The 2011 Challenge, day 12: Lumsden to Alford (5)

One of the main reasons I had decided NOT to turn back and find my way up into the Correen Hills after all was that the map shows a hotel at Bridge of Alford, and I realised that if I pressed on I could be there in time for lunch. And a nice hot lunch taken at leisure in a hotel bar with a couple of pints of cider really REALLY appealed to me just at the moment.

So when I sighted the Forbes Arms Hotel a little before 1pm I was overjoyed. I went into the bar, ordered myself a pint of cider, and asked for a menu ... only to be told that their chef doesn't come in on a Tuesday lunchtime, so the kitchen wasn't open.

Ah well!

I finished my pint, comiserated with some chap from the oil industry who was bemoaning the fact that a fresh cloud of volcanic ash appeared to be falling on the bonnet of his brand new black Jaguar S-type out in the hotel car park, and headed off again. I crossed the bridge, found a nice little spot beside the road to have my lunch, and then wandered the last kilometre or so into Alford and my hotel.