Wild camps

Not a bad office really ...

Well that's my last Summer ML Assessment done for the year.

Time to get strong for winter me thinks.

Lairig Ghru & Lairig an Laoigh

Susie says that this run "is a classic and almost entirely runnable Cairngorm circuit".  Ha, well it probably is, if you had been training.

My training had been last weeks run and Derek's training included 3 bottles of red wine the night before.

Luckily for Derek, this meant that he never got a hangover - purely because he was still rubber.

I did actually manage to take some photo's on on the first half but on the return leg, I was too preoccupied with motivating myself to keep moving to even think about taking any.

What was very exciting was seeing 5 capercaillies - I've only ever seen a couple of these magnificent birds before so to get 5 in one outing was great.

So, 48 km later we [finally] returned to the car.  Neither of us can move today and the only part of me that is not sore is my face.

Thank goodness for Orange Wednesdays ...

One hell of an adventure

We had such an adventure planned this weekend up in the Fisherfields.  It involved running, walking, biking, swimming and climbing - that was until it became very obvious that none of this would be happening due to Dereks back going :(

The great thing about Derek is that he obviously went to the same school as I when it comes to recovery.  So, as much as the temptation was to lie horizontal he loaded himself into the van and joined in as much as possible.

It was with a (slightly) heavy heart that I set off up some corbett knowing that we really should be climbing until I realised that this was one of the very few times where an injured Derek has prevented Di doing anything.

I love the hills.  I love the remoteness.  I love the quiet time that it presents.  I love the way it gives you time to think about things - so I got thinking ....

Di:  "I think I might try the Poolewe to Corrie Hallie Allison tomorrow"

Derek:  "How far is that?"

Di: "43km"

Derek: "That's a marathon.  Have you been training for a marathon?"

Di: "No."

[Pause]

Di: "I'll just think about it as a long day on the hill"

So, the following afternoon I set off on what become my long day on the hill.

The Poolewe to Corrie Hallie Allison is described as "An epic one way run through the heart of Fisherfield".

Heading deep into the hills, the first welcome sight is Carnmore, which in my head was about one third of the way.

Leaving Carnmore, the rising traverse takes you high onto the moor before the long descent towards Shenavall. 

I found the unrelenting deep grass, churned up paths soul destroying and was too frightening to take my eyes off the path in fear of tripping myself up.

The views of the south side of An Teallach provided a welcome sight - not the side that I am familiar with and if it wasn't for the huge detour required to wade across the stream at the head of Loch na Sealga I would have potentially enjoyed it more than I did.

My heart lifted when I got to Shenavall - my 2/3rd mark and nearly back on familiar territory.  With one more climb to do never have I been so glad to see a smiley Derek.

It was great to have some company for the last section, who just pulled up the man suit and got on with it.

Who needs bananas and protein gels when a can of Diet Coke and some moral encouragement will do.  I thoroughly enjoyed putting a very big fat tick against Allison #60.

Today, was all about recovery.  This takes form of the new sport called "floating".  The aim of this is to float in the sea watching the underworld go by, annoying the odd crab, getting spooked by the shoals of fish and getting freaked out by seals.  Who needs to go abroad?

The Drumochter hills

Many people take a couple of days to do the Munros to the west of the A9.

Not Elizabeth, despite recovering from a broken wrist.

Another 4 off the list.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself that this is the life I choose to lead.

Aesthetic sheep

In my humble opinion, Scotland doesn't have pretty sheep.

It was therefore refreshing to have a sheep that is actually was pleasing on the eye.

It must have stood and watched me for about 3 minutes before it gave the warning cry - that funny snort that sheep do - before nimbly moving over the rocky terrain.

This really is the best photo from the last few days - interpret that as you will ...