Day-21 itchy feet

My planned half rest day got of to a good start with a lay in until 7.30 then a good fry up at the Yha, breakfast was shared with a group of cyclists heading to John O'groats aiming to raise money for the air ambulance service,a nice friendly bunch :-)
Having packed my pack before breakfast and with the sun shining the lure of using today to catch up with lost time was to great, so somewhat sensibly I wandered slowly off through Stirling old town admiring the architecture... A truly grand town!
Following my nose out of town and I'm in gently undulating farm land, with a far from gentle history, this is Bannockburn the site of a great Scottish victory against the English, though now from my position as I  wandered through it was impossible to tell if I'd not already known.
A slight rise took me into Cowie for lunch a massive portion of chicken and chips, Lovely! That's three good meals in a row now, I'm in danger of gaining some weight here!
Loaded up with provisions and out of town on a cycle track that eventually passes a castellated tower attached to more recent though ancient house.A few turns in the road and under the M9 and over the M876 and I find myself getting lost in a new housing development at Larbert, as always I only ever get lost in towns! Still a friendly bloke with his springer spaniel pointed me in the right direction before I'd gone to far wrong.
Now earlier in the day I'd received a message from radio Northampton who wanted to an update on the walk certainly with regards to Alfie having retired from the trek.. Nice to see they are reading the blog!. We had arranged a time to do the interview (2.10pm) and this coincided with me walking in Larberts suburbs so there I was sitting on someone's wall doing a radio interview as people walked past giving me weird looks! Odd!
Normality resumed and I'm wandering through the town, over the railway line that I'd travelled coming back from taking Alfie home. Feels a long time ago now!.
A few twists in the road bring me a sight I've wanted to see since the early days of planning my lejog in 2009, The Falkirk Wheel! What piece of engineering, transferring barges from one canal to another and using no more than 3kw (a domestic kettles equivalent) of electricity to achieve it! Pic
After a coffee break here I'm off and into Howierig woods to pitch the tent. This puts me just the kilometers behind where I wanted to be yesterday, this catch up plan seems to working I just have to keep the engines stoked!

Day-20 Who dares wins!

Away from my nights rest (!).... And relieving my unfulfilled stomach with snacks from a shop, I pick up a B road twice the size of most A roads in the north and far busier traffic didn't seem to expect walkers along here.What I didn't expect was the statue in the photo, a memorial for Sir David Stirling the man who founded the SAS! It's quite a memorial too,it lists all the men who have died in the service of this great brigade, a very grounding moment.
Back on the B road and I really know I'm out of the wild as the road joins a massive roundabout on the end of the M9 giving me a whole new set of concerns as I struggle to cross multiple dual carriageways that join here!, around and on the road to Bridge of Allan another victorian spa town with its posh coffee shops, I settle for a fizzy drink from Tesco!
From here my next target is in easy sight the impressive Wallace monument that towers above the valley perched on Abbey Craig,well worth the climb to the top though I'm puffing a bit.....Think I was trying to show off to the tourists! Hehe!,spectacular views back to the mountains as much as at the exquisite architecture!.
My crossing of the river forth was much less time consuming than its eastern equivalent in 2010! Hard to imagine it's the river that eventually forms the Firth of Forth!. 
Into Stirling now I head straight to the grand Yha building to start my 24 hour rest period. Night all

Day-19 karma at play

Walking into the campsite took me a kilometer off route last night, it also put me within a hundred yards of my route! The problem being ten meters of the river balgie blocking my route, chewing over this problem with Hugh a chap I'd met walking into the site with his wife last night, he gives the ideal solution with the use of his canoe!
So many thanks Hugh :-)
Once again the crossing water thing left me a bit pale...I'm told! Still well worth it, across some rough farmland and onto the cycle trail again, as ever running smooth and easy over the landscape with pleasing views of Loch Lubnaig in the morning sun (!) one view I certainly didn't expect was to meet a young lass walking from Callandar in her party frock and carrying two heavy looking handbags! Poor girl did look a bit tired to say the least! So passing on some rations was the least I could do! Think that glucose drink helped :-)
Continuing along to a place called Stank (it didn't) I met another lady who was accompanied by a border terrier called Leonard! Lovely to fuss one, though it did bring home how much I miss Alfie :-/
The trail goes through a holiday park and consequently a few people were around jogging, cycling etc.. Leaving the holidaymakers to their exercise and heading into sun dappled woods beside the river my company is back to the usual little birds I've still to identify! (note to me!!!)
With one step I'm out of the woods and utterly blown away by how flat the land had become! No mountains ahead gave me a very weird albeit relieved feeling, the pressure should be off now, the hard graft of mountain walking is done, at least until I'm back in England.
A chap with his dogs passes me and donates a fiver, thanks!.
One thing I'm noticing quickly is how further advanced the local flora is here, in the mountains and only a few miles back the rose bay willow herb is only just in flower, here it's in seed! A remarkably different climate. Into Calandar for lunch and a huge fried breakfast is devoured quickly! Provisions purchased and I'm on the road once more via a tiny B road to Buchany, plenty of black berries here to gorge on making a change from all the tiny raspberries I've been nibbling on for the last few weeks!
Onto the main A road to Doune and into the village where I get a room in a very sub standard B&B... I was going to slate them here but I'll refrain at least I got my battery pack charged up.

Day-18 yours truly!

Up early today with the morning sun and blue sky (Yes sun!) changing the world around me from yesterday's cloudy view, such a view too this area is beautiful, and one I'll return to one day to explore in comfort.
A quick wander into town and scarcrows are everywhere! Apparently it's scarcrow week.... Just like JP and I found around Jedburgh in 2010 though still no idea why it's done!
A few groceries from the co-op and meths from an outdoors shop (who showed absolutely no interest in the trek! Anyone else found this in outdoors shops?) leaving town to the south west a bridge crosses the Drochter falls stunning even to my water wearied eyes, kindly two cyclists took the pic of me by the water, nice to prove I exist! Lol
The path out of town and indeed all day is on a Sustrans cycle path so good easy going! Initially walking through woodland I'm startled out of a reverie by two cyclists. I never can hear them as they draw close!, this was a father daughter team who I kept catching up with! Not sure if they are dawdling or I'm quick today?
The track crosses the A85 which it's been following and joins an old railway track, nice smooth and level! This runs high over Glen Ogle and is busy with cyclists and walkers fit about 5km until Lochearnhead where I met a couple of ladies who donate five pounds to the charity... Thank you both.
The path soon leaves this bit of railway and drops down to a viaduct repaired in memory of a cyclist who died on the dread A9.
Pushing on for a late lunch at a hotel (as I'm still not eating enough!) I gobble down some beautifully cooked fish and chips! Perfect for the push into Strathyre and my stop at the local campsite. Night all :-)

Day-17 fed and flying!

After yesterday's big feed up and rest I'm back to myself, though caution plays a big role at the start of today, so slowly I start walking out of the campsite and over a bridge that looked faintly nordic, then onto the main trail south and slightly west through Rannoch forest.
Following a ravine carved into the hill by Allt na Bogair (stream) uphill with steep drops into this impressive feature, made all the more so by the still constant rain and churning waters below.
Once out of the pleasant damp woods I'm walking amongst smoothly rounded hills etherically draped with wispy clouds and of course sheets of rain! This limits the view no end but I'm used to that here! Over the top of Lairig Ghallabhaich which with this title I assume this to be an old drove road which leads me down through more forestry commission wood's to Innerwick where I stop in the church porch to change maps without getting them soggy, glad I did as they proudly show off a bell here that's reputed to be 1200 years old, it certainly looks it.
With the weather improving I make a very welcome and unexpected find the Glenlyon post office and tea room!, hot tea and carrot cake on the solidly built wooden veranda was quickly shared with around ten cheeky chaffinches! A very amusing bunch!.
The weather holds on the way south up and out of the Glen all 7km of ascent on a steep smooth tarmac single track road (Alfie would have approved!) pretty waterfalls that I'd normally enjoy to my right and traffic coming from front and back, at one point a car pulls up next to me for a chat, heads of ten yards, stops then the driver gets out to give me some shortbread biscuits! Very nice :-)
Passing the shielings (livestock pens now no longer in evidence) that my original plan had been to stop at I head east with black clouds gathering over the rugged mountain ridges around me. Naturally and to form this meant more precipitation, straight down and heavy! Hey Ho!
With the road going south past lochan na Lairage with its forbidding dam looking like a grim granite castle, another car pulls over offering me a lift! Politely declined they gave me food instead!.... I must be looking really needy today!
With the dam receding in the distance and a stunning albeit cloudy mass of mountains ahead none of which I can name! I start the long decent into the valley of Loch Tay still getting rained on of course, passing a shepherd in just a fleece jacket I realise damp is the natural state for anyone in the hills hereabouts. I may be going local. The road along loch Tay is uneventful leading me to  High Creagan campsite charging £5 for the night and giving me a good finish time in fresh sunshine allowing me to dry last nights damp from the tent. Another great day! (quote JP)

Weds 20th the wall

Woke up tired, never a good start, but off I went, into Kinloch Rannoch to the shop, food for a day and a half purchased and a coffee for a boost.
Plodding out of town with loch Rannoch in all its beauty on my right I'm sitting back and enjoying the view, pace is at best ok. By ten I'd only clocked up three miles and I was exhausted. Looking at the food in my pack and the distance to walk at the pace I'm managing, well to say the least the numbers didn't add up!
So swallowing my pride and swearing at everything, while knowing I'm doing the right thing I turned around back to Kinloch Rannoch.
Which is where I am now making use of the WiFi in a cafe while eating a huge jacket spud with chilli the start of rebuilding my energy.
Point to note mobile coverage for O2 here is non existent and it seems that the WiFi in the cafe works along similar lines...... :-/
You know I said I'm stubborn? Well after getting in more provisions I wandered off again not to far I know I've got to rest, but far enough to know I won't be walking any track tomorrow that I'd walked today.
Had to get a positive start tomorrow ;-)

Day-16 sunshine again! Tues 19th

My first glance out of the tent was to a pure blue patch of sky! Think that was the only patch of blue as by the time I'd packed away the familiar grey was back!
Still the road goes on, and with a quick cup of garage coffee I march off south along the A9, this section has a good cycle track so no need for traffic dodging, just let the feet do  what they must and enjoy the view of the Drumochter pass, with its interestingly named mountains, Boar of Badenoch and The sow of Atholl amongst others!
Shortly before Dalnaspidal lodge I see more Balfour men at work using heavy machinery to break up the old pylons that I've seen laying in fields like old dinosaur skeletons since Strathpeffer. Turning south west at the lodge towards loch Garry I meet an old chap off fly fishing who donated £5 to the charity! and with this good fortune sunshine is also finally with me, and such timing! With sunlight twinkling on the loch it's a balm for my rain battered self! The loch is only about 4km long and about half way is building with plaque proclaiming the construction of the Garry tunnel....? Some research is required for this one as no tunnel is visible.
Passing a small waterfall, which in any other walk I'd have taken interest in, but I'm about done with cascading water for a bit! ;-). The track stops here and for once the black dotted line on the map corresponds with a visible path past Meall Doire, over a stream and a good track between two hills leads me through a herd of highland cattle and calf's, downhill the track splits with me heading south east as a heavy squall hits, quickly passing I met a game warden just off to pick up two fresh kills, at this point midges reappear after not being a problem since before Garve! That was a great break from them, but this is the Highlands and your never going to avoid them for long!.
Downhill and into tarmac I'm heading east to Kinloch Rannoch and upon the advice of the game warden the Mcdonald hotel... Extremely nice hotel just a bit out of my price range at £120 for the night! Still they did let me pitch at their marina.... Bit high class here innit! (mum!).
And that's where I'm writing this with a stunning view east along the loch towards the sharp peak of Schehallion, last seen on my trek north in 2010.

Day-15 Disney land.... Sort of!

After a warm nights sleep only disturbed by odd dreams which a psychologist would have had some fun explaining! I pack up for a late start of 8am with no concern as today is almost entirely valley walking albeit 19 miles of it.
The valley in question is the Spey valley famous for its whiskies (a pure accident of planning this ;-)..) this morning finds it raining again but lightly and with a milky mix of sunlight that does improve during the day, noticeably as I make tired but good progress to Garva bridge, during a quick sit down a convoy headed past back up the valley, the middle vehicle had blackened windows, I wonder which Toff/Mp/celebrity was off out for a shoot? I'll never know but they were all chuckling at my disheveled self! Which I can understand after my time on the trail.. I just smiled back.
Further on I met a chap by a dammed section of the Spey who was in charge of controlling the depth of this man made and unnamed loch, he looked a little shocked when I said I'd crossed the Corrie Yairack pass the day before...the locals have more sense I guess! Passing the dam I pick up another section of General wades road nice to be on agricultural land for a bit, passing highland cattle one of which posed beautifully for me (pic to follow).
Passing the ruin of Laggan church and what should have been a hotel.... Blowing my chance of a beer!.... I progress to posh cafe at Middleton to be accurate the cafe is Middleton no idea why every remote building on os maps in Scotland have names? But they do.
A much needed cappuccino later and cake of course, I carry on along the A889 traffic dodging on this almost single track A road for about 9km to Dalwhinnie, with great views of the cairngorm mountains to the east some of which still have pockets of snow visible, wonder if the Lairig Ghru has? Fond memoirs of my south to North walk come back to me.
A final loop of road and I'm in Dalwhinnie, curiously my feet walk me straight into the distillery! ;-)
A quick look around my version of Disney land and I head off with a small medicinal bottle for my pack!
Things go slightly awry here as I was hoping to get a room at the hotel to scrub up a bit.... Closed for renovation..... There was a cafe still open in the building so a quick burger and chips and a chat to the owner, who kindly allowed me to camp in the grounds for free... Good man!
And with this nice early finish at 4.30 and already fed I'm playing catch up with some needed rest!

Day-14 cheers Balfour Beatty!

After a long rainy night I get lucky while packing with a break in the rain! Away along the old military road to Allt Phocaichain (a stream) for the first of today's obstructions! Naturally overflowing with rain water I go through the now familiar process of beating my phobia of crossing fast running water by tentatively paddling across and filling my boots, as ever! Sloshing off over the top of the hill via the power line construction road passing all the usual no access signs! Tough I'm going this way!. Leaving the road to continue on the old military road into fort Augustus tiny town heaving with trekkers going this way and that.. All looking wet!, entering the first cafe I see I order a full breakfast... So needed today!
Then stocking up on provisions to keep me going for three day's making my pack bleeding heavy but that's unavoidable.
The trail for the Corrie Yairack pass is nicely marked, so uphill I go... Naturally in the rain, it's a long old slog up the first hill on a twisting and undulating track, feeling the weight of both my pack and my breakfast at this point! After a few kilometers I find Blackburn bothy right next to another overflowing stream that's about a foot deep in the track... Soggy feet once again!
The track continues past the fork in the valley to Glen Tarff and into the luxury of a bridge over the raging torrents of Allt Coire Uchdachan, the road now pushes steeply uphill for about 3km passing an old battered bothy where I rung my socks out, feet warmer now I continue up the hill still following the power line construction track though that now lies below me, into the clouds and the top foggily shows itself. This is the highest point on the trek and according to my gps tops out at 2700 feet (pic).
Finally downhill into the Corrie that gives the pass it's name, a great scoop of a valley, but that just means trouble in these conditions and so it proved with no end of streams /river's forging across the path, all sort of passable though occasionally risky.
With the corrie disappearing in the distance my path levels out as we head into the valley, then big trouble strikes, the Ford on the map is huge! No way I can cross this and the ruin of an ancient bridge to my right just rubs salt in the wound! Thinking about my surroundings the works on the power line bring an obvious solution to my trouble with the works track that's up the hill from me, bit of a scramble to reach it but the bridge over the torrent makes my day! Hence the title of this blog - it's also a bit of an apology to Balfour for all the ranting I've been doing about their health and safety signs doting the hillside today ;-)
Back downhill and on track we reach a little of nirvana in the shape of the Melgarve bothy. Tonight I'm sleeping on a warm albeit manky sofa in my toasty sleeping bag! Result.... Also my kit is hanging up and drying out.... Couldn't ask for more after today :-)

Day-13 solo

Over sleeping after all the travelling, I wake up at 7.15, requiring a scramble to get everything packed away. I still managed after breakfast to be on the road by 8.30  so not too bad a start, first off I (weird not writing we!) stop at the shop in Cannich that's run by aussies (nice folk) and get the provisions topped up and had a good chin wag.
Then off down the road past yet another hydro electric dam! This one at an area called Fasnakyle, it's a great monolith of a building with random carvings of cows bears and a dragon or wyvern.... Wouldn't have looked out of place in Orwell's 1984!.
Over the great rocky channel of the river glass and on into the conservation village of Tomich with its quaint post office and imposing victorian water fountain.
Through an avenue of trees and then double back slightly to pick up the forestry commotion track up through the silver Birch woods, always a joy this but today I'm treated with a rainbow below me refracting from the sun behind me into the mists in the valley below, I can't think of a time I've looked down into a rainbow! With a little cheesy singing to myself I continue up and out of the woods and back into moor country, heading up to loch na Beinne Baine in increasing rain though still with some great mountain views (pic), I find a rather battered old bothy perfect timing for a dry lunch out of the rain!.
Fully fed I step out into improving weather and further great mountain vista to the west,I reach the highest point on the trail and look down on the valley of Invermoriston. At this point is convenient to mention the power lines that we've been following pretty much since Beauly an upgrade to the existing to a whopping 50kv line! Though here it looks unsightly and with the massive trail that was built for its construction it's a sad scar on the mountain behind and ahead of me, though the track does make my progress quick.
Descending rapidly the track heads Straight,but the old path leads east admittedly in the wrong direction but so much nicer to follow! Finding a path directly down hill through more Birch woods I stop for a breather on a very comfy rock with such a peaceful surrounding I could have easily dozed off! But with some miles yet to do I resisted.
Reaching the road in the valley I head over the river Moriston and pick up a trail heading diagonally up hill through the woods. This is until I reach an old General Wade road that's going to take me all the way to Fort Augustus tomorrow, tonight it just takes me past huge wood ant hills bustling with busy ants, further along and away from my industrious little friends I reach my planned stop for tonight, still in the woods but getting a nice 5pm finish is perfect, so the usual process of tent up, cook pasta do the blog and chill out starts for another evening.

Yoyo!

Well after 33 hours 18 of which were spent on trains I'm back at Cannich!
The last half hour in a taxi with a great driver named John Foy, who got me back in time to get a good kip before starting off on the trail again tomorrow.
Must admit I'm a bit too tired to string much of a blog together tonight but suffice to say it's going to be a very different walk without my stalwart companion!
Here's hoping this still works!

Happy hound!

A little update on Alfie, he's now home and enjoying lot's of sofa time! A few days off the trail and he's back to himself, the precaution of bringing him home before he gets hurt has paid off for him :-).
For me it's back on the train this morning for a another 10 hours trip!
The walk must go on!