Total so far: 1034.1 miles
Percentage completed: 61.9%
(Click map to enlarge)
Kippers for breakfast! I do love a kipper (or two).
It was pouring with rain out there, but I could not put it off any longer, so on with just the one coat and over-trousers and a jaunty plod down the remainder of the A85 to Taynuilt, where Robin's Nest provided a welcome cup of coffee and a huge slab of gooey chocolate cake.
By the time I left, the sun had come out and it was a delightful meander up into Glen Lonan. The last time I had been here was in 1995 with my mate Bob on our very first TGO Challenge; all alone we were too, as we had set off on Sunday as no one had thought to tell us that everyone else started on the Friday!
Glen Lonan is a peach of a place - Highland Coos, very pretty sheep and a bubbling little stream set about with fresh leaved-woodland and emerald green sheep pasture.
Another coffee and Irn Bru at the Rare Breeds Park and then the daunder down to Oban. As I was hitting the outskirts, a young girl was bouncing mightily on her trampoline, when her father leaned over the fence and asked "Are you Alan?"
He was George Welch's son (George has done the Challenge some five times and has legs like bowling pins!) and he sent me his regards. George isn't on the walk this year - but if you are reading this George, it helped to make my day!
As I was strolling along the sea front in Oban (a very busy place!) who should greet me but the McLeans from Edinburgh, who are taking a day off the West Highland Way and will resume again tomorrow from Tyndrum.
Just as I reached the Youth Hostel, along popped Ann & Alvar from the Over the Hill Club and TGO Challenge. They are not walking this year, but will be manning Control for a week, and for the last week have been madly bagging Munro's in the wonderful weather.
It's a small world!
"very pretty sheep..." You can't take the Welsh out of some people can you! Keep up the good work Al.
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