Back down out of the Lairig Ghru, it looks like it was worth getting up early and missing the thunder!
Extra incentive to run fast on the downhill home
For gourmet recovery!
Thursday, 13th August: 8 miles run to Loch an Eilein, with a picnic in the middle, and blaeberry picking.....
And on to Loch Gamhna (with waterlillies!)
Friday, 14th August: the Big One, 22 miles, 5700 ft from Loch Morlich, up Strath Nethy, to Loch A'an, around and up Beinn Mheadhoin, down to the shelter stone, up Cairn Gorm and down to Loch Morlich.
A gloomy start at Loch Morlich
And gloomy for the first few miles up to the Strath Nethy
There was a brief brightening at An Lochan Uaine (the Turquoise Loch)
Then it went back to being gloomy. And boggy. A 5 mile bog stomp ensued up the Strath Nethy.
Until, near the top, it started to brighten
In time for great views at the top!
And back for fish and chips (using the Andrew two-seater shuttle service) which didn't last long enough to get a picture. Best holiday ever! Thanks Andrew and Alan for the adventures! And the mountain legends story telling of an evening.....here's to more!
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