The 2011 Challenge, day 12: Lumsden to Alford (1)

It has long been my ambition to walk a Challenge route which takes me through the Correen Hills; and this was the day when I should have done so. The plan was to head South out of Lumsden, rejoining my planned route just after the Southern entrance to Clova park, and then to take the track to Edinbanchory and up Edinbanchory Hill, over Lord Arthur's Hill and down Fouchie Shank to Terpsie Castle. It was, moreover, a day which would have been well suited to this. The cloud base was nice and high - although still inclined to dump the occasional drop of wet stuff on walkers below - and the wind had finally died down a bit.

However, this was not to be; because I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts (partly prompted by the sign in the picture, and rather silly speculation as to the precise nature of the B&B (a lilly pad, perhaps?)) that I walked clean on past the road to Edinbanchory. There is no other way up into the Correen Hills; and by the time I realised my error I was that far past that I decided I would just press on into Alford (pronounced Affud, apparently) by road. It was a fine day for road walking and, to be frank, the joys of walking in the rain were beginning to wear thin. I just wanted to get this Challenge over and done with now!