The 2012 Challenge, Day 10: A Stroll into Braemar (7)

Before I took my leave of Howard, I asked his permission to take a couple of photographs of the painting, so I could juxtapose it with my photograph of the view he was painting. This was readily forthcoming, upon condition only that any time I publish the photograph, I add a link to Howard's gallery website. That seemed a perfectly reasonable request to me, and here is the link (or at least the URL - I'm not sure I know how to turn it into a link!): http://www.butterworthpaintings.co.uk/index.html

As I said goodbye to Howard and took to the road once again, another walker came by and we walked the rest of the way into Braemar together. He was a young man called Nigel, and he was heading for a pitch on the Braemar camp site. He was not a Challenger; but I fancy that in future years he may become one.

Arriving in Braemar, we went our separate ways. I went to the pharmacy and bought some lip salve, as my lips were getting quite seriously chapped. I guess i should have bought some suncream too, but i didn't think of that! Then I went to the outdoor shop and bought some new bootwax and an Ortlieb map case. I asked them what they thought about the mittens, and they suggested that it might simply be a case of needing to reproof them. So they chose to sell me £8 worth of Tech Wash and reproofing stuff, rather than £50 - £100 of new mittens (I've no idea what they'd cost these days; but I do remember paying Joe in Arran Active £50 for the existing mittens, and that was 18 years ago). I'm always happy to deal with such shops!

Having bought all the supplies I needed, I then went to Richard and Marion Baker's wonderful B&B, where I had a room booked, and where my resupply parcel was waiting. I settled in, and Marion took my laundry and put it in the washing machine. Then I had a nice relaxing bath, put a fresh coat of wax on my boots, and went to the Fife Arms for supper.