TGO CHALLENGE 2011: DAY 1

FRIDAY 13th MAY 2011

Clickable map and most of the photos, too!
After the rough weather of the previous night we finally left Strathcarron after Andy had queued for five hours behind the postmaster to send his first parcel home. This included items of underwear more suitable for table dancing than hill walking. Who’d have thought it, eh?

It was great to be climbing a beautiful hill path into wild country and soon our lunchtime stop hove into view.

We bumped into Bill Archibald on the way to the estate bothy and then headed off up to Loch Calavie.

I hate wire bridges but Andy and Lilo skipped across while I waded the shallows of the Loch

We avoided the peat hags below Beinn Dronaig by climbing above them. What is not shown before the next picture of showers over Loch Cruoshie, is the “life and death” struggle to get over the river to the bothy(!) Being a bit of a wimp, I was the last to cross. I timed it perfectly to coincide with a real stinger of a cold rain stormlet as I crashed my way across a very nasty river crossing. All very good for the heart-rate… A little later Robert Ridgewell joined us, having braved the river alone – made of the right stuff, is Robert!

We were grateful for the shelter that night – it was horrid outside!