You should be able to click on each of the images below to make 'em bigger and more beautiful. (I wonder if there's a way of clicking on me to make me smaller and more beautiful?)
Hmmm. I was invited, and have perhaps foolishly accepted, an invitation from The Pieman along with a cast of thousands to Daunder from Peebles to Moffat in the Scottish Borders. I was assured by a TGO Vetter friend of mine, hailing from Tranent, that the TGO Chally Co-ordinator himself used to favour this particular walk, often completing it in one day. "So, to take two and a half days should be a doddle then" I heard myself thinking as I blithely wrote to accept the invitation.
Oh deary me.
There are currently blizzards over these hills, coupled with widespread flooding in the Borders. So looking at the route, flooding should not be too much of a problem then, as we seem to be walking up in the heavens, eye to eye with the satellites. It's where all the BA aeroplanes used to fly in the olden days before the crazies took over the asylum. Camping up high, in the air, in the cold. I want my Mum!
The route follows the thin blue line. The little red triangles are places I think we might be able to get the tents up, subject to reasonable weather. We shall be walking Saturday afternoon to Monday evening this coming Bank Holiday weekend. I have yet to re-seal Wanda, buy any food or gas or get anything organised. Situation Normal.
The maps don't necessarily point north (a cardinal sin, I know!) so don't go cricking your neck, now.
Those maps are superb, they certainly bring a new dimension to planning walks and getting a feel for where you've been/going!
ReplyDeleteHmmm. We have serious flooding in The Borders right now, with snow blocking a couple of the higher roads. I was out by The Tweed ten minutes ago, and its risen some 5 metres already.
ReplyDeleteWord = suqsh
'fradmyra' a little known scottish expression - believed to be said by someone who was going to go on a trip but now can't............
ReplyDeleteEnjoy it!
(Rocking backwards and forwards)
ReplyDeleteIt should be better by Saturday, It should be better by Saturday, It should be better by saturday.....
The penguins are eating my shoes...
ha ha ha ha ha
achni ( a scottish word for spots)
Incidentally, Alan, there's a bothy quite close to the Megget Stone if it all goes pie shaped and my new map shows some possble camping spots at/near Glenrath Heights at about 640 metres.
ReplyDeleteIt looks a damn fine route, I don't think you need to worry about flooding too much.
ReplyDeleteMore like frostbite, beer withdrawal and leather eating penguins will be the problems.
Have a good trip.
(Envy setting in big style.)
Sylvia at the Moffat camp site says it is a wee bit wet at the moment, so sealing tent seams and making sure there are no holes in the groundsheet is a fine idea.
ReplyDeleteHere is the forecast. Enjoy!
Nice maps. The weather is terrible. Your tent will shrug the weather of with ease. Hope you can while walking :). Good training to deal with the snow on the Challenge for all of you. Have fun.
ReplyDeleteDo let Pieman lure you into Rotten Bottom! Not quite the "black hole of Beoraid". Hope its frozen.
ReplyDelete...However, I would like to lure you to the summit of White Combe. its a Corbett. We can't just walk past it. We could leave the packs somewhere....
ReplyDeleteNow...Rotten Bottom - a lovely, peach-shaped place of many sedges...
...However, I would like to lure you to the summit of White Combe. its a Corbett. We can't just walk past it. We could leave the packs somewhere....
ReplyDeleteNow...Rotten Bottom - a lovely, peach-shaped place of many sedges...
White Combe is nice. Rotten Bottom is a boggy mess. Carrifran Gans is awesome.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though you must be feeling optimistic! I live in Edinburgh and a friend in the Borders - West Linton - was on the phone earlier under 2 foot of snow with no electricity. It is wild out there at the moment.
All the best though!
It's pretty dire in Cheshire, it must be awful further north. The forecast promises a slight improvement on Friday before....more of the same.
ReplyDeleteAh well.
JJ
TWD: "Those maps are superb..." Shucks! They do show the ghastliness in all its glory. They don't show the snow, bog and driving rain though...
ReplyDeleteHumph: We start walking on Saturday after lunch - it's bond to be wall to wall sunshine by then... 5m - that's a bit worrying...
Laura: I am packing all the foul weather gear that I own.
Mike: Those penguins are greedy swine; they have already had my gaiters. Peck peck peck at the window... "Penguins" I says, "No!".
Alan: I think it might be a better route in the warm sunshine.
Phil: Wanda still unsealed... Lightweight bivi bag in the pack too...
Martin: I agree. The weather is terrible!
Jack: Once bitten...
Mike: "Our Tony" liked Sedgefield too. Look were that got him.
Chris: I'll leave White Comb for the list-ticker. We'll hunker down behind his abandoned sack in the warm. (!)
JJ: Break out the prayer mat and start pleading. We are going to need it!